Two people have been admitted into the Order of St Asaph in recognition of their outstanding contribution to the Diocese of St Asaph.

John Liston and Glyn Williams received their award from the Bishop of St Asaph during the Diocesan Conference at St Asaph Cathedral on Saturday (14 October).

John Liston, who lives in St Asaph, is the Cathedral Canon for Communications and broadcasts the Cathedral’s Sunday morning service via Facebook every week. In addition, he runs the Cathedral website and looks after other forms of communication.

Glyn Williams was the Headteacher of All Saints Church in Wales School in Gresford, near Wrexham, before becoming a Bishop’s Visitor and Chair of the Diocesan Board of Statutory Education.

Both John and Glyn received their award in front of members of their family.

The Bishop of St Asaph, the Rt Revd Gregory Cameron, said: “I am delighted to accept the nomination of these two men into the Order of St Asaph. Each has offered their distinctive skills in the service of the diocese, and I am delighted to thank and honour them for their work in this way.”

The two men join the 37 other members of the Order of St Asaph which was started by Bishop Gregory in 2013. It is a way of honouring, celebrating and expressing gratitude for outstanding service to the Diocese by leading lay members of churches across the Diocese. Each member of the Order receives a medal which can be worn at all diocesan events, services and occasions.

This year, the Diocese of St Asaph has been celebrating 1,450 years since Asaph succeeded St Kentigern as abbot-Bishop of Llanelwy in 573. Little is known about the life of Asaph but local place names such as Llanasa, Pantasaph, Onnen Asa, Ffynnon Asa around Holywell attest to his prominence in the area.

Today the Diocese of St Asaph extends from Llandudno in north-west Wales to Newtown in mid Wales and across to the English border. St Asaph is one of the six dioceses in the Church in Wales, an independent province of the worldwide Anglican Communion.