I knew of God from a very early age, but coming from a non-Christian family, I never really got to know about Him. This changed at the age of eight when my friend persuaded me to go to Sunday School with him. There, some kind people introduced me to Jesus, and one person in particular took the time to take me right through Matthew’s Gospel. I was awarded a “study certificate”, but Jesus gave me so much more!
During my life I have sometimes drifted away, but Jesus has always brought me back, and the best times of my life have been when I have “let Him in”.
I met my wife, Jill, at a church youth group, and we had our first experience of canals in 1975. Later, we enjoyed holidays on hire boats with our three sons. Living in East Essex, much of my boating experience has been coastal dinghy sailing.
I volunteered at a Christian activity centre as an assistant instructor for a number of years and, with my finance background, I am still their accountant.
In 1998, whilst working away in Leicester, we bought our narrowboat, Lady Anne, for me to stay on. Since then, we have cruised most of the connected waterways on holidays and have seen the changes that have occurred. In particular, we have noticed how many people are now living on boats, either by choice or through force of circumstance.
We have seen Canal Ministry boats on our cruises. It is a privilege to now be part of that Ministry as a trustee and treasurer, and to be able to help in the work they do.