Who we are

The Sophia Steering Group gets on with the day-to-day running of the network. Members, in alphabetical order, are as follows:

Jenny Baker is director of the Sophia Network and was director of Greenbelt for the 2011 festival. She is a member of Grace, an alternative worship community in Ealing, and has recently joined the board of Tearfund. She loves running and cycling and is aiming for 4hours in the Brighton marathon this year. Jenny and her husband, Jonny, have two adult sons.

 
  

Lydia Corbett is the Youth & Young Adult Pastor at St Paul's, Hammersmith as well as being involved in various other ventures. Prior to this she gained a History degree at York University and worked at St Chads, Romiley. Once described as a posh gypsy she enjoys coffee, dancing, reading & shoes

Ruth Hassall is the pastor of transforming discipleship for St John's Harborne and the author of Ready to Lead and Growing Young Leaders. Ruth reads widely, enjoys times with friends, loves shoes and is passionate about developing leaders of all ages.

 

 

Sharon Prior is a freelance trainer, leadership coach and mentor. She lectures in several Bible colleges in England on youth work, mentoring and leadership courses, helping students to be more effective in their work for God. She is embarking on an MPhil course of study in January researching why women step down from leadership roles within the work place and church. She is a Deacon at her local church, Beauchief Baptist Church, and in her spare time she is an aerobics instructor, loves spending time with friends and eating Chinese food.  

Claire Rush is the current Esther Generation Project Facilitator for Girls' Brigade England & Wales and is passionate about inspiring, equipping and empowering the next generation of leaders. Based in Northern Ireland, Claire has worked in a variety of youth work contexts, lectured at university on gender history and completed her PhD on the development of female education in 2010. She loves travelling, books, movies and is looking forward to marrying Chris next year.

   Ruth Wells works as a youthworker and trainer in and around Bournemouth and the New Forest.  She has been involved in youth work in a variety of contexts including local authorities, hostels, churches and on a bus!  In her spare time Ruth likes to spend time in beautiful Bournemouth with her husband and two children.  She likes to write, think and rant about issues to do with gender and justice and is currently trying to ponder the quandary of being a feminist and loving America’s Next Top Model!

The Sophia Network is a registered charity: 1128538

The charity trustees are Jenny Cornfield(chair), Rebecca Warren(treasurer), Sharon Prior, Aline Simpson, Lydia Corbett and Sally Nash.