St Mary's - Who's Who

Churchwardens

Jane Carr

Jane Carr is a Churchwarden at St Mary's. Amongst her varied church activities which she finds immensely rewarding, she chairs the 'Outreach Action Group'.

Jane is married to Stuart, a Quantity Surveyor, who is involved with the St Mary's Fabric Group, and they have two grown-up children, James and Sophie, and a boisterous miniature schnauzer called Lily.

For her 'day job' she is principal of an event management consultancy organising conferences and events globally, with a particular emphasis on the pharmaceutical industry. One of her most challenging events was a roadshow in five African countries, and in particular Cameroon, where the power went off continually and it was extremely difficult to get conference materials out of Customs!

Work and church means there is little time for other things, but food-related activities and holidays come high on the list.

Mike Reddish

"Hello, My name is Mike Reddish and I am one of the Churchwardens at St Mary’s. I live in Oaklands and I am married to Eunice. We have been worshipping at St Mary’s for the past 12 years.

I am an electronics engineer and work in Welwyn Garden City designing business telephone systems.

I have been a Churchwarden since 2006 and also serve on the Fabric Action Group.
Together with others I am responsible for the care and upkeep of St Mary’s Church and New Church House buildings . The other part of the role of Churchwarden is, with the support of the clergy and congregation, ensuring that services of worship are held and run smoothly.

Away from St Mary’s I enjoy playing the piano once a month for the Isabel Hospice Wednesday evening service, and I am also a Recorder for ‘What News’, the local talking newspaper."

John Burnapp (Assistant)

John lives in Oaklands with his wife Alice, their cat and occasionally son James. Alice is Sister in charge of the Outpatients Departments at the QE2 and Hertford County Hospitals.

John was born in Bedford and brought up on the Beds-Bucks border near Woburn. He joined the RAF on leaving school, where he spent the next 23 years, much of it in Cornwall flying on Nimrod Maritime Patrol aircraft. On leaving the RAF John worked as an NHS IT Director, initially in Greenwich, then at the QE2 in Welwyn Garden City, after which he became a freelance Management Consultant and more recently has been working with James in their product design business

Rod Dowdell (Assistant) and Verger

"I gain great satisfaction from my continuing Christian witness here at St Mary’s, now as Verger and also Caretaker of New Church House, as well as an assistant Churchwarden for the past 5 years.

My wife, Pip, and I moved to Welwyn in 1991, where I joined the commuting hordes to London when I became a member of the Government’s Chief Scientist’s team in the Cabinet Office.

I was born in Portsmouth in 1943 into a family business of undertakers and stone masons. I was a founder graduate of Bath University in 1966 before going on to take my doctorate there in plant biochemistry 4 years later. I spent 14 years working for the Agricultural Research Council in Oxfordshire before joining the Scientific Adviser’s Unit in the Scottish Office in Edinburgh. Pip and I have three children between us and a tribe of 6 grandchildren!

Church has always been important in my life and I have always been involved at several levels of Church administration from PCC secretaries through to Deanery Synod secretary and deanery representative on Diocesan Synods."

Sacristan

Eunice Reddish

"My name is Eunice Reddish, I live in Oaklands and I am married to Michael (Mike) who is one of the Church Wardens at St Mary’s, Welwyn. I have four children and 6 grandchildren. Mike and I have worshipped at St Mary’s for the past 12 years.

My main role is that of Sacristan which means that I am responsible for ensuring that everything is ready for the clergy to take the services. This involves keeping the linen washed, ordering the wine, wafers and candles and looking after the vestments . I am also responsible for the team of Servers.

Together with Linda Dobbs I run the Baptism Preparation for the churches of the Team and I look after the Bookstall at St Mary’s. I am also on the Management Committee of New Church House.

I very much enjoy singing with the Choir for most services apart from Sunday morning Eucharist when I Serve.

I have been Chair of Governors at St Michael’s Woolmer Green School for 10years and really love being involved with the children."

Music

Eric Pavyer - Director of Music

Eric is currently Director of Music for St. Mary’s Welwyn, a post he has held for almost 3 years. He moved to Welwyn in 1996 with his wife and daughter from North London where he had held the position of Director of Music in a large parish.

During the 28 years in that parish he also held the position of Churchwarden and headed up a project to build a Parish Centre. He currently sits on the Parochial Church Council and has previously served on Deanery and Diocesan Synod.

Eric is now semi-retired from business life where he had been involved in growing IT companies, worldwide, particularly in the area of Project Management Software. He now runs his own Strategic Business Consultancy Company.

PCC

Barbara Pavyer - PCC Secretary

Having lived in North London all her life, Barbara moved to Welwyn in 1996 with her husband Eric and daughter Jenny. She has always been heavily involved in church life and was a member of Friern Barnet PCC for many years, PCC secretary for seven years as well as serving on Deanery Synod, singing in the choir and being involved with church flower arranging.

In 1997, she became a governor of Welwyn St Mary’s School and held this position for 10 years, in the early years acting as Clerk of Governors’.

In 1999, she was appointed as secretary to the Welwyn and Woolmer Green PCC, a position that she still holds. She is a member of the Stewardship Action Group, St Mary’s Book Group, St Mary’s Walking Group, is responsible for organising Lay Intercessions for St Mary’s, is an “extra” in St Mary’s Choir and a St Mary’s flower arranger.

Ian Chestnutt - Treasurer

Ian Chestnutt is the PCC Treasurer and lives in Oaklands, Welwyn together with his wife Ann-Marie and young twins Thomas and Amy.

Originally from Northern Ireland, Ian and Ann-Marie lived in New Zealand for five years before returning to the UK to work in London, settling in Welwyn in 2004.

Being an accountant by trade, Ian works as Financial Controller for a global law firm in London and is an ardent rugby fan.

Church Offiice

Pip Dowdell - Team Ministry Church Secretary

Philippa Dowdell, better known as Pip, is the Church Secretary for the Welwyn Team Ministry. She has lived in Mill Lane in the centre of Welwyn for nearly18 years with her husband Rod, who is Verger and Assistant Churchwarden at St Mary’s and Millie, the cocker spaniel. She has 2 grownup children and six grandchildren. Pip became Rector’s Secretary for Geoffrey Tristram in 1996 and subsequently Alan Winton’s Secretary in 1999. To begin with she worked from home and the Rectory, where an old and cranky photocopier lived in the front bedroom. The job expanded in February 2004 when the new Church Office was dedicated by the Bishop of Hertford and then again with the inauguration of the Welwyn Team Ministry in September 2005. The office is now open every weekday morning.

Pip has been a member of Wheathampstead Dramatic Society for 25 years and has experience of most aspects of most aspects of amateur dramatics both on and off the stage. She also enjoys reading, swimming and walking the dog.