I was born in Knutsford and grew up going to the Methodist church there until I went to university at St Andrews in Scotland, doing a degree and then a PhD in maths. I moved to Stockport in 1999 and began work at Thales UK on Bird Hall Lane in Cheadle as an algorithm developer (devising mathematical recipes for computers to use) and reconnected with the Methodist Church. For the last 3 years I have combined part-time work at Thales with part-time training for the ministry, but have now moved into full-time ministry.