Biddy hands over to Anna at Norfolk charity
 Biddy Collyer said farewell to Christian charity Pregnancy Choices Norfolk after ten years as director last week at an emotional send-off and welcomed her successor, Anna Sweeting. Keith Morris reports.
Scores of the charity’s volunteers and supporters gathered at the House of Prayer at Fishergate in Norwich on March 17 to say goodbye to Biddy, who is set to embark on a 1,000-mile pilgrim walk in France and Spain over the next few months.
Pregnancy Choices chairman, Rev Michael Paddison, was the first to pay tribute to Biddy, saying: “You are a woman of passion who has inspired us all. You network in a most amazing way and encourage each one of us by generously giving of yourself in so many ways.”
Former charity schools worker, Melissa Snell, said: “The words that come to me about Biddy are integrity and prayer. Prayer is central to who Biddy is and her life is one of prayer to God. Who she is and how she has lived have had the most profound impact on this group and those who work here.”
A number of colleagues also paid their own tributes to Biddy before she was presented with several retirement gifts by Michael.
Charity patron, the Bishop of Norwich, Rt Rev Graham James, rounded off the tributes by saying: “Biddy, you are like a star – it guides, it gives light, it leads the wise and the foolish to Jesus. It is not difficult to see why people are drawn to Biddy and why this work is really one of mission.
“It is so important because it has largely gone against the grain of our times – people are so often enslaved by our culture. One of the keys to the Christian faith is to be liberated from the thinking of our culture. I have no doubt that the work has a great future in Anna Sweeting’s hands – she has God’s blessing and a great team around her.”
In response, Biddy said: “I have had the privilege to work with the most wonderful group of people you could ever hope to meet – it has been a real work of mercy.”
Biddy recalled two high points: “one being the production of a DVD called “Reannon’s Journey “ where a past client movingly tells of her experience of a late termination and the healing she received from being part of one of our post abortion groups. The DVD has impacted women all over the country and abroad, and has had over 10,000 hits on You Tube. The other, more recently was when the Archbishop of York, Rt Rev John Sentamu, visited our new premises in Princes Street and gave us his blessing.
“Once we had moved to Princes Street the vision for the group was lifted from me and I am delighted to welcome Anna as the new director. Anna has a real heart for women and she has a fantastic team to help her take the work forward.”
Anna has a previous career in criminal justice research and helped plant a church in London with husband Tim. The couple moved to Norwich in November 2009 when Tim was appointed chief executive of YMCA Norfolk. They have two small children, Fifi and Freddie.
“I have always had an underlying interest in pregnancy,” said Anna, “and I am so excited to work with the team to discern how God wants to develop the organisation in the future.
“As well as growing the fantastic work - building partnerships with the health sector and exploring work streams with the sexual health field - I believe there are great opportunities to grow the alternative work such as parental support classes, housing and befriending.
“I am looking forward to meeting many of our wonderful volunteers, supporters and partners in this work over the next few months.”
Read more about Pregnancy Choices Norfolk on this website
Pictured top are Anna Sweeting (left) and Biddy Collyer at the leaving event. | 