From Classroom to Cathedral: Former Headteacher and Safeguarding Survivor Appointed Bishop of Warrington Amid Diocesan Healing

The Very Rev. Simon Robinson, a former London headteacher who spent 24 years in education championing children with special needs and those excluded from mainstream schools, has been named the next Bishop of Warrington. Currently serving as Dean of Truro—a role he has held since 2024 after being appointed Interim Dean in 2022—the Bishop-elect brings a distinctive vocational journey to the episcopate, having been ordained only in 2012 following a distinguished career in the classroom. The Diocese of Liverpool hailed his appointment, highlighting Robinson’s working-class roots and firsthand experience of poverty as foundational to his conviction that “the renewal of the Church depends on building a Church that is for everyone.” His arrival comes at a significant moment for the diocese, following the resignation of the previous Bishop of Warrington, Bev Mason, who stepped down last year after coming forward as one of two women who accused the former Bishop of Liverpool, John Perumbalath, of sexual misconduct—allegations he has consistently denied.

Described by diocesan leaders as a “committed, public advocate for safeguarding who himself is a survivor,” Robinson enters the role with a dual mandate: to shepherd the Warrington area while lending his expertise to strengthen safeguarding protocols across the wider diocese. The Bishop-elect spoke of a “literal fire” igniting within him upon first considering the position—a calling he says has only intensified through prayer and preparation. Interim Bishop of Liverpool, the Rt Rev. Ruth Worsley, welcomed him as a colleague who brings “holy listening and honest insight,” while the Archbishop of York, the Most Rev. Stephen Cottrell, commended Robinson’s array of gifts for serving the people and parishes of the diocese. Robinson will be consecrated at York Minster on 30 April, with a formal welcome service to follow at Liverpool Cathedral in May, marking the beginning of an episcopacy shaped by resilience, lived experience, and a steadfast commitment to an inclusive Church.