Who's Who
Priest-in-Charge
The Reverend Lucy Sullivan
mthrlucy.pagham@gmail.com
Tel: 01243 941551
Lucy was born and raised in Croydon before moving to Chichester to read BSc Sport and Exercise Sciences and has since considered West Sussex her adopted home.
Lucy lived and worked in and around Chichester, Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight for 4 years after graduation as a specialist in exercise prescription and during this time she was able to listen to the call to ordained ministry.
As part of the discernment process Lucy spent a year as an Intern on the Church of England Ministry Experience Scheme (CEMES- churchofengland.org/life-events/vocations/ministry-experience-scheme ) this took her to the Isle of Man.
While on the IoM she served in the Cathedral Parish of Peel on the west coast, as well as in the East coast historic mining parish of Laxey- home of the Laxey Wheel. It was here that Lucy came to a better understanding of the call on her life to ordained ministry, as a priest in the Church of England.
Lucy trained for ordination at the College of the Resurrection, Mirfield (college.mirfield.org.uk/) and completed her BA in Theological Studies at the University of Sheffield. Formation at Mirfield alongside the religious Community of the Resurrection had a powerful impact on Lucy and she finds great comfort and stability in the praying of the Daily Offices, the Eucharist and contemplative prayer.
Lucy is happiest outdoors and close to the sea. She can often be found out running along the seafront or walking up on the downs.
Assistant Clergy
The Reverend Canon Colin Wood
Formerly a Chartered Civil and Structural Engineer, Colin was licensed as a Reader in the Diocese of Southwark in 1980, was ordained in 1989 and served as a Curate and Vicar in that diocese. Amongst other responsibilities in the diocese he was Director of a counselling centre and a Chaplain to the Police. He was made an honorary Canon of Southwark Cathedral in 2005. Colin has been an Assistant Priest at St Thomas à Becket’s since retiring to the area in 2006. Colin is widowed and has 2 daughters and 4 grandchildren. Spare time is often spent doing DIY – at his daughters’!
The Reverend Bill Meyer
Bill was born in Cardiff in 1946 and brought up in Scotland – Peebles and Edinburgh – from 1950. Before being ordained in 1985, he served in the Royal Navy as a Writer, serving in HMS Victorious and 800 Naval Air Squadron at RNAS Lossiemouth and HMS Eagle. He also served in the Royal Naval Reserve as a Lieutenant at the headquarters at Pitreavie and Northwood and, after ordination, as a Chaplain. Prior to going to St John’s College at Durham University to train for ordination, Bill worked in the Chief Accountant’s Department of the Royal Bank of Scotland in Edinburgh and in the Law Department of the Bank of Scotland in Threadneedle Street, London. Ordained at Guildford Cathedral, he served as Assistant Curate in St John’s Church, Merrow and as Vicar of St Luke’s Church, Grayshott in the Guildford Diocese and as Rector of Binfield in the Oxford Diocese.
Bill retired from full-time ministry in August 2011 and moved to West Meads, Bognor Regis. He became an Assistant Priest at St Thomas à Becket’s in June 2012. Later that year he was appointed Chaplain to the Royal Naval Association, Bognor Branch. Bill is married to Sheena and their daughter Kirsten lives in Hove with her husband JJ and daughter Lily. Bill loves reading and most sport and is a fan of Heart of Midlothian FC.
Contact Bill on 01243 920023 or 07576 367953
bill.meyer@hotmail.co.uk
The Reverend Clive A. Ashley was born in Wiltshire in 1954 and raised in Poole, Dorset. After leaving school he went to an Art School in Surrey and trained as a Graphic Designer before totally changing direction. In 1976 Clive started his nurse training at ‘The (Royal) London Hospital’ in Whitechapel where he met Lesley, a Student Nurse, they married in 1978.
The two of them plus two children left East London in 1984 for Clive to go and train at St John’s College, Durham. Ordination followed in 1986 and a Curacy in Manchester, an Assistant Hospital Chaplaincy in Newcastle upon Tyne then a senior Hospital Chaplaincy post at St Richard’s, Graylingwell and Bognor Hospitals. After nine years as Chaplain Clive became Rector of Fishbourne and Apuldram. In the last eight years before retiring he was Priest in Charge of two parishes near Chelmsford, Essex whilst Lesley was a Breast Cancer Specialist Nurse at Basildon.
After retiring, they spent three years in Southport (Lesley’s home town) near Liverpool but an opportunity to move back to Bognor couldn’t be resisted so now they’re here, closer to family and friends.
Clive and Lesley are very proud of their three children and five grandchildren. They enjoy time away in their caravan and sharing the care of grandchildren as and when required. Clive is very pleased to have been granted the opportunity to assist in the parishes of Pagham and Aldwick.
Lay Reader
Rosemary was born and grew up in Littlehampton before going to London to train as a nurse. Later she moved to Portsmouth to train as a midwife which became the career she loved.
After spending some time in clinical practice, Rosemary trained as a midwife teacher and spent many years at various hospitals until finally working at the University of Surrey.
During this time Rosemary obtained a BA and then an MSc in Social Psychology which along with Sexual Health became her specialities in teaching students. Clinically she worked at St Richard’s Hospital and a couple of local clinics.
In 2010 Rosemary was licensed as Lay Reader to her home church of Holy Cross in North Bersted. In 2021 she felt called to move to St Thomas a Becket church and finally started as Reader there.
Rosemary is married to Ted and have two children, Jonathan and Daisy. Jonathan is training to be a Biomedical Scientist and spends any leisure time playing tennis and the organ, and Daisy is a nurse in Wales which along with two boisterous but lovable dogs fills her days.
Churchwardens
Sue O’Neill
Sue grew up in a quiet Essex village,and after getting married she lived in Surrey and Sussex and moved to Bognor Regis in 2000.
Sue began her career in Retail and after taking a Management Training programme she progressed to Store Manager positions, then into project management, and then promoted to Manager of Diversity and Inclusion at B&Q Head Office. An opportunity arose to start a business in Exhibition and Events, which she ran with a partner for ten years until 2016. At a bit of a loose end and not ready to retire she joined John Lewis in Chichester as a home design stylist in 2017, where she is still employed.
She has attended St Thomas a Becket since 2002, was confirmed there in 2006, and has served on the PCC for some years.
Sue volunteers as a Street Angel as part of Arun Angels in Bognor Regis, she also represents St Thomas a Becket as part of the Bognor Churches Together network.
Sue is divorced and lives on her own with her dog, she has a son and two granddaughters. Sue enjoys cinema and theatre, spending time with family and friends, going for meals, travelling and visiting new places, as well as walking her dog.
Alex Brockhurst
My formative years were spent in the Reigate area of Surrey. On completion of my further education and training in civil engineering, I was involved in the Built Environment (construction industry!) project-managing civil engineering construction projects throughout the British Isles.
For the last twenty years of my working career, my emphasis changed to training, assessing and verifying construction personnel to meet the new industry competence and safety standards.
I have been married to Jan for over 48 years and we have a son and daughter and five grandchildren. After a career move to Aviemore, Inverness-shire, we moved to Aldwick in 1980. We attended a few churches in the area before settling at St Thomas a Becket in 2000.
I have been an active member of Arun Angels for over 5 years.
Now retired, much of my spare time is involved in running, walking, gardening and DIY, as well as time spent with my family.
Parish Safeguarding Officer
For children, young adults and adults who are vulnerable
Jan Brockhurst
Phone: 01243 862606
Parochial Church Council (PCC Members)
Alex Brockhurst – Churchwarden and Vice-chair
Sue O’Neill – Churchwarden
Mo Hatzfeld – Secretary
Trudi Kearsley – Treasurer and Deanery Synod Representative
Jan Brockhurst – Safeguarding Officer
Chris Buckenham
Stephen Cox-Rusbridge
David Smith – Deanery Synod Representative
Bill Mitchell
Carol-Anne Pocock
Richard Rundle