Some 15 people from the Diocese of Lichfield will begin studying in September after being selected to train for the ordained ministry; and almost half of them are 35 or under fulfilling the Archbishop of Canterbury’s and the Bishop of Lichfield’s shared vision that half of all ordinands should be under the age of 35.

Of the 12 selected for stipendiary ministry – to be trained for traditional full time clergy posts – seven (more than 58 per cent) are aged 35 or under. When the three non-stipendiary (volunteer) ordinands are included, the percentage aged 35 or under is just under 47 per cent.

The 12 stipendiary ordinands are nine male and three female; while the non-stipendiary and ordained local ministers include two male and one female.

The 12 ordinands selected for stipendiary ministry will typically train for two or three years at a theological college or on a course, which will include temporary placements in a parish, before seeking an appointment as a curate – a three year continuation of training during which they will be ordained first as a deacon and then, usually, as a priest a year later.

In January the Diocese of Lichfield commissioned a video news report by television journalist Robyn Powell to be shown in churches, to highlight vocations – and young vocations in particular – and to encourage more people to put themselves forward.

Today, the Revd Lesley Bentley, Director of Ministry for the Diocese of Lichfield, said: "These figures are extremely encouraging. Not only is the church continuing to recruiting new ministers but we are recruiting younger people with a lifetime of ordained ministry ahead of them.

"The process is a continuing one and we must always be discerning who God is calling next to serve the Church through ordained or accredited lay ministry."

• Robyn Powell’s video news report can be seen on the diocese’s YouTube channel: pewtube.org.uk.