AN annual service of remembrance in York Minster will be the first big diary date for Rev Ben Norton.

Rev Norton has been appointed as the new regimental chaplain for Yorkshire’s own Infantry, the Yorkshire Regiment.

He said: “As an army reserve I’ve been lucky to gain a better insight into the needs and concerns of those who serve our country and our communities.

"I’m especially proud to be called upon to lead the service of remembrance in York when we will pay tribute to all those who were unable to say farewell to during the pandemic, as well as all those who lost their lives in two world wars and also in more recent operations.

“I’m excited by the opportunity offered by this new aspect of my ministry and embracing new and creative ways of engaging with the regimental family; those who are serving, their families and our veterans old and new."

Rev Norton was ordained into the Church of England in 2007 and is the first to be ordained as a pioneer minister, which means his role is focussed on creating church and worship in new and fresh ways to meet the needs of a rapidly changing society.

He has ministered in his home city of Hull for the past 6 years and works closely with the veteran's charity Hull 4 Heroes, and he has been Chaplain to the 4th Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment Reserve since 2013.

His role with 4 Yorks has included operational deployments to Kabul and more recently as a British army reserve, Ben was mobilized on operation rescript, providing much needed support to the NHS and other government agencies during the Covid pandemic.

He will deploy on exercise in September and also to Kenya later in the year, providing soldiers with moral support and helping them to better understand what they are doing and why.

As regimental chaplain, Padre Ben’s duties will include officiating at major regimental events and his first will be the Yorkshire Regiment’s annual service of remembrance in York Minster on November 6.

Rev Norton lives and works in Hull and has three children. In his free time he is an avid sportsman and enjoys running, long distance triathlon, recently swam across the Humber river and represents 4 YorkS in Army cycling races.