Friday, 14th May 2010
BBC staff moving from London to Manchester will get their own vicar to help them "acclimatise to life outside the capital".
"It is hoped the new vicar will be able to provide some pastoral support to the new community of London staff," said a BBC spokesperson.
"This is a Church of England initiative reflecting that many new people will be moving to Salford Quays."
About 750 of the Beeb's west London-based workforce have agreed to move up north and more will follow once the huge MediaCity in Salford (see photo) opens fully. It will house BBC Radio 5 Live, the sports department and children's TV.
A wary phone call to the fabled northern city from LondonNet reveals that it is, in fact, part of the same country as London, speaks the same language and that plenty of people up there, like down here, support Manchester United.
But the CofE reckons the media migrants will find it hard to settle.
The Vicar for Soft Southerners project is being handled by the Diocese of Manchester, which is advertising for a pastor to lay on "solutions to meet the creative and production needs of media professionals".
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