The Rev. Canon Andrew Neaum, vicar at Boldre's St John the Baptist Church, to retire in January 2023

A GLOBE-TROTTING vicar will be retiring and heading west after he steps down next year from leading Boldre's parish church.

The Rev. Canon Andrew Neaum and his wife Diana are moving to Wells in late January, leaving St John the Baptist Church in the "capable" hands of its parochial council for at least six months.

Mr Neaum moved from Australia nine years ago to lead the church, and he told the A&T: "This role was supposed to be a semi-retirement but it's proved to be much more full-time in reality.

"I've enjoyed my time here enormously and I'm very happy to have had that experience.

"Diana and I are now moving to Wells where I will fill my soul with music at their beautiful cathedral."

Mr Neaum was ordained as a priest in Zimbabwe in 1974 and moved to the island of St Helena in the south Atlantic to officiate as vicar of its cathedral in 1982.

He relocated to Australia in 1985, serving as rector of churches in Skipton, Ararat, Wodonga and Shepparton until 2013, when he was offered the chance to be priest in charge in Boldre.

Mr Neaum said: "During my time here I've been able to build up the congregation, and the church has a fantastic music director, which has helped congregation numbers to grow.

"I hope the new vicar will be better than me, and I know that Diana will probably be more missed around here than I am!"

Mr Neaum said he and his wife were looking forward to spending their retirement gardening and with their grandchildren.

He added: "I'm licensed to do what we call 'spot work', so I will still have permission to officiate and I might well be employed for the odd job here and there for the church.

"Other than that I will indulge myself with family time, with my grandchildren, and with writing and compiling the extensive diary I've kept of a life lived all over the world."

He added: "St John's Church will be interregnum for at least six months.

"But it will be left in very capable hands of the church council and Simon Newham, the vicar of Brockenhurst; the Rev. Felicity Boot, retired assistant at St John's; and Christopher Knox, the lay reader."