Members of the public across the diocese contributed their views to help define the qualities needed in the next Bishop of Oxford.

This feedback has informed a Statement of Needs, a document outlining the role, context, and opportunities, and desired qualities for the next bishop, and the character of the Diocese of Oxford.

Rev Canon Geoff Bayliss, chair of the Vacancy-in-See Committee, said: “Our Statement of Needs is the result of a huge amount of work by very many people and gives a wonderful picture of the life of our diocese.

“It was informed by the consultation to which over 2,500 people very generously contributed.”

The document will guide the Crown Nominations Commission (CNC) in its search for potential candidates.

Following the completion of the Statement of Needs, the vacancy-in-see committee elected six representatives to serve on the CNC.

They will join six members from the wider Church of England to form the full commission, which is responsible for shortlisting candidates and recommending a nominee to the King and Downing Street.

The Diocese of Oxford covers Oxfordshire, Berkshire, and Buckinghamshire.

It has the largest number of churches of any diocese in the Church of England, with more than 800 churches in 609 parishes.

John Varley Roberts, one of Victorian England’s most celebrated choral trainers and organist of Magdalen College, Oxford, is the subject of a new book by music scholar Professor David Baker.

It shines a light on the musician’s impact on British church music, tracing a career that took Roberts from Halifax Parish Church in Yorkshire to national recognition.

Professor Baker, director of the Halifax Organ Academy and an accredited tutor with the Royal College of Organists, said: “Roberts’ influence was considerable and enduring at a time when church music was undergoing a significant transformation in Britain.

“He influenced generations of choristers, musicians, and choir directors, sitting alongside John Stainer and Walter Parratt as one of the greats of his generation.

“After becoming organist and choirmaster at Halifax Parish Church in 1868, he transformed music there.”

Roberts went on to become organist at Magdalen, where he served from 1883 to 1918.

During his tenure, the choir was regarded as the best in the country, and his compositions—40 anthems, four full services, organ solos, songs, part songs, and the cantata Jonah—were widely performed.

His anthem Seek ye the Lord remains popular internationally.

Professor Baker first learned of Roberts while studying at Cambridge University in 1968.

He said: “At the time I was organist at St Paul’s, Stanningley, Leeds.

“An elderly lady was a regular attender; she introduced herself as the niece of a famous choirmaster.

“I thought little of the encounter until 1972, when, for my dissertation, I was researching the music of Halifax Parish Church, discovering that Dr John Varley Roberts had been organist and choirmaster there, and the music had been second to none.

“I made the connection and sought out Edith Annie Roberts, the lady in question. As I walked into her front parlour, I saw a huge photograph hanging over the fireplace: Roberts in his Oxford DMus robes.”

Professor Baker said: “I was struck by how little remembered he was.

“Roberts was one of those forgotten Victorians who, in their day, had a considerable impact and influence on Victorian church music.”

Roberts’ music, aside from his most famous anthem, had fallen out of use—even at Magdalen College.

To mark the centenary of Roberts’ death in 2020, Professor Baker edited all of Roberts’ organ works for publication and encouraged his choirs to perform them.

He said: “They all enjoyed doing so, and it became clear that Roberts’ rise from an upper working-class background in mid-nineteenth-century Leeds deserved further study.”

The biography, John Varley Roberts and Religious Musical Life in Nineteenth-Century Britain, will be published by Taylor and Francis on April 21.

Professor Baker will host recitals and lectures to launch the book in both Halifax and Oxford later in the year.

The nature-themed design now brightens the walkway to the Neonatal Unit at the John Radcliffe Hospital, with colourful imagery and meaningful details.

Funded by the charity SSNAP (Support for the Sick Newborn and their Parents), the artwork runs along the corridor connecting the Women’s Centre Maternity entrance to the Oxford Newborn Care Unit.

Emily Byrne, charity lead for SSNAP, said: “SSNAP is thrilled to be able to enhance the corridors leading to the Neonatal Unit and create a space that feels brighter, calmer and more welcoming.

“The transformation has made a real difference already, providing an uplifting environment for both families and staff.

“We are incredibly grateful that this work has been made possible through a generous legacy from a late donor.

“Their gift will help bring comfort and hope to parents walking this corridor for years to come.”

The vinyl mural features a calming meadow scene with acorns, blossom, and daffodils, with purple butterflies appearing throughout as a gentle tribute to babies from pregnancies with more than one baby who did not survive.

A parent said: “Walking through the doors of the Neonatal Unit can be very overwhelming, but the artwork helped me focus on something more positive.

“For me, it has a very special meaning as my son passed away and he was a twin.

“The purple butterfly immediately made me think of him – it makes me feel like he is with me as I visit his twin brother.

“It is a small detail, but it brings comfort during a difficult time. I really appreciate that something so thoughtful has been included in the space for families like ours.”

Another parent said: “It looks beautiful and makes the corridor so uplifting.

“It may seem like a small thing, but for parents like me who walk down the corridor every day and spend most of the day inside the unit, it is a lovely way to brighten your day and give you a small boost of positivity.”

A “graduation wall” has also been created, giving families a dedicated spot to take a photo before going home, marking their baby’s birth date, gestation, and weight.

Clare Morris, deputy matron for the Neonatal Unit at OUH, said: “The new corridor artwork has made a hugely positive difference to our Neonatal Unit, transforming what was once a plain corridor into one that feels bright, welcoming and calming.

“For families spending long and often emotional periods with us, it offers moments of comfort, while for staff it creates a more uplifting environment on their way to and from work.”