I was born and grew up in Leicester and in the early 1960's I was sent by my parents to the Sunday School at Melbourne Hall Evangelical Free Church. It is incredible to think that Anne, who became my wife many years later, was in the same Sunday School at the same time - although I don't think I paid her much attention at the age of five!

It was through attending the Boys Brigade at Melbourne Hall that I was drawn under the sound of the gospel and into the life of the church. I came to a personal faith in Jesus Christ as my Saviour at the age of 17 through the ministry of Dr Eric Gurr. Anne had become a Christian some years before, at the age of 12 at a Billy Graham Rally which was relayed from London to a large meeting hall in Leicester.

I joined the Insurance industry straight from school and qualified as a Fellow of the Chartered Insurance Institute. Over the next 35 years I worked for a number of Insurers and eventually became Regional Manager of NIG Commercial (part of Royal Bank of Scotland). I have four grown up children and a grandaughter.

I began preaching at the age of 21 along with two close friends. I can only describe it as being compelled to engage in this work by God! The three of us began to attend a preachers training course at the Metropolitan Tabernacle Seminary in London. We all preached in local chapels & churches wherever we were invited. My two friends were both called into the full time ministry not long after but I continued in secular employment for another 35 years. Any thoughts of becoming a church Pastor had gone by then.

Although we lived in Droitwich Spa for over 20 years, we have had a long association with Castlefields Church, having been members 30 years ago when we lived and worked for a time in Derby. During the intervening years Castlefields has run an annual Houseparty holiday and I have been a helper and speaker each year. Even so it was a great surprise and wonderful privilege to be asked to become full time Pastor at Castlefields Church in March 2008.

It was a big change for us to leave Droitwich as we were very happy there but the turning point in my life in recent years was a heart attack in 2005. At that time, God brought me to realise that He had a new plan for my life and that I could no longer continue in a stressful job and also be as heavily involved in Christian work as I was. At the same time, the church here in Derby were actively considering calling someone to work full time with them and it is wonderful how God has brought us here in such circumstances. We are thankful to Him for this new and exciting opportunity for service in His kingdom.