THE Reverend Steven Saxby will move this week - to another part of Walthamstow.

Fr Saxby, who served as Vicar of St Peter's-in-the-Forest Church for the last six years, was licensed last week as the new parish priest of St Barnabas Church, in Queen's Road, Walthamstow.

He has also moved house with his wife Christine and five children to what he described as "a very different congregation and community", with parishoners from many parts of the world.

St Barnabas is a large Grade II listed building with a seating capacity of 700.

The Rev Fr Saxby said: "I am looking forward to being part of this wonderfully diverse community and to serving the local neighbourhood, not least through engaging in friendship and dialogue with the local Muslim community."

As well as being parish priest of St Barnabas, Fr Saxby will continue in his role as Area Dean of the Boroughs 24 Church of England churches and as a trustee of the Waltham Forest Faith Communities Forum.