A FORMER Kendal minister has been elected as the president of the General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches.

The Rev Celia Cartwright was minister at the town's Unitarian Chapel for ten years from 2006 until 2016.

Unitarianism is a progressive and liberal religious movement which grew out of the Reformation and is now open to insights from all faiths and philosophies. The General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches represents 165 communities in Great Britain.

As president Ms Cartwright will visit congregations in all parts of Great Britain and will seek to encourage local congregations in all their activities. It is a busy year culminating in the 2020 annual meetings which she will chair.

She studied for the ministry at Unitarian College Manchester and has a BA (Hons) in Theology and Religious Studies from the University of Manchester. Before entering ministry in her later 40s, Ms Cartwright had been a Queen Alexandra’s Royal Army nurse and a retail sales manager for ASDA and Principles.

In her spare time, she raised her son and daughter, sang in choirs and walked the family dog. In retirement she continues to work as a tutor for Unitarian lay preachers, for the Unitarian Peace Fellowship and Unitarian Women’s League.