A clergyman who served as chaplain to a regional newspaper group has died while campaigning at the Copenhagen conference on climate change.

Rev Canon Hereward Cooke died in his sleep last week while attending the United Nations summit. He was 70.

A former deputy leader of Norwich City Council, he served for 15 years as an industrial chaplain attached to Archant’s head office, Prospect House, in Norwich.

He retired from the ministry last year and had since taken up a new mantle as a climate change campaigner and environmental officer for the Diocese of Norwich.

Last week he cycled with a team of 25 campaigners the full 150 miles from Norwich to Copenhagen on behalf of Christian Aid to join protesters at the conference

Archant chief executive Adrian Jeakings paid tribute saying: “Hereward worked with us for a number of years and was often seen around Prospect House or in the canteen chatting to staff.

“He was very well liked and was respected by everyone that knew him.”

The Bishop of Norwich, the Rt Revd Graham James added: “Hereward was widely loved and appreciated, as a pastoral priest, an industrial chaplain, a Norwich city councillor and, most recently as our Diocesan environmental officer.

“It was in that capacity that he was at the Copenhagen Conference and entirely typical that he cycled there. Hereward had a zest for life and was always positive about the potential of his fellow men and women.”

Comments

Geoff (21/12/2009 13:13:19)
A fine man I’m sure but if he cut the journey from Norwich to Copenhagen to 150 miles he must have had help from the almighty. By road it’s about 710 miles.

Dave (22/12/2009 09:03:30)
my thoughts entirely Geoff