Philippa Boardman installed as St Paul's Canon

During the service, Canon Philippa took a number of oaths, ending with the Bishop saying: "Dearly beloved in the Lord: in the name of God, and in the presence of this congregation, we propose now to institute to a Residentiary Canonry and as Treasurer our well-beloved in Christ, Philippa Jane Boardman, Clerk, and we ask you to join together with us in prayer to almighty God, that he would grant to his his servant grace to perform aright the duties which belong to so sacred and grave a trust."

Canon Philippa, 49, was amongst the first group of women to be ordained priest in the Diocese of London in 1994. She served two curacies at Walthamstow, St Mary and St Stephen, in the Diocese of Chelmsford from 1990 to 1993 and at Hackney Wick St Mary of Eton with St Augustine, in the Diocese of London, from 1993 to 1996.

Between 1996 and 2003 she was first Priest-in-Charge at Old Ford St Paul and St Mark and since 2003 she has been Vicar.

In 2011 she was awarded the MBE for Services to Heritage in East London in recognition of her work to renovate and re-open the parish church of St Paul, Old Ford.

She has served on the General Synod of the Church of England since 1994 and as a Member of the Church of England Church Buildings Council since 2009. Since 2002 she has also been Prebendary of St Paul’s Cathedral.

Writing recently for the Cathedral's staff newsletter, Canon Philippa said: "It goes without saying, that I am very much looking forward to coming and serving with all of you, staff and volunteers, in the ongoing mission of making the love of Christ known in the heart of our great City. It will understandably be a wrench to leave the East End after seventeen years of parish ministry in Old Ford. But as one parishioner said to me 'we are joined by the number 8 bus' and she wished me well for the 'wonderful adventure' which is to come."