THE Camelford and Week St Mary Methodist Circuit have recently appointed a new superintendent minister, Rev Linda Barriball.

Rev Barriball has recently moved into the area after three years serving a large church in the centre of Bolton. She was born at St Giles-on-the-Heath, educated at the primary school in the village with one year at Clawton, after which she attended Okehampton Grammar School. Coming from a large family and being involved in both the Methodist church and Clawton Young Farmers, Linda held several roles in both. This was a good foundation as Linda became a local preacher in the Holsworthy Circuit, later in Bideford, and then became a candidate for the Methodist Ministry. After training at Wesley College, Bristol, she served in the Welsh Valleys including Aberfan, followed by West Somerset and then the Yeovil area in her 26 years working in circuits.

After leaving school, Linda worked in administration and finance in various companies in North Devon, including a large farming organisation. With a love of both the countryside and the sea, she has now moved to North Cornwall and serves six churches, with wider oversight of another nine.

Linda said: “Returning to rural life with a number of small churches serving a sparsely populated area after the multi-cultural scene in Bolton is a complete change, but the needs of people are very similar. My role is to bring the love of God into many different situations and support people at their times of need, as well as enjoying the good times.

“Coming back to the area where I grew up, I have met many people who I have known in the past and as many of my family live in the Holsworthy and Launceston area, I feel it’s like coming home.”