Vicki Gardner

I was born in Nottingham in 1963 and brought up in a beautiful farming village about ten miles outside Nottingham. I had a very happy childhood and enjoyed the countryside and living next to a farm.

I was brought up to go to the village Church of England church. I thought being christened and confirmed and going to church meant I was a Christian. Although I went to church regularly I did n ot understand that Jesus came to earth, to die and pay the price for my sins and that I could only become a Christian by totally trusting Jesus and not trying to be good enough to go to heaven.

I left school in 1979 and went to college to do A levels. On my first day, I met some Christians who took me to the Christian Union. Over the next couple of months, God worked in my heart and mind and I gradually began to understand that I was a sinner and that Jesus is the only Saviour. By December, I had become a Christian.

I then went to college in Yorkshire to do a Creative Arts degree and met Kim (still my closest friend 24 years later!), who introduced me to the doctrines of grace and took me along to an evangelical church in Leeds. I was baptised at Tinshill Free Church, Leeds, shortly before graduating in 1984.

I then moved to Kent to work with autistic children in Gravesend. I became a member of Waterford House Evangelical Church in Strood and remained there for 16 years.

Eventually God led me into social work and I have worked for Social Services for nearly 20 years. I have done a variety of jobs: child protection; adoption; fostering; and, more recently, as a service standards manager for children in care. If I had known then what I know now about social work, I can't imagine I would have been brave enough (or mad enough) to go into it! God has faithfully looked after me, though, even in some difficult situations.

About 11 years ago, I had a very long illness and had to have about 15 months off work. Although this was a difficult time, God used it to shape me and make me think about what was important.

I began to pray that God would give me an opportunity to use my singleness to do someething for him that I couldn't do if I was married with my own family.

The answer came in the shape of a delightful red headed little boy with Down's Syndrome. In 2000, I took a career break and moved to Folkestone to live with a Christian family to look after Sam. His mum has multiple sclerosis and finds it hard to keep up with Sam, who is a joy, but exhausting at times!

It was during my career break that I happened to mention to a certain Pam Porter that I had some spare time - and before I knew it I was the Kent secretary for GBWA!!

After two-and-a-half years, I returned to work part-time and bought a flat in Folkestone. I still have Sam three afternoons a week and see him as a very precious gift from God. He is a source of much joy and laughter.

I am a member of Union Chapel at Bethersden where I am involved with the children and young people's work and help to organise the annual Kent Women's Day Conference that was started a couple of years ago.

I have no idea what the future holds, but God has never let me go despite the ups and downs of the last 25 years, and my hope is in his faithfulness and love.

Subsequent to writing this profile, Vicki Gardner was elected chairman of GBWA at a Council meeting in March 2007.