For any of you who have chatted to us since we began attending the church six months ago, you will know that we are from ‘Norn Iron’ (translated, Northern Ireland!). Heather is from Bangor while Robert was born in Lisburn, two large towns either side of Belfast. However, we did not meet until September 1988 when we were students at the University of St. Andrews in Fife, Scotland. Robert first set eyes on Heather at a Scottish Ceilidh. After that it took him seven weeks to convince Heather that she was onto a good thing!

Heather read German and during her studies she spent a year teaching English at a small school in Ludinghausen in North West Germany. Robert has always been a scientist at heart. He studied Mathematics before going on to do a PhD in Solar Astrophysics also at St. Andrews. Most people agree that Robert is a"bit of a spacer" and with his love of Star Trek, it was right up his street! After university Heather was fortunate enough to get a job in the export department of a local papermill, before moving onto the production planning side of the company.

We were married on 22 April 1995 back in Bangor. In total we spent twelve years in the small Scottish town until Robert got a permanent lectureship in Astrophysics and Mathematics at the University of Central Lancashire. So in September 2000, we headed down to Preston. Heather was kept on by her company and now works from home as well as going out to visit customers in the North West. After renting in Garstang for several months, we moved into a house in Fulwood and started attending Fulwood Methodist Church.

We both became Christians in our teens and our Christian faith has played a pivotal role in our lives ever since. In NI we went to Presbyterian churches; in St. Andrews we became members of the local Baptist church and now we are in with the Methodists – we have certainly done the rounds! We have always been involved in youth work in one way or another. We were leaders at Scripture Union Summer Missions, Robert is an elected leader of Crusaders and at the moment we are helping out with ESCAPE (RW) and Youth Club (HW). Robert is also thoroughly enjoying being part of ACTS.

Change is always difficult and this last 18 months has been quite an upheaval. We are beginning to settle into this area and are getting to know the lovely countryside around the town. We very much appreciate the friendship and love we have experienced from you all at Fulwood Methodist and pray that God would use us in the furtherance of His Kingdom here in Preston.