THE Church of England has a national target to increase the number of people in training for ordination between 2016 and 2020.
Nationally, the Church is on track to reach this target, with 580 candidates having been recommended for training in 2018, up from 476 in 2016.
In the Diocese of Winchester, that target has already been met this year, with 21 candidates having been recommended, up from 14 two years ago.
The new students come from a broad range of backgrounds and include Marianne Foster, a social worker, and Amy Roche, who previously worked for the Church Mission Society.
Students training for the priesthood train alongside those training for lay ministry, which has also seen an increase in numbers.
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