A Farnham man has just celebrated 70 years as an ordained priest in the Anglican church.

Father John Evans marked the occasion by presiding at a communion service at St Mark’s Church, Upper Hale, in the company of two bishops – the current Bishop of Dorking, Rt Revd Paul Davies, and a former one, Rt Revd Ian Brackley, and at least 10 other priests from throughout his career.

This was followed by cake and then lunch at The Six Bells Pub.

Mr Evans was born and brought up in Newport, Wales, and was ordained into the Church in Wales, part of the Anglican Communion, in 1954 and a year later, on December 17, 1955, he was ordained priest, both occasions at St Woolos Cathedral, Newport.

John, who married teacher June Powell, in 1955, was a curate in the Rhymni mining valley, then moved to Chepstow where much of his ministry was in four hospitals.

His two elder children, Paul and Jenny, were born here, his younger two, Katherine and Christopher, in Surrey.

He became interested in mental health and was, from 1962 to 1970, full-time chaplain to Brookwood Hospital which specialised in psychiatry. He was also a member of the conference which set the pattern for church involvement in social service.

From there he became Vicar of Christ Church Crookham, just south of Fleet, and his refurbishment of the church enabled it to become a centre for art, music and theatre.

He continued to be involved with the NHS and served on health authorities for 20 years and was a member of the Mental Heath Review Tribunal.

He was also chair of the Guildford Diocese Council for Social Responsibility for four years, was an adviser on the paranormal and was on the working party that set up Hampshire’s planned response to civil emergencies, following the Lockerbie disaster.

He ran retreats, became the rural dean of Aldershot and was appointed a Canon of Guildford Cathedral.

He and June retired to Farnham in 1998 but this did not stop them working. June made films with Heron Productions and they both volunteered for Talking Newspapers to read news to visually impaired people.

John trained as an industrial chaplain, a role he undertook for 14 years, and after June’s death in 2014, became a chaplain to Farnham Mill Care Home. He has also continued to minister in the Parish of Badshot Lea and Hale under a succession of rectors, two of whom were at his 70th anniversary service.

During his sermon on Wednesday, delivered without notes, John reflected that like so many others, he had been called to do his part serving God, and this was important even if he hadn’t done it well.

He said that “enthusiastically responded” to a wide range of ministry, but “as a Jack of so many trades” he felt he had “not carried out any of them particularly well”.

The crowd at his celebration seemed to disagree with this analysis as they shared stories of his valued work over the past 70-plus years.