Alumna featured in photography exhibition
30 May 2019
Hertford alumna Reverend Susie Simpson (Music, 1978) has been featured in a photography exhibition at the Oxo Tower Gallery, London.
Alumna Revd Susie Simpson was recently featured in a photo-story exhibition by Jim Grover entitled Here Am I. The exhibition, which you can visit at the Oxo Tower Gallery until June 2, is a photographic celebration of the anniversary of women being admitted to priesthood in the Church of England. Award-winning photographer Grover followed different priests in the Diocese of Southwark, capturing the diverse nature of women’s ministry.
Among Grover’s subjects was alumna Revd Susie Simpson, who works as a prison chaplain at the Isis Young Offenders’ Institution in Greenwich. After completing her Music degree with us here at Hertford, she spent four years as a teacher before taking a break to bring up her family. She was then ordained in 2000, taking a more traditional ministry path and becoming a team vicar for two churches in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire.
She entered the prison chaplaincy in 2008, becoming one of around 100 chaplains serving the UK prison community, and one of around 40 of which are women.
This year, Revd Simpson was commended by The Butler Trust for her inspiring leadership of a team which plays a central and respected role within the prison, as well as for nurturing the prison band, which has now gone on to appear on a number of albums. Julian Denton, who nominated Revd Simpson, described how, “when we recognise people such as Mother Susie, we affirm that the great act of service is often hidden, unassuming, magnanimous and decent. I guess that is what makes it truly remarkable.”
In this exhibition, Revd Simpson is portrayed as a maternal figure, supporting the young prison community. Grover expertly captures the isolation which is an expected part of prison life, while contrasting it with the kind, yet subtly guiding presence of Revd Simpson herself.
Grover had nothing but praise for Revd Simpson, saying:
“To many of these boys, the mother figure is respected, confided in, trusted, while the father has often been absent. It’s clear that they absolutely love Susie and reach out to her.”
If you can’t make it to the exhibition, here are some of the stunning images which the Reverend was featured in.
