I am the priest-in-Charge of the Stour Downs Parish, which includes the churches and communities of Brabourne, Mersham, Monks Horton, Sellindge, Smeeth and Stowting. This parish was formed in 2018 and I took up post in September, previously being Curate at High Halden, Bethersden and Woodchurch for three years.

I am a member of the Governing Body by virtue of my office, as this is a Church of England school, yet it is more than representing the local church on the Governing Body- it is about being involved with and supportive of the community I serve. I have a passion for education, having been a primary teacher before being ordained, and it gives me great joy to be a part of ensuring the pupils of this school have the best start in life possible. I would really like to get to know the families of our school community through my involvement with the Governing Body and supporting the school in my ministry.

My first “calling” was to be a teacher, and I taught in the Early Years, Year One, Two and Three at Kingsnorth C of E Primary, as well as part-time cover work across all year groups at Brenzett C of E Primary. I have been an Early Years Manager and a Team Leader, and in this role gained experience of school leadership. My love for stories – telling them and acting them- spills over from my years as a Literacy leader and studying for an MA in Primary Literacy, to writing novels and directing, writing and treading the boards in pantomimes. I guess that stories were at the heart of my love for studying History as part of my first degree at the University of Kent.

I have four children at primary and secondary schools who keep me very busy, and we have enjoyed settling in to the Stour Downs community, and discovering lovely places to walk our Labrador, Lola.