Archbishop welcomes Bishop Tim Thornton as new Chair of The Children's Society

Archbishop Rowan Williams with Bishop Tim Thornton

Dr Williams said "I am very pleased indeed to welcome the appointment of Bishop Tim Thornton as Chair of The Children's Society. He will bring to this post many qualities – energy, empathy and intelligence – that The Children's Society will need in its vital work of advocacy and care."

Bishop Tim will take over from the present incumbent, the Right Reverend Tim Stevens, Bishop of Leicester, at the charity's Annual General meeting on 23 September.

Bishop Tim said: "I am delighted, honoured and excited to be taking on the role of Chairman of The Children's Society. I respect enormously Bishop Tim Stevens and am very grateful to him for all he has done in the role."

Bishop Tim has been Bishop of Truro since 2008. As Chair of the Trustee Board, he will play a key role in helping The Children's Society to implement the findings of The Good Childhood Inquiry, its Well-being research and push forward the Outcry! campaign to end the detention of up to 1,000 children a year by the UK's immigration system. He said: "A General Election campaign is a very good time to remind everyone of the need to be concerned for the most deprived and disadvantaged youngsters and children in our society.  We need to ensure that whoever wins on 6 May, the next government does give priority to caring for those on the edges of our society."

Current chair, Bishop Tim Stevens, said: "I am delighted that the Bishop of Truro is taking on the role and building on the strong relationship between the Church of England and The Children's Society."

Bob Reitemeier, Chief Executive of The Children's Society, said: "The appointment of the Bishop of Truro will strengthen our relationship with the church and our mission of reaching out to the most vulnerable children. With Bishop Tim's leadership and vision we can work more closely with the church to address the inequalities in our society."

• The Children's Society is a leading children's charity committed to making childhood better for all children in the UK; www.childrenssociety.org.uk