With a bright smile and even brighter socks, St James and St Clements’ new Priest in Charge, Fr. Gareth Wardell, is a head to toe delight.

Having travelled to Norland, via Nepal, Afghanistan and various other places in between, Fr. Gareth has seen and experienced a lot of the world and now he has settled in Norland with his labrador Libby. Arriving from All Saints’ Hampton to begin his new position in the middle of a pandemic hasn’t been the easiest of starts, but being used to navigating South and Central Asia he’s accustomed to coping with tricky situations. For 14 years Fr. Gareth worked in Nepal and Afganistan, for a Christian international development organisation in the middle of some very challenging conditions.

The beautiful gothic St Clements Church, located in Treadgold Street, which was united in a joint parish with St James Church 40 years ago, is home to two impressive charities, originally started by the church, but now run as independent entities: The ClementJames Centre and IntoUniversity, which between them employ over 50 people at the church site, involved in serving the local community. The charities are independent from the church, but Fr. Gareth serves on their Board of Trustees.

Fr. Gareth felt the sense of a call to ordination in 2000, after he had returned from Afganistan and while he was working as a Research Fellow at the University of York’s Post-war Reconstruction & Development Unit, travelling regularly to war-affected countries. 

To become a priest Fr. Gareth spent several years studying theology in Cambridge before being ordained in York Minster. That was followed by a three year Curacy post undertaking further in-service training, or as he puts it: “Being a Vicar with L plates on” at Selby Abbey in North Yorkshire.

He then spent four years as Associate Vicar at St Mary Abbots on High Street Kensington, before moving to be the Vicar of All Saints’ Hampton in Richmond for seven years, a post he combined with being Chaplain of the Shooting Star Children’s Hospice. In late 2019, he was invited by the Bishop of Kensington, Graham Tomlin, to come to Norland.

Since arriving in the Parish of St Clement and St James, in March 2020, he notes: “One of the major challenges has been getting started in the middle of a pandemic. When you are in a job that is very relational, not being able to meet with people in-person has been very difficult.” Talking through issues and praying with people long distance has been problematic, especially for parishioners who are less comfortable with Zoom. “It is good actually getting to see a lot more people now,” says Fr. Gareth, who adds that his labrador Libby has been a great help. “Being out and about with a dog is a great way to meet people.” Fr. Gareth and Libby are also also regular visitors to the St Clement & St James CE Parish Primary School, where Libby serves as school therapy dog, greeting the children arriving in the morning most days of the week.

“It’s a great community to serve within,” says Fr. Gareth, “And the Parish school is a great place to meet people. It’s one of Kensington’s best kept secrets and the best place to get a church education in a small, intimate single-form entry school, where the staff get to know all the children personally, by name.”

Churches have now reopened for Sunday services: 09:45 in St James and repeated at 11:30 in St Clement's.