It was thirty years ago that a young Bryan Lewis arrived in West Yorkshire having left the Welsh Valleys to further his career with the National Coal Board.
“The plan was always to go back to Wales, but then I had two Yorkshire-born daughters, Rebecca and Briony, so we stayed – very happily,” said Bryan, who finishes work as the diocesan finance manager at the end of this week.
And he has no plans to leave home in Ackworth, just to get to out and about more.
“I’ve not played golf since 1992, but I’m going to treat myself to a new set of clubs as a retirement present.
“And when I worked at the Diocese of Wakefield I cycled to work almost every day, so I think I’ll get back to cycling and see how fit I can get.
“I might even do a bit of club cycling depending on how it goes.”
Bryan moved from the NCB to work for the NHS in Bradford and then onto the job at Church House, Wakefield in September 2001.
“It was a very different place to what I was used to with about 30 people, many of them part-time, and a lot of volunteers always coming in and out.
“I came in because the accountancy was changing from what was really a large PCC to presenting company accounts.”
Away from work, Bryan has always been a stalwart at St Cuthbert’s and All Saints, Ackworth, where he is the treasurer and where his first wife, Marie, who sadly died, was a reader.
Bryan is now married to Linda, a nurse specialist working in Leeds and they plan to stay in the area, which has become such a great home.
Speaking about the most satisfying parts of his career, Bryan said: “I’ve really enjoyed working with parishioners and PCCs on behalf of the diocese – people who often have no, or little, idea of finance and are looking for help.
“That’s been very rewarding and we must remember all those people are volunteers and something which our diocese excels at is providing the support they need."
Diocesan Secretary Debbie Child said: "Thanks very much to Bryan for all he has contributed over many years of service to the Dioceses of Wakefield and Leeds. We wish him all the very best in his retirement."