Fr David is priest-in-charge of St Botolph-without-Bishopsgate, the latest in a line of radical and forward-thinking incumbents. His 19^th century predecessor, Rev’d William Rogers, founded the Bishopsgate Institute; hence the historical connection. David has ministered in parish ministry and chaplaincy. Before being ordained, he worked in commercial communications. Following senior positions in the comms industry, David co-founded and directed a Westminster-based PR and lobbying firm and continues to provide insights as a pro-bono consultant. David’s passions are social justice and inclusion, and he works to make St Botolph’s a place of sanctuary for all in the City.

#FROMTHE ARCHIVES

Married in 1950, Chris and Betty Birch have been involved in political, trade union, and LGBTQ+ activism for over 60 years. Sharing similar interests, they were both Communist Party Members and involved with organisations such as the Aid to Spanish Youth Committee. After the death of his friend, Mark Ashton, Chris became involved in forming the Mark Ashton Memorial Trust, which was created to raise money for individuals living with HIV. The archive includes the truncheon taken from the police by Mark Ashton, correspondence, personal scrapbooks, press cuttings, and various other papers relating to the couples activism.