A practising lesbian bishop has been appointed as the new Archbishop of Wales for the Anglican Church—the first time a woman has held the role—after her predecessor stepped down following a safeguarding review about “errors of judgement” about the working culture at Bangor Cathedral, which included alcohol abuse, inappropriate sexual behavior and gossip.
Monmouth Diocese confirmed the appointment of the Most Reverend, Rt Rev. Cherry Vann, currently Bishop of Monmouth, to head the Anglican church for Wales in a news update on July 30.
Vann, who reportedly lives with her female civil partner Wendy Diamond, takes over from the Most Rev. Andrew John, who served as Archbishop of Wales, also Bishop of Bangor, for three-and-a-half years.
John retired from his role after admitting an error of judgement in failing to address findings of a safeguarding review, which revealed a sexualised culture and other concerns at Bangor Cathedral.
"The first thing I shall need to do is to ensure that the issues which have been raised in the last six months are properly addressed and that I work to bring healing and reconciliation, and to build a really good level of trust across the Church and the communities the Church serves,” said Vann.
In October last year, John commissioned safeguarding experts Thirtyone:eight to conduct a review of Bangor Cathedral “in response to concerns which had been brought to his attention,” according to a May 2025 news release by the Church in Wales. It involved a visit and a safeguarding audit by the independent organization.
After seeing the report, John noted a number of concerning matters by Thirtyone:eight including “conduct in some areas—relating to alcohol use and sexual behavior—that did not reflect the professional standards expected in a Christian church.”
He also noted the report reflected “a safeguarding approach that did not meet the standards expected across the Church in Wales.”
Another aspect was “the presence of hurtful gossip, both in person and online, which caused pain and division.”
A further concern was “management practices that lacked transparency and rigour, with some appointments made without proper paperwork, inadequate oversight arrangements and concerns raised about exclusion due to favouritism.”
Lastly: “Weak financial controls, unclear reporting lines, and spending decisions that were insufficiently scrutinised.”
John subsequently announced his retirement on June 27.
Vann, chosen to be the 15th Archbishop of Wales, has been bishop of Monmouth for five years. She was elected with a two-thirds majority vote from the Electoral College meeting in the town of Chepstow. She will be “enthroned” at Newport Cathedral, date to be confirmed, according to the news update from the Church in Wales.
Vann, from the country of Leicestershire in England, began her work in the Anglican church when elected a deacon in 1989. She became among the first women ordained as a priest in the Church of England in 1994. She was Archdeacon of Rochdale, in the Diocese of Manchester, for 11 years.
The Very Rev. Ian Black, Dean of Newport, said that Vann has a “deep faith, which is also open to those who take a different view to her” and called her “the right person for this moment in the Church in Wales’ life.”
Other candidates for the Archbishop of Wales role who were not chosen were the Bishop of St Asaph, Gregory Cameron; the Bishop of Swansea and Brecon, John Lomas; the Bishop of Llandaff, Mary Stallard; and the Bishop of St Davids, Dorrien Davies.
