A FORMER teacher has been installed as Minehead’s new vicar.

Simon Robinson was formally welcomed to the role in a service at St Michael’s Church conducted by the Bishop of Bath and Wells the Rt Rev Peter Hancock on Wednesday (August 5).

The town has been without a vicar since early last summer when the Rev Penny Dobbin retired but has been looked after by its curate, the Rev Tina MacDonald, with the help of local lay readers and retired clergy.

Simon, who is 47, was brought up in the Midlands and came to the ministry after 24 years of teaching in primary schools, finishing as a head teacher.

His training as a priest began when he was still serving as a head but he comes to Minehead after his curacy at Freshford, Limpley Stoke and Hinton Charterhouse near Bath.

Outside of work, his hobbies include music, gardening, travelling and watching films, especially science fiction from the 1970s and 1980s.

He is also an accomplished musician having learnt to play a number of instruments over the years, including piano, organ, guitar and recorder.

Simon has been a church organist and choirmaster and a churchwarden in both Bath and London and church leaders in Minehead are hoping he will have time to display some of his musical talents.

He had the chance to meet many of his new parishioners at a reception at St Andrew’s Church which followed Wednesday’s installation service.

“I’m really looking forward to living and working in Minehead, to making new friends and to exploring the gateway to Exmoor and beyond,” he said.