A teacher, a pub licensee and two former florists are swapping their careers to answer God’s calling.

The soon-to-be-ordained deacons will be injecting a wealth of experiences to the Bradford Diocese when they join the ministry next week.

Nine new deacons will be ordained at Bradford Cathedral on Sunday, while eight priests – including married couple Sharon and Stephen Kaye – will be ordained at churches across the district.

The new legion of deacons include Diane Weaver. She will soon be serving St Stephen’s, in Steeton, after working in the Women’s Royal Air Force, the NHS, as a pub licensee and local government officer.

Reader and retired Keighley florist Peter Wilson will serve St Michael’s parish, in Haworth, with St Gabriel’s, Stanbury, as well as in St James, Cross Roads-cum-Lees.

His former florist colleague Moina Bernard joins St James, Tong, and St Christopher, Holme Wood.

St Augustine’s in Bradford welcomes midwife and nurse Ann Challenger. Keen musician and choral singer Richard Goodall, who also spent 25 years as a teacher, will serve as a curate in the parishes of Great Mitton and Hurst Green near Clitheroe.

Australian Philip Arnold, a former nurse, joins the parishes of St Lawrence, Pudsey, and St John, Farsley. Stephen Lees ended 15 years as a primary school teacher in Bradford to take ordination training and will serve the parish of St Margaret’s, Frizinghall.

Stuart Stobart, who lists snowboarding among his hobbies, has turned his back on his job as a sales manager to answer his calling in the parish of St John the Baptist, Clayton, while Richard Watson will serve the parish of All Saints’, Ilkley, where he has been verger, church secretary and deputy organist for more than ten years.

The Bishop of Bradford, the Right Reverend David James, said: “I’m delighted to see a good range of people being ordained this year and I hope they will inspire others to respond to God’s call to the ordained ministry.”

Those to be ordained priests after a year in parishes are: Sharon Kaye, St John, Yeadon; Stephen Kaye, St Wilfrid, Calverley; Tracy Milne, St Augustine and St Clement; Mary Fisher, St Barnabas, Heaton; Kathryn Hammond, St Michael & All Angels, Linton; Elizabeth Caissie, St Andrew, Keighley; Rob Taylor, St Paul, Buttershaw, and Ernest Lennon, St Mary, Burley-in-Wharfedale.