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Kevin Hanwell met Anita while working in Cardiff where they married (in 1979) and lived for 14 years. They have 4 children and 7 grandchildren. Kevin was born in Purley in Surrey, went to school in Croydon, university in London and then worked in the food industry for 8 years. He then moved over to the finance sector and eventually became a Building Society Manager. In 1989 Kevin moved to Bedford with the job and became an Independent Financial Adviser. He took the plunge to become Self Employed in 2002 and in 2012 decided to leave finance altogether and pursue his lifelong hobby and ministry by setting up an Audio-Visual Events company. As well as secular events across the UK and Europe the highlights were touring with various Christian artists doing around 100 concerts raising awareness of the charities World Vision and Mercy Ships. He retired in 2019. His hobbies are still sound, video production and editing. He is also a very keen golfer and seasonal gardener. He became a Christian at a Crusader camp at the age of 14 and has sought to be responsive to God’s calling in various secular and church situations since then. He and Anita were part of the original church plant team sent out from Bromham Baptist Church. He has been on the leadership team at Vale since it became independent with just one short year off. |
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Anita Hanwell became a Christian when she was 16 and was baptised a few years later. She did a degree in Spanish and Portuguese at Cardiff University where she met and later married Kevin Hanwell in 1979. She did some translating work for the charity Tear Fund while being at home with their four children. She and Kevin now have 7 young grandchildren who are a great joy. Anita has worked as a Nursery Nurse and ESOL tutor – and later trained to be an adult and children counsellor. She still works part time as a counsellor for the Christian Counselling agency Bridge. She is also a volunteer with New Kapporet – a new Christian helpline telephone service. Anita and Kevin were members at Bromham Baptist Church since 1990 – and were part of the original team to be sent to Vale Community Church. Anita has been part of the leadership team at Vale Community Church for much of that time. She has a heart for overseas and local mission, and has been on a number of short term mission projects. She is also passionate about prayer and has been part of the group The Other Nine who pray for the persecuted Church. |
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Heather Travers is a single lady who became a Christian whilst training to be a P.E. Teacher. She has taught in various Secondary Schools and worked for 6 years in Bolivia running a Youth Centre. Employment brought her to Bedford in 1985 to work as the local S.U. Schools Worker. Since that time Heather has been based in Bedford, although she has travelled widely throughout England as a representative of Christian based organisations in schools. In retirement Heather enjoys keeping busy and using her creative skills. She joined VCC in 2018 and now serves as the Church Secretary. |
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Sherri Read and her husband Chris were at school together. They married in 2003 aged 20 and have 3 teenage boys. They moved to Marston Moretaine in 2006 but have lived in this area of Bedfordshire most of their lives. Sherri started attending Vale Community Church in November 2009 where she discovered God and gave her life to Christ in February 2010. Sherri’s background is in childcare. She organises and helps teach in our KidsZone. Sherri’s passion is to encourage and show younger people that they are important to God and an important part of God’s family and the church family. Sherri has oversight for MIssion |
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Chris Read and his family all live in Marston Moretaine. He married Sherri in 2003 and have 3 boys, 2 teenage and one slightly older. He has been attending Vale Community Church since 2009. Through his wife's persistance he decided to attend one sunday and hasn't looked back since. Then, after attending Alpha and verious other study group he beacme a christian and on 25th July 2010 was baptised. He’s very interested in technology and how that can integrate with the church.Chris looks after most of the technical side of the church. He runs the churches website, social media and looks after the audio and the visual on Sundays.
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Liz Edwards has two adult children, Gemma and Luke, and is a grandmother to Gemma‘s two children. She worked as a history teacher in secondary schools for thirty seven years, ending as a Head of Faculty, then spent five years working as an advocate for looked after children. She became a Christian in her 50s, joined the Baptist church in Wokingham, and was baptised by full immersion in 2006. She moved back to Bedford in 2016 where she helps to look after her grandchildren. She had her first contact with Vale Community Church via the ‘mums and tots’ group and became a member in 2017. Liz has oversight for Pastoral Care |
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Dan Wilson is married to his wife Alex and has two children. Dan did live in Marston until recently but has now moved to Onley. |
