A YORK woman now living in New Zealand has met the Archbishop of York while he was in the country and together they bonded over her former home of Bishopthorpe.

Jill Whitfield met Dr John Sentamu who was in the country to celebrate 200 years since the Christian gospel was proclaimed in New Zealand.

Mrs Whitfield, who lived in Bishopthorpe for 20 years, joined the Archbishop and three local parishioners as they travelled by boat to Kingston to pick up walkers who had trekked almost 200km to recognise the spreading of the gospel, known as the Hikoi walk.

She said: “It has been wonderful for my church friends and I to meet Archbishop Sentamu and his wife. They were both obviously enjoying their New Zealand visit.

“We found the Archbishop to be most interesting, likeable and deserving of great respect.”

The Archbishop and his wife, Margaret, then joined the Hikoi walk on a 7km walk from Queenstown to Frankton.