Our Present Diaconate
Cheree
(2016 - 2020)
I grew up in Whitstable around the corner to Jean (Myhill). Her bigger sister was my best friend and we went to Girls' Brigade and church together, here in Middle Wall. We even worked together in the fish and chip shop in Harbour Street.
I was able to attend a Billy Graham rally in my teens and then, through baptismal classes with our minister, gave my commitment to our Lord and was baptised on Easter Sunday – along with Jim Parker, Julie Hopkins, Stephanie Gilder and David Humphries – in 1970. I taught in Sunday School and helped with both Explorers and the Imps, before leaving school.
I moved to London and lived in the Baptist Women’s Hostel in Stoke Newington. My Aunt ‘M’ was a warden there. I had a few flat shares over the years and then returned to Faversham, Kent. Here I helped my parents with the 7-11 Girls' Club and Boys’ Brigade.
I had a son, Luke, in 1986. He is 30 now and settled in Lancashire. He was in the army and served in Afghanistan. When we lived in Southport, we both went to Boys’ Brigade and I became a Lieutenant and then Officer in Charge with two companies.
I returned to college and university, in 1989 and qualified to teach.
We moved to the Isle of Wight in 1994 and both went to Boys’ Brigade in Ryde. I managed Anchor Boys and Juniors, mainly alone, and these were fantastic years. I also had a Jaguar car and Luke and I were the ‘Bright Brothers’ delivering brides to their wedding and taking a Polaroid of the couple when we took them to the reception!
All in all I have completed about 15 years’ service with Boys’ Brigade.
I have also spent 15 years in prison! Not as an inmate, but teaching a variety of classes and courses and these were fantastic, privileged times.
Since returning to Middle Wall in 2005 I have grown spiritually. I have engaged more in our church life through Bible Study, a return to BB, my prayer triangle and lately, the Choral Group.
All this has supported the journey. I will be teaching alongside Anne and Alison when our pre-teens groups begins. I wish to serve the Church and the faith and our fellowship as a deacon.
I am a keen reader and love cinema and theatre. I have a property portfolio and indeed am semi-retired. At present I teach nurses, both European and English, act in the odd Murder Mystery play and often host European students. Although separated from my husband, Ken, we remain firm friends.
Oh, and then there’s the narrow boat…
Cheree