I am Matthew - up until December 1998, I was a Bachelor.
When I married Celia, I became a Step Parent (with no previous Experience) to two lovely little girls Amelia (6) and Eleanor (8). I am 30 years old and Celia is 37.
We live in the North of England.
We are a Born Again Christian Family, and we find our faith in Jesus to be a great help and strength as we parent our children.
In 1994 I went to Cliff Bible College in Derbyshire, in the beautiful Peak District.
I stayed there for two years, and in my second year I graduated with a Diploma in Biblical and Evangelistic Ministry.
As part of my training I went on missions all over Britain, I found out on one of these missions that I had a gift of being able to work with children.
On leaving Bible College, I got a job at a Baptist Church.
It was good to be able to put the theory I had learned at College into practice as I took Youth Clubs, Led Children's Services, Preached, Took Assemblies , and Christian Unions in Schools.
It was during my time in employment as a Youth Worker, that I met Celia, a member of the church where I worked, in my role as Youth Worker I got to know Celia's children first, then I got to know Celia and we were later married.
I am a Learning Support Assistant, for a supply agency.
This involves working with a children who have Special Educational Needs, I give them the one to one help, that they need so that they can further their education.
I enjoy working with children, it can be very rewarding to have a breakthrough in a child's learning.
My hobbies include :- Rock Climbing (I intend to share in this with our children, as they have expressed an interest in it), Parachuting (I don't do this as often as I would like), Writing Poetry, Swimming, Badminton, Harmonica Playing (Endured by the rest of the family)
and Beer-Making.
I am interested in nature, and we seem to be starting a zoo, we have two lovely cats, two rabbits, a goldfish and a Leopard Gecko Lizard.
I enjoy making things with my hands, like making clocks from wood, or other materials, I am quite handy at DIY, and I like repairing things around the house.
