Most people at Fulwood are aware of Chris & Geoff Oldham, but what do we know about them?

Chris sings in the Choir, sitting on the front row of the Altos (they’re the ones on the right hand side) and was a Church Steward until May 1999. Geoff is the noisy one who seems to get picked on by Myrtle every time she wants someone to make a fool of himself on a Sunday morning. He is also the Co- ordinator for the Church Development scheme.

But what did they do before their appearance here at Fulwood?

Chris and Geoff are, in fact, childhood sweethearts who first met at Lymm New Road Methodist Church in Cheshire way back in 19--- (!!), when Geoff was 12 years old and Chris was a few months older. Chris was one of 4 sisters, one of them being Mu Barnes who also worships here. Wynne & Kate both live in Australia.

Chris was very sensible in those days and couldn’t stand the sight of Geoff! However, his good looks, charm and refusal to take no for an answer resulted in them becoming an item four years later and they’ve been together ever since.

After leaving Lymm Grammar School, Chris trained as a Physiotherapist at Manchester Royal Infirmary. Geoff, meanwhile, left Manchester Grammar School and wasted a year at Manchester University before deciding that the academic life was not for him. He joined the Metropolitan Police and served in east London where he became familiar with the likes of the Kray twins and other local villains.

Amazingly, their love survived the separation and Chris moved down to Hackney Hospital in east London on qualification. They married in 1965 and Thomas, Adele and Matthew were born as cockneys at Hackney Hospital.

They moved to Fulwood in 1971 when Geoff left the Police following a minor heart attack and he joined Cleveland Petroleum (later Esso Petroleum) as an Area Manager. They joined the congregation at Fulwood and immediately felt the warmth, love and support of this Church following the tragic death of Jonathon, their fourth child who died at birth. Chris then had 3 major operations in the next 18 months – but she lived to tell the tale !!

Fulwood Methodist Church has been a very large part of their lives since they moved to the North. Geoff ran the Youth Club (Fridays and Sundays) for some six years and with 2 other helpers thought nothing of taking 100 plus youngsters on trips to the Lake District, Ice Skating, etc. (How "child-centred" legislation has changed the face of Youth Work!).

Chris was the unsung background helper (a role she does very well), whilst being a full-time mother & Physiotherapist. They were later involved in a team who ran YPF on Sunday evenings for what seems like another lifetime.

Their last major change of lifestyle came in 1994 when Geoff took the opportunity to retire from Esso Petroleum and formed a small company, Suresite Ltd, which provides a specialist service to the retail petrol industry. They moved to their present home in Goosnargh three years ago when they needed to expand the office space for the business. (and they loved the Barn!)

Chris is a keen chorister and sings with Blackburn Music Society and also is a member of the Grosvenor Choir which is based in Cheshire.

Soon, you will be hearing a lot more from Geoff as he tries to encourage, convince, persuade and blackmail you all to support the dream of developing Fulwood Methodist Church for the future.