Welcome to Rachel Foster

Youth Worker in Altrincham, Bowdon Vale, The Vine and Timperley.

Rachel comes to us to continue a Youth Ministry which she has been pursuing successfully in Sheffield these last three years. She comes along with Danny her husband and Maisie, their small and charming 16month old daughter. They are a
warm, gentle and cheerful trio who lift your heart as they say hello.
Rachel comes originally from Longbridge in South Birmingham. There are few traces of a West Midlands’ accent – though she went from Longbridge to nearby Redditch, famed for its round‐abouts.

Her commitment to a Christian Ministry with young people is well established: a real feeling of being a Christian came to her when she was 15 and by the age of 17 she knew that Youth Work was her calling. At Birmingham University she graduated in Theology, returning later to training to teach RE.
Another influential thread in her development has been involvement with the Girls’ Brigade. It was through attendance at national rallies that she and Danny met. Danny is originally from Hull, a long‐time member of the Boys Brigade with skills
and talents in the world of arts.

A gap year in Essex took Rachel on to train in Youth Work with the Baptist Church in Billericay. This was energising and inspiring but did not lead to immediate openings in the field; hence her return to studies in Birmingham.

A three year appointment in Youth Ministry with an Anglican‐
Methodist Church in Gloucester gave her a first real opportunity to
practice in the work she knows is her metier. Then she became Development Director for Girls’ Brigade England and Wales before a three years project in Sheffield. The move to Sheffield felt to be ‘God Guid‐ed’: a skate board in the garden, other applicants fading from the scene –Doors opened on a fabulous challenge from a family base in an enormous former manse and they have seen mighty progress.

At Sheffield Rachel has had a responsibility for ten churches so that her role has become essentially advisory/supervisory. The ten church Circuit is about to become assimilated into a 60 church Circuit with changes of organisation and revenue.

Rachel and Danny are looking forward to being part of our smaller Circuit which will allow Rachel more scope for hands‐on involvement. As with the Sheffield appointment, there have been happenings which feel more than coincidences that made them aware of the Altrincham opening and then told them more. Rachel is part‐way through a Masters course at Cliff College in which her dissertation considers the role and potential of Brigades in modern Youth Ministry in the UK.

This is a seriously well‐equipped young woman who will welcome and be welcomed by young people and older people who can catch her vision and help to take it further.

Rachel Foster

Contact Rachel by email by clicking here.