Mike Haslam is and has been a father and husband, a fell runner, painter, campaigner, youth and community worker and a priest. Mike writes:

I went to Cape Town when I was 21, it was February 1993, just over a year before the first democratic elections. I worked at Cape Town Cathedral with kids and adults on the street and within the hugely diverse Cathedral community. And then I ended up as one of the thousands of independent observers for the 1994 elections. Cape Town turned my vision of God, and who he was calling me to be, inside out and upside down. I’d believed in God before I went to Cape Town – but I saw there how God can change whole communities, nations – this wasn’t just about the personal – this was a miracle on a grand scale, and it transformed me and my belief in God.

I came back to the UK [reluctantly – but that’s another story] and went back to college in Bristol, where I trained to be ordained in the Church of England. I met and got married to Jane while we were both in our final year of college. We were curates together in Minehead, in Somerset. Then we moved up to Newcastle upon Tyne where I was Chaplain to the University of Newcastle, and then we moved back down south. Jane was appointed Vicar of Purton in 2004 and I became Ecumenical Officer for Bristol Diocese. The job was about working with all of the churches in the area, doing community work, mission and strategy and consultancy across Swindon and North Wiltshire.

We have four children – Anna [7], Adam [6], Alice [4] and Kathryn [8 months the time of writing - DoB 14.06.2007].

In September 2005 it felt as if North Swindon began echoing around in my head. It wouldn’t go away, but that’s kind of how I experience God speaking to me. And I ended up being licensed as Vicar in January 2006. It’s been a great and exciting ride since then and North Swindon is an amazing community and church to be a part of. See my blog to find out more…

Having survived the Diocesan process and the Selection Conference, I was accepted for training for ordination; I started the two year diploma course at Trinity Theological College, Bristol, in October 1993.

I was ordained Deacon in 1995 and Priest in 1996; both services took place in Wells Cathedral. I served my curacy at St Peter’s Church, Lyngford in Taunton until June 1999. I then became Team Vicar with responsibility for the mission area of East Twerton in Bath.

My licensing as Priest Missioner, AKA Community Vicar, for the parish of North Swindon took place on 25th September 2006.

My personal interests include keeping fit (gym, swimming), cinema, theatre, and simply spending time with friends and family.

Brought up in a church-going family, and having an active faith since 1995, David spent much of his university years in Oxford attending Christian Union events, and services at St Aldate’s Church. On completion of his degree (a “Desmond” in Politics, Philosophy and Economics at Hertford College), David spent a year as a Lay Assistant at St Aldate’s, where he assisted the Vicar, administered the tape library (where he was to meet his wife, Lizzie, a few years later!), helped with the church re-ordering project, student work and catering for events (including *lots* of washing up!).

David then spent three years working for a telecommunications company in Reading, before joining Railtrack / Network Rail in 2002.

At work, David leads the Performance Department for the Western region, where he is responsible for the measurement and reporting / analysis of train performance, as well as managing a team looking at longer-term performance improvements to the region’s railway.

When not at work, church, or running around after Bethany, David enjoys real ale, politics and Formula One racing.

We got married in 2003 and David’s job brought us to Swindon a year later. I spent 18 months working as Planner for Swindon Borough Council, however, after having my daughter; it was clear that God was calling me onto other things and as such, never returned from maternity leave. Having spent a difficult couple of years of searching for the church that felt right for us, we heard about the Parish of North Swindon and we were both excited by what was happening. After settling into this church, I was approached about training to be commissioned as a Lay Pastoral Assistant and it became clear why I was not to go back to work! I was also confirmed into the Church of England on Easter Saturday evening this year. It was an amazing evening and in part, I was committing myself to this church, looking forward to my new role and all the possibilities that it will bring.

Away from church and I can mainly be found running around after a toddler and scraping fromage frais off my kitchen wall! I can also be found in the gym or swimming but it is more likely that you’ll find me scrapbooking (ask me about it and I’ll explain!) and card making, when I get some time to myself! Or, even more likely still, I’ll be curled on my sofa either watching Coronation Street or chatting away to friends (or both at the same time)!