From Electronics Engineer to Ordained Priest
I grew up in Ingatestone, a village in Essex. In my early years I went to Sunday School and was an active member of Scouting, going from Cub Scouts, to Scouts, to Venture Scouts and even becoming an Assistant Scout Leader. I was baptised as an infant and grew up in a fairly nominal Christian home.
In my late teens I went through an atheistic stage, before adopting a more comfortable stance as an agnostic – believing that there was someone or something there, even if I could not define it further.
I continued in this position, despite my wife Liz starting to go to church and becoming confirmed herself. In 1987, we moved to Dorset and Liz started to go to an Anglican church in Lytchett Matravers. In 1988 some friends at the church invited me to a Mission in Wimborne Minster. As a result of this mission, I gave my life to the Lord.
Ordained Priest
We moved as a family to Bristol as I began a two-year course at Trinity College, Bristol. Accomodation was provided in the form of a third-floor flat overlooking The Downs.
In 1996, I was ordained as a Deacon in Peterborough Cathedral and began a Curacy at St John’s with Emmanuel in Werrington, Peterborough. Ordination as Priest followed in 1997. I finished at Werrington in 1998 and the family moved to Longthorpe, Peterborough, where I completed my Curacy at St Botolph’s Church.
In 2000, I was appointed Priest in Charge of St Paul’s Church, New England, Peterborough. The church, located in the inner-city, was quite run-down and needed to be turned around.
I am an ordained Church of England minister, serving in The Ecumenical Parish of Worle, Weston-super-Mare. I was appointed Team Rector in November 2007.
Electronics Engineer
1973 to 1994 – My previous career was as an Electronic Engineer. I began as a Technician Apprentice at Marconi Radar Systems in Chelmsford, Essex. From here I went on to study electrical and electronic engineering at Portsmouth Polytechnic. After graduating with a BSc (Hons), I moved to Salisbury, Wiltshire to work for Racal Datacom.
In 1981 I moved to Potters Bar and started working for Logica plc, where I was involved in Customer Service.
The transition to technical sales was made in 1985, when I joined Membrain Ltd, based in Ferndown, Dorset. This was later to become part of Schlumberger.
In 1991 I joined Redifon as Business Development Manager. In 1994 I resigned as moved to Bristol to begin a two-year Diploma in Theology.