Bishop Richard Cheetham was born in Leicester but grew up in Surbiton and went to Kingston Grammar School. From there he went to Corpus Christi College, Oxford, to read Physics and Philosophy and then trained as a physics teacher, working in a large comprehensive school in North Yorkshire and at Eton College before becoming an investment analyst.
He started training for Anglican ministry in 1985 and after being ordained in 1988 he worked in Newcastle and Luton before becoming Archdeacon of St Albans in 1999 and Bishop of Kingston in 2002.
Bishop Richard has a PhD from King’s College London for his thesis on collective worship in schools, and is now an Honorary Research Fellow there. He has close connections with the University of Roehampton and the Diocese of Matabeleland in Zimbabwe, and is Chair of the Southwark Diocesan Board of Education and President of YMCA St Paul’s Group.
He is Anglican President of the Christian Muslim Forum, a Trustee of St George’s College, Jerusalem, and is Patron of the Curriculum for Cohesion, the Fircroft Trust, Springfield Community Flat and Kingston Bereavement Service.
Bishop Richard is married to Felicity and they have a son and a daughter. He played hockey in England’s U-19 team, is President of the Old Kingstonian Hockey Club and continues to play regularly.
He also enjoys theatre, cinema, walking and playing tennis and squash.
“As President of YMCA St Paul’s Group I’m very proud of the ongoing work of the chaplaincy team from the Life Journey retreats they host every year to spiritual discussions and pastoral guidance, counselling session and quiet reflections in the chapels. They make a real difference to people’s lives.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their hard work and dedication in making YMCA St Paul’s Group an invaluable part of the community, bringing light where there is darkness and giving hope where there is none.”
“For God, who said, ‘Light shall shine out of darkness,’ is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.” (Corinthians 4:6)
