The purpose of creating these new Districts is to share responsibilities more effectively. This will free up more people to concentrate on working with their local communities. Collaborating closely as an organisation across a wider region allows those with expertise in specific mission initiatives to learn from and support each other.

This includes those who are committed to fresh expressions of church or to reaching people in digital ways; those who are engaged in various forms of chaplaincy in different community contexts in both urban and rural settings; and those who want to help the church and wider world be better at responding to the climate crisis and concerns of social justice.

The North West England District is led by Revd Dr James Tebbutt and the South West Peninsula District by Revd Dr Daniel Haylett.

The launch event for the North West England District happened on Saturday 31 August at Victoria Hall in Bolton and was attended physically by 450 people and many more online.

The launch event for the South West Peninsula District was on Tuesday 3 September at Truro Methodist Church, with more than a hundred people in the church and many more online.

Both events included the welcome service for their new District Chair, alongside the wider District Leadership Team. Both events were attended by senior members of the Methodist Church in Britain such as the Revd Dr Jonathan Hustler, the Secretary of the Conference. Revd Canon Helen Cameron, the President of the Methodist Conference, and Mrs Carolyn Godfrey, the Vice President of the Conference, attended the North West England District launch event.

Revd Dr James Tebbutt, the District Chair of the North West England District, says “After many consultations and much hard work over the last three years, it is wonderful to have reached this point. It is a privilege to have leadership responsibility for working with others to take the District forward. We are committed to collaborative and inclusive working, and I look forward to working both with those whom I already know and with many others in the North West Region whom I also look forward to getting to know in the months and years ahead.”

Revd Dr Daniel Haylett, the District Chair, says “It is a joy to be launching a new Methodist District in the South West Peninsula as we seek to continue to share God's all-inclusive love with those in our communities. We are excited about the possibilities to support local churches and Circuit's in the excellent work and engagement that is going on each and every day from the Isles of Scilly and right through the counties of Cornwall, Devon and Somerset.”