Manor Team
Team Rector: Reverend Sibylle Batten
Sibylle was born in Germany and moved to England in 1981 to spend her gap year in a L’Arche Community where people with and without learning disabilities live, and share in life, together. The gap year turned into life in the UK, and following a move to Sheffield in 1984 to study modern languages the city became home. She went on to train as a Probation Officer and spent 26 years working in a variety of roles in the criminal justice system.
In 2016 she decided it was time for change, resigned from the Civil Service, and spent a few months volunteering with the Chaplaincy Team of a Women’s Prison. She was ordained priest in 2020 and after a period as a self-supporting minister in the Manor, she was installed as Team Rector in September 2022.
She enjoys watching movies with her Civil Partner Sue, looking after her rescue horse, playing the clarinet (badly), and after years of reading only theology, having time to read ‘proper novels’ cover to cover.
Support and Development Worker: Nicola Smith
Nicola came to the Manor Parish as Parish Administrator in January 2009. She started off working in solicitors’ offices, working her way up from office junior to being a Wills and Probate paralegal. For seven years she undertook a dual role of paralegal and Diocesan Registry Clerk, until the retirement of the former Diocesan Registrar. She then managed to escape the legal world when she took on the role of Parish Administrator.
In 2012 Nicola embarked on the new role of Support and Development Worker, encompassing her old role as Administrator along with new aspects such as event organisation and older people's work. In 2013 she was also the Project Officer of a Heritage Lottery Funded project called Manor Memories.
She loves being a member of the Manor team and says it's easily the most enjoyable job she has ever had.
