Keen Arsenal fan is new priest for Hastings Old Town parish

Old Town Parish Priest Paul Hunt SUS-200930-124450001

Mr Hunt was formerly Senior Chaplain on Emanuel School in London and a Priest-in-Ordinary to the Queen.

A long-time Hastings resident, he enjoys opera, following the Arsenal and has run the Hastings Half Marathon several times.

Reverend Hunt was also agent to Hastings Liberal Democrat candidate Nick Perry at the last December’s general election.

He said: “I came close to applying for this ministry in 2009 and so there is an element of vocational fulfilment in becoming the parish priest a decade later.

“The Old Town is a wonderful place and I certainly wouldn’t have agreed to come out of retirement for any other parish. My first visit to the Old Town was in the summer of 1964 as a small boy in short trousers. Thankfully, the Old Town has kept its charm in the fifty-six years since and St Clement’s and All Saints continue to witness to the Christian faith as they have done for over 600 years.

“I am pleased to say there are committed Christians in all of the Hastings political parties. Christians should be actively concerned about what is happening in the world around them.

“There will be no party politics from the pulpit but parishioners will need to get used to references to Arsenal and Richard Wagner.”

Churchwarden Ann Wing said: We are delighted Paul has accepted the Bishop’s invitation. We look forward to working with him in our historic parish.”