Alex, our vicar, was born in 1965 and grew up in the south of England. He has been registered blind from birth, attended special boarding schools from the age of 5 and read history at university. He heard God's call to be a clergyman when he was a teenager and after university, he was sent to work for a year as a volunteer in a community for leprosy sufferers and people with schizophrenia. This experience deepened his understanding of suffering and that the only answer to it is Jesus dying on the cross and rising again to new life. After theological studies, he came north and was ordained in 1990 by bishop David Sheppard in Liverpool cathedral. Having served as assistant in 2 parishes in the Liverpool diocese, Alex came to Kew in April 1997 just as our permanent church building was opened. As well as being vicar of the church of ST Francis of Assisi, Alex is part-time chaplain to the Southport And Ormskirk NI-IS Trust and also anglican chaplain to Queenscourt hospice. Alex is married to Avon.

Alex enjoys his work at the church especially the link with the Methodists and the many people in the parish, hospital and hospice with whom he comes into contact. He believes that God uses his disability to help in the spread of the good news of Jesus and in people's comfort, strengthening and support.