KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Ysanne is a Child, Educational and Community Psychologist and also works as an Academic and Professional Tutor for the University of Exeter. She is an enthusiastic advocate for the power of play in supporting children’s wellbeing and spiritual growth. With a warm, engaging approach she weaves together her faith and professional expertise to help young people flourish.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Philip is a director at Care for the Family, a national charity which aims to strengthen family life and help those who face family difficulties. Philip has been in ministry for over 35 years, having started out as a National Evangelist with Youth for Christ. He is an accomplished conference and event communicator, and prior to joining Care for the Family, Philip was a senior church leader in a church in Bristol which he planted with his wife, Kate.

HOST

HOST

Joel has been involved in youth ministry for 20 years, 14 of which as a full-time youth worker, and is passionate to see children and young people experience hope and wholeness in Jesus. He is now Charity Leader at Müllers as well as Chair of trustees at South West Youth Ministries. He supports Wolves, loves a KFC, and has the tendency to be a productivity nerd!

LIVE ILLUSTRATOR

Andy Gray is a creative who can’t stop creating and thinking. From live storyboard illustration work, translating what keynote speakers in real time into graphics so that their audience can understand and remember the speaker and share their message, to being a minister in the Church of England doing church differently.

He illustrates books, and is also a DJ, magician, speaker, writer, memory specialist, boardgamer, cyclist, indoor climber… gets bored easily!

Bob has travelled the world, telling Bible stories, for over 30 years. He has written over 100 books, mostly for children, including The Lion Storyteller Bible, and YouVersion’s Bible App for Kids, and the brand new The Kingdom and the King Storybook Bible.

Originally from Pittsburgh, Bob lives in Wiltshire, is married to Sue and has two children and five grandchildren.

Jo is the Children’s Ministry Support Lead at Müllers and a member of the leadership team at Highgrove Church in Bristol. She brings many years of experience in leading children’s ministry and developing creative resources, including her work with the writing team at Raise Up Faith. With a master’s degree in early years education, Jo has a particular passion for incorporating play into children’s church sessions. A big Taskmaster fan, she also helps to run School Tasking, an outreach project that brings the joy and creativity of Taskmaster into primary schools.

Joy has degrees in Communication (BA) and Theology (MRE) and brings 25 years of mission, education and youth work experience to bear on her role at Start to Stir. She is responsible for equipping people to stir gospel curiosity, as well as growing the stirring community. Joy has a teenage-sized hole in her heart and regularly disciples young people through her local church in Witney.

Sharon heads up Encounter Christianity, a schools-based ministry, seeking to bring the Christian faith to life in the classroom through well taught, engaging and innovative RE lessons. Sharon taught RE at a secondary school in the north of England and has been involved in children and young people’s ministry in churches for many years. She has a passion for teaching both primary and secondary pupils about who Jesus is and how he still works in people’s lives today.

Jane has worked in numerous schools with different roles over years, including working as: a teacher; a forest school leader; a ‘school and community worker’ (employed by the local church); a church volunteer, and a volunteer for Pets As Therapy with her dog, Billy. Jane is passionate about churches developing relationships with their local schools, in ways that are supportive and appropriate for the context. She works part time for the charity, Bristol Schools Connection, which has been helping to connect churches and schools in the Bristol area since 2015. Jane also works part time for the Diocese of Bristol as their Under-18s Chaplaincy Adviser – she is a big fan of chaplaincy. Jane loves being outdoors and exploring wild places (especially the Scottish Islands) with her husband Andy and Billy.

Simon worked as a Primary school teacher for many years, in schools in Swindon, London, Bristol and abroad, and has worked with children and youth in the different churches he has attended over the years. He currently works part time as the Youth, Children and Families Minister at St Peter’s Church, Henleaze, and part time with Bristol Schools Connection. Simon is passionate about supporting his local church, schools and community, has a heart for working with children and youth and wants to support young people grow as disciples of Jesus, as they explore their faith, wrestle with big ideas, develop a prayerful lifestyle and start to live out their faith in everyday life.

Rob always prioritises fun in his kids' work. He leads the children's group at a small-but-growing church in Bristol. He's also a food photographer, a storyteller, a vicar's husband and an enthusiastic consumer of ice cream. 

Gaby Doherty is vicar at St Stephen’s Southmead and has been involved in youth and children’s ministry for 30 years in various different forms including as a volunteer, School’s Worker and Youth Worker. Despite being vicar she can’t give up working with teens and children! She has 3 teens and a pre teen so she lives with the baffling realities of Gen Z and beyond. 

Gaby is also really excited about what Jesus is doing in this generation and the way he is moving.