Eight women were today welcomed as participant observers at the meetings of the House of Bishops of the Church of England.

The women come from across England and have been given the right to attend and speak at meetings until there are six female members of the House of Bishops following the admission of women to the episcopate. They took up their role on 1 December and the meeting of the House of Bishops in York today and tomorrow is the first meeting they have attended.

Those elected as participant observers were: · East Midlands - Ven Christine Wilson, Archdeacon of Chesterfield · West Midlands - Revd Preb. Dr Jane Tillier, Preb of Lichfield Cathedral · East Anglia - Ven Annette Cooper, Archdeacon of Colchester · South and Central - Ven Joanne Grenfell, Archdeacon of Portsdown · South East region - Ven Rachel Treweek, Archdeacon of Hackney · South West region - Ven Nicola Sullivan, Archdeacon of Wells · North East Very Revd Vivienne Faull, Dean of York · North West - The Rev Libby Lane, Dean of Women in Ministry, Chester Diocese