Association of Christian Counsellors Announces Two Senior Appointments

The Association of Christian Counsellors (ACC), which represents thousands of Christian counsellors and pastoral carers in the UK, has announced two new senior appointments.

Greta Randle will take over as ACC chief executive on 5 March 2007 following current chief executive David Depledge's decision to step down for health reasons.

Ms Randle is currently employed by Walsall Social Services and has worked previously with various other social services departments. She has also worked for Leonard Cheshire, NCH and Spurgeons in the voluntary sector. She lives in Nuneaton, is married with three sons and attends the Streams of Life Church in Coventry, where the ACC's national headquarters are also based.

"It has been a privilege to spend the last five and a half years as ACC chief executive," says David Depledge. "I look forward to continuing my association with ACC in some appropriate way and to seeing Greta taking the organisation to the next stage of its development."

"I am delighted to be joining the ACC as chief executive," says Greta Randle. "Newness and challenge are aspects of the job I will embrace, however my excitement stems from knowing that this fits with God's calling on my life."

In addition, the ACC's new director of pastoral care is Steve Seedall, who took over on 1 February 2007 following the recent retirement of Joan Wragg.

Steve was involved in training for 18 years, in commercial and church settings. He has extensive experience in the Christian voluntary caring sector, including training delivery and consultancy with Christian counselling and caring agencies around the UK, leading a local church pastoral team and working for a charity that provides residential care and treatment for people with serious drug/alcohol problems.

"How we, the church, care for one another and especially the vulnerable and hurting people in our society, presents us with enormous challenges," says Steve Seedall. "I thank God for the privilege of being asked to serve Him in this work - in a role that I don't take on lightly, and I am looking forward to working with the ACC's tremendous team of caring and dedicated people."

ACC chairman, Gary Haire, commenting on these two strategic appointments says:

"The ACC Board wishes to place on public record their appreciation for all that David Depledge has contributed to the growth and sustainability of our organisation. We wish him every blessing for the future and a long, happy and fulfilled retirement.

"As we now enter this exciting phase of transition and further development for the ACC, the board is delighted to have been able to secure the services of Greta Randle and Steve Seedall to lead the ACC into the future.

"The prospect of the board working with this new team, as they bring their own particular skills and gifts to us, has generated an air of expectation and confidence within the ACC, as we continue to serve both our membership and the wider community."

For more information on ACC please visit: www.acc-uk.org