Activate Your Life is run by keen volunteers. We are headed up by our wonderful president Fiona Castle,who is helped along by two directors Mandy Catto and Rhiannon Goulding. Then the creative thinking is aided by a ‘Dream Team’ of talented women who meet six times a year in London to thrash out website and weekend away details, discuss, network and endeavour to ‘think outside the box’.The team consists of Sheila Bridge, Caroline East,Sarah Hyde, and Julie Wilkins. Some of the team are willing to come and speak at events around the country. If you are interested in inviting them to your area then read their biographies below and contact us through the website contact form and we’ll be in touch.
Sheila Bridge Sheila is a favourite Activate conference speaker. She has written a number of books on family life and parenting. Most recently she has written Who Stole Your Sex Life? (published by Kingway) and is currently writing How to Feel Good Naked (due out Easter 2010). She has been year head in a secondary school and also a prison chaplain. Currently she is training to become an Anglican vicar. Married, with two adult children, she lives in the Midlands and would be happy to travel reasonable distances to speak on the subjects of Sex or Body Image. The sex talk is along the lines of improving your sex life (lots of jokes, tips, video clips but no diagrams!) and the Body image talk is about finding a solid basis for self-esteem in unconditional love. Both talks aim to present the Christian viewpoint on the subject in an appealing way that doesn’t make any assumptions of belief.
Mandy Catto Mandy is one of Activate’s directors and spends far too much of her time working on the Activate Your Life Website! She works part-time as a tutor at Moorlands School of Theology and is a school governor. Her favourite job is being a mum to her three busy children. She loves spending time at the beach in Dorset. She is happy to come and share the ‘Unlocking the Door’ presentation, to share some of Activate’s vision or to present short wrap up talks during events.
Sharon Prior I was born in Enfield, North London and following school went to work in the Pathology Department of the local hospital training to be a Medical Microbiologist; during my training I became a Christian. I have worked with Crusaders, Moorlands College and Scripture Union. In 2006 I decided to go freelance and am a trainer, mentor and leadership coach. I am passionate about seeing women develop into their full potential under God and have enjoyed setting up the Sophia Network. In my spare time I am an aerobics instructor and a volunteer at my local church working with the teenagers. I am also involved in leading women’s retreats. In the past I have spoken at various women’s events and led some aerobics sessions as well (the aerobics sessions have been optional!!). I combine the aerobics with an evangelistic testimony to make a relaxing and fun evening for Christians to bring their non-Christian friends along to. I enjoy reading, walking on the beach and eating Chinese food!!! I am prepared to travel around the country and my costs for Christian Organisations and churches are £200.00 per day and travel at 40p per mile.
Caroline East I am passionate about my friends and my family, particularly my nine year old daughter (our favourite things to enjoy together are Roald Dahl books and ‘Strictly Come Dancing’). I love getting together with the girls for coffee, chocolate, laughter (and tears as and when necessary!) I am motivated by sharing my faith through my social life inside and outside the church building. I feel passionate about sharing the ups and downs of my faith journey with those inside the church and out. I am able to deliver training based around Ruth Adams and Jan Harney’s popular book “Unlocking the Door” which gives masses of ideas on how to meet non-Christians where they are. I am happy to come and talk to you and encourage your church settings in the way in which you reach out particularly to women. My background of working within churches and my experience as a single parent has given me a variety of life and faith experiences to draw on as I encourage you to be who you are, where you are, for God. I am based in Derby where I work part-time as a community evangelist. If you invite me to meet with you, fees will be related to the task and travel expenses will need to be met.
Alison Tinsley Meet the original desperate housewife! Alison had it all but ended up broke and broken. On the bumpy road to rebuilding her life, she made an amazing discovery: no matter what happens in life, she could choose to respond proactively. She was no longer at the mercy of others opinions,circumstance or upbringing. She was free to make her own independent decisions based on solid principles.For the past 5 years she has chosen to share her life experiences and professional skills as an Image Consultant and Life Coach. Alison writes, talks and coaches on how to cultivate high self esteem, acquire a healthy self confidence and make the most of life, whatever your situation. She has been featured in The Daily Express, the Daily Mirror and Bella magazine and contributes to other magazines such as Cosmopolitan and Now. Regularly a radio guest she has also recently published her first book. ‘Confessions of an unfaithful heart’ charts her own account of infidelity and the life changing lessons learnt. Alison is available for speaking engagements on any of the following subjects: How to look good naked and even better with your clothes on! – Image and style tricks of the trade to help you look and feel your absolute best Love, sex and in it for the long haul! – Make marriage fun, exciting and rewarding Be a divorce diva – Live a full and exciting life after divorce Confidence tricks – How to acquire unstoppable confidence and a healthy self esteem Communicate with body language – Develop your communication skills with body language techniques Speaking fees from £100