Clergy &
Church Wardens
Rector: Canon Andrew Holliday
Assistant Priest: Reverend Cath Gabriel
Licensed Lay Minister (LLM)/Anna Chaplain- Dr Sheila Fisher
Churchwardens: Kathryn Hurst & Andy Salisbury
Canon Andrew Holliday has been Rector of St Wilfrid’s since 2011. Prior to being ordained, Andrew worked in the hotel industry, having left school and trained for the catering industry.
Andrew trained for the ministry at St Stephen’s House in Oxford and was ordained deacon in 1992 and ordained priest in 1993. Andrew has served all of his ministry in the Diocese of Blackburn, having served in a variety of parishes from Blackpool to Darwen and now in Standish. Andrew is passionate about for the use of our church buildings as a tangible sign of mission in every community -serving the Diocese as Vice Chair of the DAC.
Away from Parish duties, Andrew enjoys reading history, particularly biographies, has a love of cooking and spending time discovering many of the hidden treasures of the North of England.
I'm Cath Gabriel. I was brought up within the Methodist Church, and have always felt the presence of God. As my mum was the church organist, I was in the church choir from 14, and a Sunday school teacher. To cut a complicated story short, 24 years ago I felt compelled to attend our local Anglican church, and have never looked back. Many ‘jobs’ followed as a result – on the cleaning rota; Deanery synod representative; PCC member; I became a Pastoral Assistant in 2005; and a school governor.
In 2009, I began a part-time course with LCTP (Lancashire and Cumbria Theological Partnership) based at Rydal Hall in Cumbria. At this time, I was working full time as an educational psychologist (which I did for 32 years), including being a member of the Critical Incident Support Team, which helps /supports schools through bereavement and times of crisis. So the training was tough but I was ordained in 2012, and spent my curacy at St George‘s Church in Chorley.
In 2017, I moved to St Wilfrid’s as part-time, non-stipendiary Assistant Priest. I work with a stimulating team of people, within a supportive congregation. Together, we bring the Word of God through prayer, worship and action to a large parish. I have recently become Deanery Chaplain for Pastoral Assistants – I look after them and they look after me! I also teach on the Basic Pastoral Skills Course for the Diocese.
We have a fantastic school in St Wilfrid’s Primary Academy; where I am a school governor, including being the SEND governor; and I assist with school worship.
I have also worked as a Pharmacy technician within the NHS; and as teacher of children with significant learning difficulties. I am married to Paul, who is a Mechanical Design Engineer; and my son Tom works for an international charity as a case worker with refugees and asylum seekers.
Dr Sheila Fisher - Licensed Lay Minister (LLM)/Anna Chaplain
I was commissioned as a LLM in November 2020 and as an Anna Chaplain in February 2023.
My working life was as a Maxillofacial Surgeon, working mainly in the fields of head and neck cancer and trauma and later as a medical researcher. As well as working with scientists on a range of diagnostic technologies I was able to work on aspects of care that were important to me. My PhD explored the views and opinions of cancer patients around therapy and care. I was a member of a EORTC (European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer) group researching patients’ wishes for spiritual support and Trial Steering Group member for a national study on holistic needs in Palliative Care until 2019.
My training for Lay Ministry started in Leeds, followed by a Diploma in Funeral Celebrancy in 2020 and a Postgraduate Diploma in Aspects and Implications of Biblical Interpretation with the London School of Theology in 2021.
I moved to Standish in 2019 and it was a joy to be welcomed into our church family and, in 2020, to the ministry team. As well as worship, it is a pleasure to be active in ministry to those in later life, especially in our Care Homes, as well as with the children at our school. I am a Co-Tutor on our Diocesan Course in Later Life ministry and it has been a pleasure to
I am currently Chair of Trustees at the Wigan & Leigh Hospice, a Director of the Learning Together Trust and a Trustee of the Standish Grammar School Trust. For relaxation I love music, reading, attempting to get our garden into order and to grow edible vegetables and walking and time with my dogs, Patch and Millie.
My name is Andy Salisbury and I’m one of the Church Wardens at St. Wilfrid’s, Standish.
My background is in business and plastics manufacturing and my day job is as Commercial Director for a packaging company that supply plastics film into the Fresh produce sector (for fruit, vegetables and salads). Looking after the well-being of a Grade-1 listed church building is something else altogether, but it’s a labour of love. I have been involved in church life on and off throughout my life, first starting as a chorister at Worcester Cathedral and also learning to play piano and church organ as a youngster, becoming organist in a number of churches over the years.
I moved to Standish with my wife and young son from Suffolk a little over three and a half years ago when I relocated for a new job in 2016. Since then we have been regular members and attendees at St. Wilfrid’s, having been welcomed right from our very first visit. It is a very inclusive church and really helped us settle into our new life very easily. Since then, I have become both a choir member and also assistant organist as well as my Church Warden role which I started in 2019.
It can be a challenging role to ensure the upkeep of our beautiful church and graveyard, but one that I have taken in my stride as usual, as it is so important to uphold and preserve the wonderful history of St. Wilfrid’s. With my wife, we have organised and directed two musicals in the church, utilising the talents of many of our parishioners from the age of 7 through to 70+ in order to raise funds for the upkeep of the Church and its Parish Hall, and have raised over £2,000 to date as a result.