Our PCC members have been invited to give a brief introduction to themselves and below, in no particular order, you can read all about them.

The Revd Preb Kelvin Price, Rector

Kelvin has recently come to us from the north of the diocese and has been Rector in the Ludlow Benefice for since 2016.

We are delighted he has now joined us. He is in overall charge of our churches and is chairman of the PCC.

Bryan Jones, Churchwarden

I have lived in Ross all my life. I was baptised and married in St Mary‘s Church. My three children were members of St Mary’s church choir. I have been a member of the Scout Association in Ross, from Cubs Scout, Leader, to District Commissioner.

I served, an apprenticeship in engineering, and worked in industry for 17 years. In 1981 I became the site manager of John Kyrle High School, and worked there for 35 years. During my time there I was heavily involved in raising money for a new craft department at Kisiki College in Uganda. I was on the Town Council for three years, and am still a trustee and the chairman of Ross-on-Wye Almshouses.

I remain an active member of St Mary‘s Church and along with my wife, Sue, took on the winding of the Church clock since 1999. In December 2017 l was awarded the B.E.M. for my service to youth and education. My hobbies are cycling, walking, travel, and spending time with my family, especially my six grand daughters.

Mark Sanderson, Church Warden, Music & Deanery Synod

I’ve been on the staff at St Mary’s since 1995, all of that time as Director of Music. I was born in Spalding where my church involvement began as a chorister from age 7. I’ve continued in church music at Chester and Exeter Cathedrals and several churches.

Beyond music I’ve also become involved in many other things. I run the Benefice website, have also played a big part in the recent reordering project at St Mary’s, in fundraising and events, work with schools and all forms of publicity and branding.

Until recently, I worked as a consultant in education, supporting schools in the use of technology in primary schools. I was humbled to receive the British Empire Medal in Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee honours list in recognition of the work I have done at St Mary’s.

Freda Davies, Reader, Bereavement Ministry

Originally from Blaenau Ffestiniog, North Wales. I met my late husband, Terry, at University in Cardiff where I did Pharmacy. I have one daughter who lives in Oxford. We moved to Ross from St Albans in 1972 and I ran my own locum Pharmacy Business.

I have been very involved with the Mothers’ Union both locally and at diocesan and national levels. I have been Lay Co-Chair of the Ross and Archenfield Deanery Synod, a member of Bishops Council, a member of the Diocesan Overseas Committee, coordinator of the Diocesan Marriage Support Network and a Local Ministry Development Group Companion. I am a trustee of the Diocesan Social Fund and a trustee of the Ross Charities and a Lay Canon (Emeritus) of Hereford Cathedral.

I am a licensed Reader and have completed further training in Open the Book storytelling, marriage preparation, funeral ministry and bereavement support. I am a member of the Fellowship of Contemplative Prayer.

Roy Milnes, PCC Treasurer

I was born and brought up in Sheffield where I lived until work took me away in 1967, since when I have lived in various parts of England. My working life was in banking, but I took early retirement many years ago when banks had branches and branches had managers. My wife, Pat and I moved to the Ross-on-Wye area in 2006 but only moved into the town in July 2018.

I was brought up in the Methodist Church and we have generally worshipped in the (usually small) local church wherever we have lived and assumed we would do so in Ross. However we felt drawn to St Mary’s where we have happily settled, although the workings of the Anglican Church still leave us lost at times. 

When St Mary’s was looking for a new treasurer, I offered to help and found myself in the post! I have still to fully understand how it works.

Paul Cummings, Inspiring Hope

Paul was born in Louth, Lincolnshire in 1950. He was educated at The King’s School, Ely, where his principal activities appear to have been rugby and rowing! Following officer training he was commissioned into the Royal Corps of Transport in 1971. Though he joined on a 3 year short service commission he eventually stayed for some 34 years. Following retirement, he worked for 8 years as the Director Grants and Welfare of the Army’s national charity.

Paul is married to Fay and they have 2 adult children and 4 grandchildren. They moved to Ross from Rutland in December 2019. In his previous parish Paul was the PCC and Benefice Treasurer for 14 years. He is currently the Ross Parishes Benefice Treasurer. Paul is a member of the Ross Community Development Trust management team and has worked closely with the Trustees to help manage individual volunteering during the pandemic.  

Anne Morris, Lay Missioner, Children’s Coordinator

I moved to Ross in 1994, having previously lived in Essex, Kent where I studied for a B.Ed., London and South Wales.  I am married to Andrew, and we have 3 adult children. I have recently retired from early years teaching.   

I am a member of the Choir and part of the Inspiring Faith team, coordinating the work with children in our local schools, Sunday Kids’ sessions during the 9.30 Service and the All Age Services.  I am commissioned as a Local Missioner and have been involved in preparing some of our young people for Confirmation.

I have recently become a Foundation Governor of the Oak Meadow Federation which includes Brampton Abbotts Primary School our local Church School.

Rachel Lewis, PCC Secretary, Deanery Synod

Rachel was brought up in a village Rectory before going to boarding school at age 11. Three years’ study in Lancaster led to a teaching career. She married Nigel, eventually moving to Ross in 1982. Rachel gave up full-time teaching to bring up three children, but continued supply teaching until 2000 when she took over as Team Administrator at the Rectory office. She thoroughly enjoyed her work, especially seeing all 14 churches grow closer together. When the team split into three benefices in 2008, Rachel moved to the Town Council as Deputy Town Clerk, eventually retiring from the Council in 2021.

Church music has been a great love from early days playing the village church organ, through studying music at college and continuing to sing in a variety of choirs, not least St Mary’s. Singing has provided opportunities to travel, another of Rachel’s loves, with visits to Prague and Nuremburg, Buckingham Palace and many of our great cathedrals.

Peter Reynolds, Vice Chairman, Inspiring Faith

Born in South London, my Christian Journey started as a choir boy at Kendal Parish Church. After a year of VSO in Uganda in ’69 – 70, I joined the Royal Marines and met Marilyn when I was sent to City University in London. We subsequently moved 20+ times around UK before finishing with 6 years in South America as a Military Attaché.

Life then took us to Spain where we rebuilt a ruin and successfully helped to launch a new inland congregation of St Georges Church, Malaga. The demands of 3 grandchildren & elderly parents brought us to Ross in 2013 where we were welcomed by the congregation of St Mary’s.

I have been on the PCC for 8 years and chaired the Friends of St Mary’s for 4. I was apprehensive when Sean asked me to take on the Inspiring Faith portfolio but looked forward to the challenge of helping our Benefice to grow in the 21st Century with its many new challenges.

Jane Rothery

I come from Cornwall and graduated at Cardiff in Education and Music.  I am married to Jim and have two children.

I have worked in the voluntary sector all my life, initially founding a community for homeless people in Cardiff. After moving to the Forest of Dean, I found I liked setting up projects and making things happen, leading me to work in a wide variety of voluntary sector settings, specifically working with Visually Impaired people, in Community Arts and Education and with people with dementia. I am also a British Wheel of Yoga teacher.

I was embarrassed, in the year 2000, to receive an MBE for my services to the Community.

We moved to Ross in 2023. We have found that St Mary’s has an inclusive, friendly and community based approach that feels right for us. I love being involved with people in general and so enjoy volunteering in a variety of Church roles and am happy to help wherever needed.  Currently, I’m involved with both young and older people, fundraising, the choir and the Inspiring Hope team.

Julian Hallett, Inspiring Love

I joined the PCC in 2021, having regularly attended services at St Mary’s since 1999, when I moved to Ross from South Wales. The church community were so welcoming that, in 2011, I decided to be confirmed.

Over the years I have helped St Mary’s run a series of Alpha courses and I regularly assist with social and fundraising activities connected to the church and the choir.

I am the Electoral Roll Officer, help organise the readers rota and am part of the group who participate in cleaning and making Sunday coffee.

Outside of church, I trained as a psychologist and work with children and adults who have a learning disability. 

Hugh James

Hugh moved to Ross-on-Wye in 2021 with his wife & three children and joined the worshipping community at St. Mary’s Church at that time. He joined the PCC in 2024 and heads up the servers team, he also helps with Youtube streaming for the church. Hugh has been an Anglican from childhood, being baptised as an infant and confirmed as a teenager. He has experience of PCCs from his previous parish, where he also served as Treasurer for many years. 

Prior to his move to Herefordshire, he spent most of his life in the Forest of Dean where he grew up, having moved from Greater Manchester as a child. Though holding a BA in Ancient & Medieval History, a subject which he still greatly enjoys, Hugh now works as a Management Consultant and spends his spare time as a Trustee and player for the A. W. Parker (Drybrook) Band, a brass band in the Forest of Dean.  

Jean Brown

During my career with the Civil Service and with a Local Government Department that eventually became a private company, I have worked with young people and adults in various settings, along with both local and national companies. 

Having retired to Ross to be closer to family, I have been able to develop my love of music and many other interests including membership of the Church here at St Mary’s. 

Rosie Winyard, Eco Church

I was born in Warwickshire and lived in Yorkshire and Oxfordshire until 2016 when I moved to Herefordshire. I have attended St Mary’s since 2019 and became a member of the PCC during lock down so it was difficult to get to know many people. And church services were very different. I am a very recently retired nurse, managing or commissioning services for children and adults with multiple needs. I have two grown up children living in Oxfordshire.

I have been an Anglican as long as I can remember. I feel most at home reflecting on the links between the natural world and God’s love for us expressed in the words and prayers included in Celtic spirituality. I am the Eco church co-ordinator and promote St Mary’s as part of the wider church’s response to climate action through the Eco church award scheme. It fits my own passions for wildlife, my garden, walks by the river and in the Forest of Dean.

St Mary’s is a very special church for me because of its inclusive approach to worship and community engagement, openness to new ideas and prayerful approach to implement them.

Alun Thomas

I am a recent newcomer to Ross-on-Wye, having temporarily moved here in 2022 to be closer to my mother. I was in born in Rugby, Warwickshire but spent my childhood in and around St. Albans, Hertfordshire, where I attended Sunday School at my local church of St Mary, Marshalswick.

I graduated in 1988 from North East London Polytechnic with a degree in Surveying and Mapping Sciences (Land Surveying) and became a member of The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) in 2002. I worked for several companies in the UK and overseas (Qatar and the Sultanate of Oman) where I worked on various short and medium scale projects. During this nomadic existence, I returned to worship at my childhood church of St. Mary, Marshalswick where I was confirmed and became part of the serving team and helped with Christian Week activities. Subsequent travels have seen me worship at All Saint’s, Botley, Hampshire and St Mary’s, Saffron Waldon, Essex and continue as a member of a serving team, on the PCC and part of the welcoming team. Here at St Mary’s, you will find me again, welcoming once a month and part of the serving team.

Mike Donovan

I joined the PCC in 2023 after some five years as a parishioner, choir member (bass), and churchyard angel.  My wife and I are separated, have four grown-up children, and I moved to Ross in 2013.

I was taught by the Benedictines at Douai Abbey, studied agricultural economics at Reading University and then joined The Economist Intelligence Unit before moving to the Financial Times. In 1977 my wife and I changed direction and became dairy farmers in Pembrokeshire.

Disillusioned by the farming press I started my own publication Practical Farm Ideas www.farmideas.co.uk in 1992, which I still produce. The magazine features home made farmer innovations and cost cutting ideas. In 2013 I started a section SOIL + Cover Cropping International. The publication carries no advertising is funded solely through subscriptions and copy sales.