THE Rev Canon Bob Key was sworn in by the Royal Court as the new Dean yesterday, promising to speak for the church across the generations and cultures in this ‘beautiful Island’.

In a moving and often light-hearted speech, Mr Key said he and his wife Daphne felt humbled and honoured by the wonderful welcome they had received since their recent move to the Island – the place they had spent their honeymoon and returned for subsequent holidays.

Mr Key said that to be able to take on the role of Dean of Jersey in the early years of the 21st century was an enormously exciting challenge.

Predicting that it would be a special challenge to get to grips with the Island’s French names, he emphasised the importance of spreading Christ’s message across all generations including the young, for whom text messaging was a major means of communication.

Showing a warm, human side, which is obviously likely to be a major part of his ministry, Mr Key said he was an avid aircraft spotter as well as a lover of good real ale – including the ‘Bishop’s Finger’ brew.