Who's Who


Introduction

We would like to introduce you to a few selected members of the team working within St Thomas' Church.

Our Vicar - Reverend Terry Swinhoe

I  was born and brought up in Swansea, South Wales and Elaine in The Fens of Cambridgeshire. We met at Manchester University in 1968 and married in 1971. We both trained to be teachers after that. I taught French in schools in Manchester and Bolton, and Elaine in Sale, Cheshire.

We’ve three sons, the 2 eldest are married: Gareth, a Physics teacher, living in Leicestershire, David, a nurse at Calderdale Royal Hospital and Mark, one year left to do at Newcastle University.

I trained for the ministry on the Northern Ordination Course between 1981 and 1984, and served as Curate in the Diocese of Birmingham. The other parishes we’ve worked in are Warley (Halifax), from 1987 to 1996 and Rastrick from 1996 to the present.

I began my ministry at St Thomas Greetland following the licensing service held on October 17th, 2006. 

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Church Warden - Mr John Hanson

Awaiting profile

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Church Warden - Mr Richard Jowett

I was born in March 1954 and spent most of my childhood in a village called Queensbury. I have four sisters and two brothers and yes, my father did go to work occasionally!!!! As you can well imagine my extended family now stretches into double figures and I have been a ‘great uncle’ for some time.

I met my wife Gill in 1978 and we were married in October 1980 at St Paul’s Church King Cross. We lived for several years in Holmfield before moving to Greetland, where we are now very settled. We have two cats, a brother and sister act called Wallace and Gromit, guess which is my favourite film!!!!

We came to Christ in about 1999 and my faith has been growing stronger ever since. I took up the challenge of Church Warden in 2001. We host a home group on alternate Mondays which we really enjoy. Which reminds me we must get out more!!!!!

My day job is to work with people with learning difficulties at a charity run day centre in Halifax. It is hard work but extremely rewarding.

When I get time I like to garden and enjoy walks in the countryside. We both like to tootle off to North Yorkshire whenever we get the chance.

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 PCC Secretary - Mrs Gill Jowett

I was born in September 1960 to a family already made up of two brothers. My parents lived around King Cross all their married lives and my Mum was very well known and loved in the area as she shopped their every day before taking a job at the local chemist. I met Richard in 1978 at a party of a mutual friend and we were married in October 1980 at St Paul’s Church King Cross. Having moved to Greetland in 1992 we feel to have really made a home here and are surrounded by lots of wonderful people.

When we moved to Greetland from Holmfield we brought our original cat with us, Puddy, as in 'I taut I taw a Puddy Tat!!!!!'  She was great and when she died we felt we needed to leave it for a while before we were bowled over by two special kittens, now known as Wallace and Gromit!!!!!

Richard and I came to the Church together during 1999 following a particularly bad period in our lives. I went on to become Church Secretary in 2001 and have been involved in St Thomas’s ever since.

I started work for the ‘Halifax’ at 16 and left 24 years later. My time is now spent split between admin for a nursery in Elland and a caravan sales firm in Huddersfield, so much for going part time!!!!. My spare time (ha ha!!!!) is taken up with gardening, reading, cross stitch and, when the mood takes me, drawing and water colour painting.

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Treasurer - Mrs Joyce Davies

Awaiting profile

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 Child Protection Officer - Mrs Karen Robinson

I was born in Huddersfield in the summer of 1970 and was brought up in the Oakes area, the eldest of three children. My brother and sister (twins) came along a number of years later much to my Horror!!! Apparently I told my mum to take one back to the shop as I only wanted one!!

I met Adrian in 1992 at a badminton club in Huddersfield and we were married in 1995 at St Stephen’s Parish Church, Lindley. We move to Greetland from Cleckheaton in 1996.

We first came to St Thomas’ after the birth of our first child, Lydia, in 1999 and became more involved after our second child, Max, was born in 2001.

After working as a Beauty Therapist for 13 years, I gave up the business to become a full time Mum - a decision I have never regretted. I am now very involved with the local playgroup and also SureStart, Elland.

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