I have been involved in education all my life and have had the privilege of senior leadership roles in primary schools for over 22 years. During my second Headship, I saw first hand the commitment and care from the Engage Team to support schools and children in the Woking area sharing assemblies about Bible stories in an engaging and often fun way. The Engage Team work with schools  in a sensitive way – aware of the rich multicultural communities they serve – bringing to life key Christian festivals such as Christmas and Easter. At a time when school staff are stretched and time is precious, the support from Engage can not only reinforce the Christian topics within the RE curriculum but provide timely assemblies – whether that be recorded online or face to face. Engage also work with several secondary schools supporting lunchtime clubs, small group work focusing on wellbeing and add capacity to the school’s pastoral work.

As someone who has benefited from the support of Engage in schools I was delighted to be asked to join the Engage Trust Board as Chair to help ensure this important resource continues to flourish. I feel it is a great cross-church service, utilising the skills and talents from people who have a common aim to serve the young people in our communities. Its core work is carried out by a small team but relies on the generosity of individuals and churches giving time and financial support to ensure Engage continues.

I attend Welcome Church in Woking, I am married with three children who have all been through local schools and are now in further education. I realise that at every stage of parenting there are both immense challenges and times of great joy! I enjoy going for a run with my dog and during any spare time I have, I like to experiment in the kitchen adapting recipes usually to a soundtrack from the 80s!