Reverend Canon Ngozi Njoku, Church of Ireland rector for the parishes of Garrison, Slavin, Belleek and Kiltyclogher is moving on after seven happy years working in the Border area.

In mid-October, Canon Ngozi will be leaving Garrison, where she resided during her time as rector for the four parishes, to start her new journey in Wembley, London.

Sharing some highlights from her time living and working in the Fermanagh and Leitrim areas, Canon Ngozi told The Impartial Reporter: "I think one of the things I enjoyed so much was having more children born. There was a lot of baptisms. It’s so good to see those children grow that I baptised."

"The first child is seven years but I have done a lot of baptisms since I came. I loved it," she added.

Alongside her duties as rector, Canon Ngozi enjoyed spending time in the countryside: "The open air, the freshness, I enjoyed going to the bog. I would’ve loved to go more but I feel like asking everyone to come and take me. I just like the open space. The fresh air and working together, doing things together. I saw it as a family thing."

"I also got involved in walking with the community to raise money for any charity that came. I enjoyed that," she added.

Canon Ngozi shared how she cherishes the friendships that she has made over the last seven years and that she will miss people dearly.

"I’ve made a lot of friends, but not just friends, they became my family. I will miss that," she shared, adding: "I will miss the whole community. They dance and I like the occasions that bring everybody together and everything that brings people together, there was always a dance. A Christmas meal, fundraising, everything, there’s always a dance. I do enjoy dancing."

Unfortunately due to Covid-19 restrictions there won't be a specific farewell service for Canon Ngozi.

"People just feel so disappointed but what can we do. There’s nothing we can do about it," she said, adding: "I also don’t like saying goodbyes. I don’t like it. I have moved a lot and I miss a lot of friends. Saying goodbye, I don’t like. In a way it works out for me well because I know there is no goodbye. I don’t like those kind of ceremonies, the 'last do' where everybody is crying. I can’t handle it."

"I don’t like goodbyes because we’ll all meet again in Heaven. I look forward to people believing in Christ and through him we will all be reunited," she told this newspaper.