The next team member we meet in our two-minute interview is Mark Simmons.
Mark has worked in Hereford Diocese since 2020 as a Parish Giving Adviser (Ministry Development).
He grew up overseas and worked in international development, peace-building and human rights before moving six years ago to north Herefordshire, his 42nd home. He has four teenage children and quite a lot of hangers-on! As well as travelling and cooking, Mark loves choral music (and misses singing daily services); in the meantime, he "makes a joyful noise" as an organist for his local parish church.
We ask him some questions.
I: Hello Mark, thanks for taking part in the 2-min interview. We're going in with an easy question. What is your favourite food?
MS: I love all foods and especially when there is good bread and lots of little dishes to sample, like tapas, Middle Eastern meze, or curries and all their various accompaniments. During the lockdown, when we could no longer travel, and the kids were home-schooling, we "travelled" through food. It was great fun thinking of a different culinary theme or region every week, such as "Indian Ocean" or "South America" – even though it wasn't always easy to source all the ingredients in rural Herefordshire!
I: I loved the idea of "travelling through food". What skill would you like to master?
MS: One of my earliest regrets is not having accepted a place to read French and Arabic as an undergraduate, and one day I would love to master Arabic.
I: The last question. What Do you enjoy about working at Hereford Diocese?
MS: I love the friendly family feel in the office, and visiting parishes always energises me. Our volunteers have so many creative and inspirational ways of encouraging generosity in their welcome to visitors, their engagement with the community, and their giving. Every time I walk into one of our many church buildings, I encounter a clearly cherished space.