Nicholas "Nick" Baines has been the Bishop of Bradford

Bishop of Bradford

The Bishop of Bradford is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Bradford, in the Province of YorkThe diocese covers the extreme west of Yorkshire, and has its see in the city of Bradford where the seat is located at the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter.The Bishop's residence is...

, the diocesan Anglican bishop

Bishop

A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...

 in the Diocese of Bradford

Diocese of Bradford

The Diocese of Bradford is a Church of England diocese within the Province of York. The Diocese covers the area of the City of Bradford, Craven district and the former Sedbergh Rural District now in Cumbria....

, since 21 May 2011.

Baines was educated at Holt Comprehensive School, Liverpool

Liverpool

Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...

, before gaining a BA(Hons) degree in German and French at the University of Bradford

University of Bradford

The University of Bradford is a British university located in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. The University received its Royal Charter in 1966, making it the 40th University to be created in Britain, but its origins date back to the early 1800s...

. He worked as a linguist at GCHQ for four years prior to training for ordination at Trinity College, Bristol

Trinity College, Bristol

Trinity College Bristol is a Christian college affiliated to the Church of England, though students come from different denominations. It is located in Stoke Bishop in Bristol, England, next to the University of Bristol's residential halls...

, where he gained a BA(Hons) in Theological Studies.

Baines was ordained as deacon in 1987 and priest in 1988. His first appointments were as Assistant Curate at St. Thomas, Kendal

Kendal

Kendal, anciently known as Kirkby in Kendal or Kirkby Kendal, is a market town and civil parish within the South Lakeland District of Cumbria, England...

, and St Catherine, Crook

Crook

- Places :* Crook, County Durham, England, United Kingdom* Crook, Cumbria, England, United Kingdom* Crook, Devon, England, United Kingdom* Crook Inn, Scotland, United Kingdom* Crook, Colorado, United States* Crook County, Oregon, United States...

. He then moved to Leicester

Leicester

Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...

, becoming briefly Associate Minister of Holy Trinity, Leicester, and then Vicar

Vicar

In the broadest sense, a vicar is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior . In this sense, the title is comparable to lieutenant...

 of Rothley

Rothley, Leicestershire

Rothley is a village and civil parish within the Charnwood borough of Leicestershire, England. Situated around west of the River Soar and north of the city of Leicester, it has a population of 3,612 inhabitants....

 1992-2000 (during which time he was also Chaplain to an adult mental health unit, before becoming Rural Dean of Goscote in 1995). In 2000, Baines joined the Southwark Diocese as Archdeacon of Lambeth

Lambeth

Lambeth is a district of south London, England, and part of the London Borough of Lambeth. It is situated southeast of Charing Cross.-Toponymy:...

. He also oversaw the diocese's children and youth policy. He was a member of the General Synod

General Synod

-Church of England:In the Church of England, the General Synod, which was established in 1970 , is the legislative body of the Church.-Episcopal Church of the United States:...

 of the Church of England

Church of England

The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...

 from 1995 until 2005.

Baines is an experienced broadcaster, regularly appearing on Pause for Thought on BBC Radio 2

BBC Radio 2

BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres...

. While in Leicester he used to broadcast regularly on BBC Radio Leicester

BBC Radio Leicester

BBC Radio Leicester is the BBC Local Radio service for the English counties of Leicestershire and Rutland. The station broadcasts from studios in Leicester on 104.9 FM, on DAB, and via the BBC iPlayer.-History:...

 and Leicester Sound

Leicester Sound

Leicester Sound was an Independent Local Radio station which broadcast to Leicestershire. The station merged with two other East Midlands stations, Trent FM and Ram FM to form Capital FM East Midlands on Monday 3 January 2011.-Background:Leicester Sound was launched by the owners of Radio Trent on...

, and twice received a commendation in the Andrew Cross Awards for religious broadcasting.

He has written six books: Hungry for Hope (1991, DLT), Speedbumps & Potholes (2004, St Andrew Press), Jesus & People Like Us (2004, St Andrew Press, later revised and republished in 2008 as Scandal of Grace), Marking Time (2005, St Andrew Press), Finding Faith (2008, St Andrew Press), Why Wish You a Merry Christmas (Church House Publishing 2009). Speedbumps & Potholes and Finding Faith have been translated into German (Am Rande bemerkt and In hoechsten Toenen, respectively).

Baines was appointed Bishop of Croydon in 2003, succeeding Wilfred Wood

Wilfred Wood (bishop)

Wilfred Denniston Wood, KA was Bishop of Croydon from 1985 to 2003, the first black bishop in the Church of England. He came second in the 100 Great Black Britons list in 2004.-Life:...

. He was consecrated by the Archbishop of Canterbury

Archbishop of Canterbury

The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...

 at St Paul's Cathedral

St Paul's Cathedral

St Paul's Cathedral, London, is a Church of England cathedral and seat of the Bishop of London. Its dedication to Paul the Apostle dates back to the original church on this site, founded in AD 604. St Paul's sits at the top of Ludgate Hill, the highest point in the City of London, and is the mother...

 and installed in Southwark Cathedral

Southwark Cathedral

Southwark Cathedral or The Cathedral and Collegiate Church of St Saviour and St Mary Overie, Southwark, London, lies on the south bank of the River Thames close to London Bridge....

on 8 May 2003.

In 1980, Baines married Linda. They have three children: Richard (1981), Melanie (1984) and Andrew (1988).

Styles

• Nick Baines Esq (1957–1987)
• The Revd Nick Baines (1987–2000)
• The Ven Nick Baines (2000–2003)
• The Rt Revd Nick Baines (2003—present)