Trustees

I am Antony Ayton. Now 77 years old I have had a varied career as an army officer, chartered surveyor and counselling psychologist. I have been married to Carol for 52 years. We have four grown up and married children who have produced eleven grandchildren for us. I first met Philip when training as a counsellor in the early 1990s and subsequently went with him when he led a trip from St Michael's church at Amersham to the Oberammergau Passion Play in the year 2000. Like Jean Gell I have been a Trustee of Contemplative Fire since its inception, attracted by its emphasis on stillness and meditation as a necessary part of action. I shall be retiring in June 2012 but wish the organisation well for its future.

I am Jean Gell, a qualified retired Medical practitioner and Counsellor, married to Peter with four grown up children and five grandchildren. During my married life I have been fortunate to work as a volunteer in the charitable care sector in several different organisations. I have been a Trustee with Contemplative Fire since its inception and am retiring from this position in 2012. I have also been involved with the Quiet Garden movement since its inception, up to the present time, and am currently co-leading one in Beaconsfield. Stillness and quietness pervade these movements – and provide for me a place of deep connection from where my energy flows. My contribution, as a Trustee, comes from the wisdom gained from this journey.

Mark is a “Companion on the Way” in the Contemplative Fire community. He is married to Tessa, an Anglican priest and they have three daughters. They live in Sussex, close to South Downs and the family home is an affiliated Quiet Garden. Together they facilitate local sessions of Still Waters and Gatherings.

Mark is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and a partner in a national accountancy practice. He seeks to combine his professional role with marriage, family life and the ministry of the Wild Fortune Quiet Garden and the South Downs group of Contemplative Fire. Mark brings experience of business process as well as a personal commitment to living the Rhythm of Life of Contemplative Fire.

Rob has been involved with Contemplative Fire for the last 7 years and became a Companion about 2 years ago. He is based in Banbury, North Oxfordshire and is married to Tina, a primary school teacher, and together they have 3 children.

Rob runs a learning and development company and is involved in leadership and management development. He is fascinated by and passionate about what it means to follow the Christ in the 21st century. He brings experience of group processes and community development to his role as trustee.

Diane has been involved with Contemplative Fire since its birth in 2004 - and even before that, participating in the gestation of its approaches and processes. Her personal journey towards a rhythm of life included some very action oriented years as a nurse in the NHS, and then as a humanitarian aid worker in Bangladesh and China, before significant limitations on her energy levels persuaded her to build rest and meditation into her life. Alongside this her spiritual journey led her through a charismatic evangelical youth into breakdown of certainties and then a rediscovery of God as deep, vast and permeating every thought, every breath, every heartbeat, every atom of the Universe.

Diane currently works for a charity in Buckinghamshire where she heads up a team providing support, information, advice and training to voluntary and community groups. As both a Companion, and currently a Trustee of Contemplative Fire, Diane brings her knowledge of charity governance and operations, but more importantly she brings her commitment to trying to live out the vision and values of Contemplative Fire and to model its approach of travelling light and dwelling deep in the context of its governance.