Reverend Gary Grady
Team Rector in the South Cheltenham Team with responsibility for St. Peter’s Leckhampton since 2016.
Gary trained for ministry at the West of England Ministerial Training Centre at Redcliffe College in Gloucester. Before that he worked for BT for 19 years in a variety of roles, leading the national training design team before leaving to retrain. He has two children, Erin and Rob, who are in their 20s. When not working, Gary likes walking, watching sport and going to ‘gigs’.
Reverend Jade Scholes
Associate Priest for South Cheltenham Team, based at St Peter’s Church Leckhampton 2024.
Jade joined us in March this year and also works as an Emergency Nurse Practitioner, having spent the last 12 years working in both Gloucester and Cheltenham A&E’s. Prior to that she worked for a medical sales company for 10 years, her call to the Christian faith bringing her back into nursing and then to ordination. She lives in Leckhampton with her husband and their three children and loves watching box sets, yoga and socialising with friends – not all at the same time!
Dereck Freeman
Dereck is a Licensed Reader in the South Cheltenham team, based at St Peter’s. He is Sub Warden of Readers for the Cheltenham Deanery.
Following a career as a Chartered Engineer in the aerospace and defence industries, Dereck trained in Theology at The West of England Ministerial Centre (WEMTC) at Redcliffe College in Gloucester before becoming a Licensed Reader.
Dereck has one married daughter and two grandchildren who keep him busy when he is not involved in his other interests, which include membership of various clubs and societies, classic motorcycles and cars and trying to keep fit!
Director of Music
Kit Perona-Wright
From September 2023, the Director of Music at St. Peter’s Church, Leckhampton, is Kit Perona-Wright. Kit is currently Assistant Headteacher at Cheltenham College Prep School, an ISI school inspector, and lives locally in Warden Hill with his wife, Emma, and children, Molly and Toby. Prior to moving to Cheltenham, Kit worked at Dulwich College Prep school in London, and before that for the Royal School of Church Music in various capacities, which saw him running courses and events for church musicians of all ages both in this country and abroad. He has been involved in church music at both Cathedral and Parish Church level, and he is very happy to be involved at St. Peter’s as he lives in the wider Parish.
Kit studied music at Exeter University which he combined with a scholarship at Exeter Cathedral. He left Exeter with a first-class music degree (with a Dean’s commendation for academic excellence), a Master’s degree in English Cathedral Music & Liturgy, and diplomas in both choral direction and organ playing from the Royal College of Organists. Wearing his educational ‘hat’, Kit holds a Master’s degree in educational leadership, has recently submitted his educational doctoral thesis and is a Founding Fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching. Musically, he holds a Fellowship diploma from the London College of Music (having researched into Anglican Psalmody), a Fellowship diploma from the Royal Schools of Music in conducting, is an elected member of the Royal Society of Musicians, and also an elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.
The Parish Office
Liz Johnson
Liz is the Parish Administrator. She came to Cheltenham from Kent via Bristol, Jersey and Basingstoke. She has a background in foreign languages and in producing documentation; areas which have prepared her well for working in the Church of England! She loves singing and dancing, but these days, only in her kitchen. Liz is married to Andrew, they have four children a Springer Spaniel and a rescue cat.
Churchwardens
Sally Marlow
Sally has worshipped at St Peter’s since 1987 and is married to Peter. They have two children, both married, and two young grand children who are a constant delight. Sally taught music at a local comprehensive school for many years. She contributes to the life of St Peter’s as a pastoral assistant as well as church warden and enjoys supporting a range of church music activities as well as hosting monthly church lunches in her home. Together with Peter, she is a member of Cantores Chamber Choir and both enjoy the outdoor life with lots of walking.
David Webber
David is one of the two churchwardens and has been a member of the congregation since the early eighties. He also edits the parish magazine and is a member of the serving team as crucifer. He has lived in Leckhampton for many years and until retirement was a teacher at Leckhampton Primary School. He trained at Christ Church College, Canterbury where he met his wife, Anne. They have two adult daughters and three grand-children. In his spare time he likes to paint and draw.
Parochial Church Council
The Parochial Church Council (PCC) exists to help and support the Vicar and Churchwardens in running the Church, and is legally accountable for the annual Parish report. Members include the clergy, readers, churchwardens, deanery synod representatives, and members elected at the Annual Parochial Church Meeting. The PCC meets every 2 months, with a smaller Standing Committee (comprising Vicar and PCC officers) meeting in between times to manage an urgent parish needs.