THE man behind Huddersfield’s Methodist Mission is moving on.

The Rev Alan Boyd will up-sticks after a decade at the helm at Lord Street.

The 55-year-old and his wife Ashley are moving to Nottinghamshire, where he will be the Methodist Minister for four churches around Sutton-in-Ashfield.

Mr Boyd, who has been at the heart of developing the town centre church’s support for the vulnerable and homeless, will hold his farewell service on Sunday.

The father-of-three said he was proud of what had been achieved at The Mission.

He said: “The Mission is an extremely outward looking place that’s been great to be a part of.

“To be right at the sharp-end, working with everything from alcohol, drugs, asylum seekers, refugees and sex workers – it’s a whole raft of things that sometimes people from Huddersfield don’t see.

“It’s also been great to work in an inter-denominational and inter-faith setting and with the support of Kirklees Council.”

Mr Boyd said he was sad to be leaving Huddersfield, but hopeful that he could make a difference in his new posting.

He said: “I feel ready to move on; I’ve given my best and done what I could. It’s definitely time for a fresh pair of eyes.

“Hopefully my experience will help down there as they want to develop community involvement.

“It’s a very different area socially.

“Kirklees is very mixed with different races, religions and nationalities and the area we’re going to isn’t like that.

“I’m very nervous because you’re starting over again and we don’t know anybody, but I feel very, very happy about where we’re being sent.

“It’s difficult, we have to let go of some friendships, but we really like meeting new people.”

Before he joined the church in 1992 Mr Boyd enjoyed a long career in engineering.

Hailing from Northern Ireland, he worked in structural, mechanical and chemical engineering across Europe and the USA.

He completed his ministerial training at Wesley House, Cambridge, and he went on to work for the Cambridge Ministry for seven years before his move north to Huddersfield in 2001.

He has three grown-up children: Sarah, 27, Stephen, 25, who is a school teacher in Huddersfield, and Catherine, 20.

Mr Boyd, will be succeeded at the Huddersfield Methodist Mission, which also incorporates Crosland Hill Methodist Church, by the Rev Dr Steve Day.

The farewell service for Mr Boyd and two other non-ministerial staff members, begins at 4pm on Sunday.