A hairdresser who has spent the past six years studying to become a priest says she is delighted to finally be ordained as a deacon after a special ceremony at Canterbury Cathedral.

Anthea Mitchell has worked at Hair Professional on Maidstone's King Street for three decades but a development of her faith in recent years saw her take up training to become a minister in secular employment.

After long hours in the salon, and evenings filled with studying, on Saturday all her hard work paid off when the Rt Revd Rose Hudson-Wilkin, Bishop of Dover, ordained Rev Mitchell and 10 others as deacons.

Now armed with her dog collar and new responsibilities, Rev Mitchell from Penenden Heath, hopes to continue her work as a hairdresser full-time alongside her ministry.

The prospect of working two jobs for some might seem daunting but Rev Mitchell says she feels a very strong calling to ministry in the workplace and hopes to use her unique role as a way of bringing the light and peace of God to those unlikely to wander into churches.

She said: "Through Covid I'm working up to 80 hours a week because we can't do as many clients at a time as we used to.

"I’m going to fit the other stuff around that. Some of the time when I'm at work I'll be able to slip off and spend 20 minutes writing a sermon when somebody's colour is on, and obviously I'll be in Church on a Sunday.

"It won't be easy, it will be tricky to manage that, while looking after my family, having a relationship with my husband, and my friends, but this is where I want to be so I think I will be okay."

When asked about what her customers think, Rev Mitchell says she is excited to find out and will be wearing her dog collar to work everyday.

She said: "My colleagues know, and so do a lot of my clients, but it's not until you put the collar on you see their reactions because you can't forget about it then because it's always there.

"I will only be talking to my clients about it if they ask. That’s one of the best things about wearing a collar, it's there to discuss if you wish or you can just ignore it.

"I'm more than happy to have conversations with people about faith and spirituality but equally, if people just want to talk about the football that's fine too."

So far Rev Mitchell has spent three years in the discernment process, a further three years at St Augustine's College of Theology in West Malling, and is now looking forward to the next three years where she will be serving curacy at St Paul's Church in Boxley Road.

During this time, described by the Church as 'vital' for new ministers to continue learning and growing, she will learn how to do baptisms, funerals and weddings.

Before being ordained, Rev Mitchell arrived at Canterbury Cathedral Lodge, a hotel in the precinct, three days before for a guided retreat to prepare her for her new role.

It involved lots of prayer, contemplation and advice from members of the clergy. She even had an interview with Bishop Rose to ensure she was ready for the commitment.

She said: "Sadly, this year and last year, many of those retreats were cancelled because of Covid, so I feel really sorry for people who missed out on that or had to do the retreat from home which really doesn't have the same effect."

But one of the things Rev Mitchell found the hardest was the silence.

She added: "It was quite monastic. There are times when you are allowed to talk, at the beginning and the end, but most of it is silence which some found more difficult and helpful than others.

"Most of us knew each other because we were at the same theological college.

"Because we haven't physically met for so long, I really wanted to talk to people to find out how they were and what they were up to and actually I did sneak out on the last night to go to the pub which I found equally helpful to be out having a drink with people."

As well as the deacons, 10 priests were also ordained on Saturday at a ceremony at Holy Trinity Church in Folkestone.

Looking back on the occasions, Bishop Rose said: "This was a joyful celebration in the midst of what has been an extraordinarily difficult and challenging year.

"It is a huge privilege to welcome such a diverse and talented group of priests and deacons to love and serve our communities.

"These are people who have had the courage to answer God's call on their lives, to step out in faith and follow that call, trusting God for wherever that may lead and whatever it may bring."

"I will be keeping each of them in my prayers as they grow into their new ministries."

During her curacy, Rev Mitchell will keep a detailed journal of her experiences as a minister in secular employment, something which is quite rare, with the hope of writing a book.

This time next year she hopes to be ordained as a priest.

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