Colleagues gathered for cake and heartfelt speeches at the United Reformed Church’s (URC) London office, on 2 November, to say a fond farewell to Gill Nichol, Head of Communications.
After nine years at Church House, and five leading the communications department, Gill is moving on to pastures new.
Jane Baird, Deputy General Secretary (Administration and Resources), explained to colleagues how much Gill will be missed.
‘I shall miss Gill enormously,’ she said. ‘We have both learned a lot from each other. I shall miss her energy, her bright smile, the laughter and a few tears we have shared.
‘Gill is hardworking, a consummate professional with extremely high standards which she maintains fiercely. She leaves the communications department in a far better place than she found it.’
Referring to Mission Council and General Assembly, Jane highlighted how Gill had led communications, in 2014 and 2015, through some of the URC’s most divisive and controversial matters in recent years – the marriage of same-sex couples.
Gill had originally submitted her notice after relocating to north Yorkshire, and happily agreed to stay on in the position until a replacement had been found.
Jane continued: ‘Please join me in saying thank you for all Gill has done and wishing her every success and happiness in the future.’
Gill added: ‘Thank you. You’ve all been great,’ and went onto explain how she used to work as a journalist in the automotive trade. Gill explained that she spent time covering motor shows and said they were all about ‘the big reveal’.
To the curiosity of all gathered, Gill then began to unbutton her red shirt to produce her own ‘big reveal’ – a specially-made t-shirt that read ‘URC Comms Rocks!’
Holding back the tears, Gill said: ‘The team is brilliant, it’s not the team I inherited, it’s the team that together we’ve created and I’m really grateful to all of you.’
The Revd John Proctor, General Secretary, also thanked Gill for her service to the URC, which she began in 2009, and said that her successor, Andy Jackson, the former Director of Publishing and Communications for the Methodist Church, had big shoes to fill.
