Bio's of Steering Committee
Steph Bushell became a Christian in her final year at university before going on to study at a Further Education college in London. On finding no Christian Union at the college she set up a new one, giving her a taste for the diverse and constantly changing mission field of Further Education. She then went on to support London FE CUs as a Staff Worker for UCCF for four years. It is the experiences and growing passion for FE that she gained here, that she now brings to her role at Festive.
John and Cathy Williams have been engaged in student ministry since 1979, both in the UK and overseas through UCCF and IFES. For 17 years they worked in Madagascar with students in universities and secondary schools, and in the production of Christian literature in the local language. They recently moved to North Wales where John is researching and writing Christian materials on Mission while Cathy teaches English to foreign nationals for the Welsh Refugee Council and for Glyndwr Univeristy, Wrexham. They have five grown children and four grandchildren.
Eric and Toni Coulton began their association with Christian witness in Further Education Colleges by supporting a project in their local college linked to UCCF. In 1996 Toni went on to work full time as UCCF's FE Co-ordinator. Eric was able to take early retirement from his GP work and Toni's contract with UCCF ended so that's when the opportunity came for both of them to encourage more support of FE and Sixth Form Christian work through launching Festive as both were able to dedicate time and energy to this. Toni makes the most of the contacts she has and Eric does much of the administration.
Martin Povey has spent the past five years working in the world class FE and Sixth Form College environment of Cheshire and South Manchester. He loved getting alongside small CUs and helping them to share the good news of Jesus with their friends. He now works as the Students and 20s Minister for an evangelical church and maintains his desire to see the gospel understood, believed and lived out - particularly in FE!
Claire Povey is the newest edition to the Festive team and is married to Martin (also on the Steering Committee). Between the two of them they work with students from 16 – 30! Claire became a Christian the summer she started Sixth Form and has a passion for sharing the Gospel, especially with students. She studied Creative Writing & Drama at Kingston University and was on the CU leadership team. After graduating, she taught English to International students. Now working for Festive, Claire’s learning fast the ins and outs of College and Sixth Form life and God’s delight in sustaining, growing and using small CUs.
Kath Arnold - Kath lives in Brighton and loves nothing more than a good cup of tea and a chat. She has worked with students, specialising in small CU’s and some FE work, for the last 7 years, both in a church context and working for UCCF as a Staff Worker. She passionately believes in, and loves, the reality that God chose the weak and foolish things to shame the wise and delights in seeing Him do that in the FE world.
Karen Jones became a Christian on a summer camp and went on to become part of the leadership team at her school Christian Union - an exciting but challenging time as the team often felt very out of their depth! For the last few years Karen has been studying for a social work degree whilst growing in her faith and her understanding of God’s sovereignty. She helps with youth work and discipleship at her local church and has especially enjoyed explaining the gospel to teenagers and being reminded of the gracious love that God demonstrates to his children. Festive is an organisation she wished she had had contact with when she was in Sixth Form and she cannot wait to get stuck into God’s work in Further Education as a volunteer with Festive. Karen married Gavin, a part time church apprentice and plumber, in July 2009.
