Faith

Sue Starkey never dreamt of being a vicar. In fact, becoming a vicar could have been the last thing she would have ever wished for.

As a child, Sue admits to having being dragged to church by her parents and begrudgingly taking part in Sunday School lessons.

So as soon as she was old enough to rebel, she swore she would never set foot in a church again.

A change can do you good

When Sue became a parent she was determined her child would go to the local Church of England Junior school due to its well-established reputation.

Another mother asked her if she would like to start attending the local church with her, as not only would she improve her chances of entry into the chosen school but she may enjoy it.

With reservations, Sue agreed to accompany her friend to church.

She was going through a tough time in her life, worked hard as a dinner lady during the week and somehow the words spoken during mass struck a chord with her.

Whilst her dedication to the religion was not instantaneous, over time she felt drawn to giving more back to the church.

As a divorced single mother, at times it was a struggle but as soon as Sue said the words out loud that she was thinking about being ordained, she knew it was right.

Have a listen to Sue's story as she speaks to BBC Radio Derby's Aleena Naylor by clicking the link below:

And then to South Derbyshire...

Sue has now been a vicar for a decade and she admits at times it has been tough for some people to accept a female vicar but her strength has pulled her through.

She returned to Derbyshire almost four years ago to be part of the Findern and Willington parishes, to which everyone is welcome.

Services take place at 10am at both Findern and Willington.