The Bishop received the news on the 25th June 2025 that the Reverend Osmund Newnham had died peacefully in his sleep in the early hours of the morning.
Fr Osmond Newnham, was a former CoE priest, was originally in the ACC under Bishop Hamlett, our first Bishop Ordinary, then with Bishop Michael Wright and HCC (Anglican Rite). Fr Newnham and his small congregation in Bournemouth (formerly Bishop Wright’s) continued under the care of an HCC (WR) Bishop in Africa. When this Bishop, The Right Revd Samuel Banzana, joined the ACC Bishop Mead was approached to receive Fr Newnham, into the Diocese of the United Kingdom. He was happy to do so and Fr Newnham became canonically resident here, although he was of advanced years and no longer physically living in the UK – living instead in the Bahamas because of his health. Bishop Banzana issued Letters Dimissory to transfer him and has also sent a pastoral letter to such HCC(AR and WR) laity he is in touch with encouraging them to contact us.