Mothers' Union Chaplain joins Garth Ministry Area
Rev’d Sandra Birdsall, currently Vicar in the Afon Nedd Ministry Area and Chaplain to Mothers' Union Llandaff, has been appointed Vicar in the Garth Ministry Area.
Speaking about her new role, Rev'd Sandra says, "I am very much looking forward and excited about returning closer to my roots when I move to the Garth Ministry Area, particularly serving the communities of St Fagans, Tongwynlais and Taffs Well. I also welcome the challenge of being part of God’s mission over the coming years in the huge new garden city development Plasdŵr."
Joining Rev'd Sandra at Garth Ministry Area is Rev'd Ian Yemm, currently Assistant Curate in the Cowbridge Ministry Area and Rev'd Steve Wilson who has recently joined Garth as Ministry Area Leader.
Meet Rev'd Sandra Birdsall
I was born in Bridgend but grew up in Penarth and then Radyr. I read Genetics at University College London where I met my husband Mike.
After university I trained as a clinical cytogeneticist at St Bartholomew's Hospital specialising in the diagnosis and monitoring of leukaemia and lymphoma. I then spent several years as a research scientist at the Royal Marsden Hospital. We then moved back to Radyr and I began working at the University Hospital of Wales where I became head of the Haematological Malignancy Genetic Diagnosis Laboratory.
Outside of work I became a Sunday school teacher and later Church Warden in the Parish of Radyr. Finding this ministry and my faith becoming a more and more important part of my life I left work in 2013 to study full time at St Mike’s. I was ordained Deacon in 2015 and priest in 2016, serving my title in the Parish of Penarth All Saints.
In January 2019 I was commissioned as diocesan Mothers’ Union Chaplain. A role I love and have recently been recommissioned for the new triennium. In June 2019 I was appointed Vicar in the Parish of Llansawel, Briton Ferry, where it has been a privilege to serve with a really friendly fun group of people with a strong sense of God’s call in their lives. I have recently been awarded a Master of Arts in Christian Spirituality from the University of Winchester, for which I studied at Sarum College in Salisbury.
Mike, my husband, is a software developer and we have two daughters, one married, one still at home. Last summer we became grandparents for the first time and I have rediscovered the joy of knitting picture jumpers for our granddaughter. My other passions are travel to places of ancient historical importance and anything to do with rhinos - even having them on my green stole!