Former Archdeacon announces retirement

Archdeacon Andrew Ballard.

Former Archdeacon of Rochdale Andrew Ballard has announced his retirement as Archdeacon of Manchester.

Archdeacon Ballard was a parish priest in Rochdale before he became Archdeacon of the borough and moving on to Manchester in 2005, following in the footsteps of his father who moved from Rochdale to Manchester as Archdeacon in 1972. Archdeacon Ballard has worked in the Manchester Diocese for 26 years.

“I have decided to announce my retirement now so that discussions in the Diocese about the possible fourth Archdeaconry and related discussions about the job description of the Archdeacon of Manchester can take place with everyone knowing the full picture,” he said.

Andrew and his wife Caroline have three grown up children, and they will be moving to Brigg, just South of the Humber in North Lincolnshire in retirement.

His final service will be at Manchester Cathedral on Saturday 31 January.