Musical vicar aiming to hit the right note

Joanne Jones reports

DESIGNER shirts with his dog collar are the style of Camberley’s newest man of the cloth.The Rev Graham Shaw, 25, is the new curate at St Paul’s Church, Camberley and he’s among the youngest to be ordained in England this year.He is the youngest curate in the Diocese of Guildford, which covers a population of one million people.He has moved into Camberley where he will live and work for the next three years.Graham’s role at St Paul’s is to address the spiritual needs of the 20s and 30s age group including returning students, and the needs of the international community, as well as leading the Sunday evening service, baptisms, funerals and weddings.Graham wears Yves Saint Laurent shirts tailored to fit his new priestly collar! Matching this trendy image, he is also a talented musician. He is pictured playing the saxophone outside his new home in Camberley.Graham has led music worship for many years including in his Cambridge college band, Re-Souled. He also sings and plays guitar and the piano.Graham also enjoys sport, especially cycling, running and triathlons. He completed the London Marathon in 2004 and cycled the length of Scotland the same year.Other pursuits while at college included the high jump for Cambridge University, and rowing for Queens College Oxford.He studied for a theology degree in Cambridge, followed by a further two theological study years at Wycliffe Hall in Oxford, before his ordination in July at Guildford Cathedral.Graham has a varied background of work experience. He worked as a youth worker for a year in Christ Church, Abingdon, as well as leading youth camps all over the country – from Taunton to inner-city Manchester.He has also been to Kenya a number of times, working for the charity Tearfund in South Sudan, and leading a team of 15 to build a school in the Kibera slums in Nairobi.He has also worked as a hospital porter, and in the supporter relations office for the charity, Care.Graham said: “This is a vibrant community with so much to give. I look forward to joining in and adding a fresh perspective to St Paul’s activities.“Already I am learning so much and I am enjoying this new chapter of my life.“The next big date is Sunday when I give the sermon at St Paul’s family service. Teaching is a real passion of mine.”All are welcome at St Paul’s Church which is at the top of Crawley Hill. Sunday services are at 9.30am and 10.15am , with evening service at 6pm.