The Reverend Adam Gaunt MA

Rector of Loftus-in-Cleveland & Carlin How with Skinningrove

Father Adam was born in Middlesbrough and grew up within the East Cleveland villages of Brotton and Boosbeck.

On completing his education at Warsett Secondary School he attended the Prior Pursglove College in Guisborough, from where he gained a place to study Theology at Saint John’s College, University of Durham.  On completion of his first degree Adam studied for a master’s degree in Church History by thesis.  His MA thesis is entitled, “A Study of Episcopacy in Northumbria 620 – 735.”  Adam read for Holy Orders in Oxford attending Saint Stephen’s House, which was then a Permanent Private Hall of the University of Oxford.  During his time at Saint Stephen’s House Adam was elected President of the Common Room and appointed Senior Student.

Ordained in York Minster, Father Adam was appointed Assistant Curate to work alongside Canon David Hodgson in the Parish of The Ascension, Berwick Hills in Middlesbrough.  In due course Father Adam was interviewed and subsequently appointed by Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second as Rector of Loftus-in-Cleveland & Carlin How with Skinningrove in March 2009.  

In July 2014 Father Adam was appointed by the Bishop of Beverley as “The Bishop’s Representative” to the Diocese of York.  In October 2015 Father Adam was elected to the House of Clergy of the General Synod of the Church of England and Proctor-in-Convocation for the Diocese of York in the Province of York and was re-elected in October 2021.  A member of the Catholic Group on General Synod, Adam was elected as Chairman of the Catholic Group in November 2022.  

In January 2023 Adam was appointed to the House of Bishops Standing Commission on the House of Bishops’ Declaration on the Ministry of Bishops and Priests (Five Guiding Principles).  Moreover, Father Adam is currently serving as a member of the Steering Committee and Revision Committee for the proposed Abuse Redress Measure 2024. 

In July 2017, Father Adam was appointed as a Board Member of Together Middlesbrough & Cleveland, a joint venture between the Church Urban Fund and the Diocese of York.  In October 2020 Father Adam was also elected a trustee of the Prayer Book Society.  Additionally he became a director of the A Z Alliance in January 2024. 

In the education sector, Father Adam held the position of Trustee from at Unity City Academy in Middlesbrough from December 2007 and was chair of the board of trustees 2010 – 2017.  Between October 2014 and May 2016, Adam also held the position of Trustee at the Academies Enterprise Trust, during which time he was elected Vice-Chair of the Board of Trustees.  Between May 2016 and July 2018 he served as a Trustee of the Greensward Charitable Trust and thereby as a Member of the Academies Enterprise Trust.  In East Cleveland, Father Adam became a Governor at Whitecliffe Primary School in Carlin How from 2009 and was a founder member of the Teesside Learning Trust, Multi-Academy Trust.  Father Adam was Trustee of the Teesside Learning Trust from March 2018 to February 2022, he became a member of the Rapid Improvement Board at Freebrough Academy 2018 – 2019, and was part of the team that facilitated the transfer of the Academy to the Northern Education Trust.

Father Adam has been a trustee at the Cleveland Ironstone Mining Museum Trust since October 2009 and is currently Chairman of the Board of Trustees.  He successfully chaired the steering committee charged with constructing the amazing new “Land of Iron” museum in Skinningrove.  

He served for five years as Chairman and Chaplain at the Guisborough and East Cleveland Unit of the Sea Cadet Corp.   Father Adam also chaired the Loftus Community Plan steering Committee 2009 – 2011 and continues to support a number of community groups within Loftus Parish.

Father Adam was appointed to the board of Trustees of the Middlesbrough Football Club Foundation in May 2019 and has been instrumental in the expansion of the Foundation into East Cleveland. 

During the Civic Year of 2016-2017 and the Civic Year of 2018-2019 Father Adam was appointed chaplain to the Worshipful the Mayor of the Borough of Redcar & Cleveland.

External links…

Cleveland Ironstone Mining Museum Trust.
Company Number 03837401 and Charity Number 108246 website: https://landofiron.org.uk

Middlesbrough Football Club Foundation. Company Number 03142447 and Charity Number 1059418 website: https://www.mfcfoundation.co.uk/

The Society of St Wilfrid and St Hilda Diocese of York webpage: http://www.sswsh.com/diocese-detail.php?id=19

Together Middlesbrough and Cleveland. Company No. 9196281 and Charity No. 1159355 website: https://www.cuf.org.uk/together-middlesbrough-cleveland

The Prayer Book Society a company limited by guarantee registered in England: Company No. 4786973 and Registered Charity No. 1099295. Isle of Man Company Registration No. 4369F and Registered Charity No. 952. Website: https://www.pbs.org.uk/

A Z Alliance Ltd. Company number 15002361