and a Registered Charity (No. 1112693)
8 Ridgway Gardens, London, SW19 4SZ
© Copyright Camp XL 2007
We are delighted to annouce that Ben & Jess Putt have bravely agreed to take-on the huge task of launching this new initiative at Gaines. Currently based at City Evangelical in Birmingham, they'll be setting-up home and office at Gaines over the summer.
Keen to see young people reached with the great news of Jesus, and with years of experience serving in youth work at Keswick, CYFA camps as well as their home churches, we are delighted to welcome then on board.
Camp XLand Jeremy Smith
Until he chose to leave his City career behind, Jeremy was a Managing Director in Deutsche Bank's equities division, working variously in London and New York.
He has hands-on experience of both leading and serving on residential holidays, as well as in running church-based youth groups, having run a Campaigners Clan for his former church, and a 50-strong Pathfinder group at his current one, Emmanuel Wimbledon. He is married, and lives in South London with his wife and two teenage daughters.
On the rare days he is not busy with Camp XL - and getting Gaines off the ground - he occupies himself managing the result of his mid-life crisis - a hotel set in a Marrakech Riad!
contact Jeremy: jeremy.smith@gaines.org.uk
Jess was brought up in Bath, and became a Christian aged 17 whilst attending a local youth group with her next door neighbour/best friend/surrogate twin. Her academic studies led her to Oxford University where she studied Natural Sciences: Biological Sciences. Helped by friends of similar nature, she developed a taste for the finer things in life – namely French cheese, wine, and Earl Grey Tea. She also rowed for her college 1st VIII.
I (Ben) was brought into the world in Southampton. I became a Christian aged 4 ½. I had long realised whilst counting the hours on the bottom step at home that I was inherently sinful, and knowing full well that there was nothing I could do about it I turned to Jesus. I ended up at Birmingham University where I studied many different sports, taught games part-time at a local school, ran Christians in Sport, and squeezed in a degree in Geography.
We met on summer camp in Bruton, Somerset. To cut a long story short, an exchange of emails around the issue of how to make Banoffee Pie was the agent that God used to bring us together – if you want more details you’ll have to ask!
Somewhat confusingly, we have both obtained PGCE’s from Brum Uni, and have gone on to teach in two different King Edwards Boys Schools in Birmingham! Jess had the misfortune of losing at Scissors/Paper/Stone when we decided whether to live in Birmingham or Oxford after we were married, and we have spent 3 ½ years together now in the lovely suburb of Selly Oak.
We both passionately believe that preaching the Gospel is necessary for salvation, and that God wants to win young hearts and minds for Himself at Gaines. We would love for you to be able to share in this mission in any way you can – so do please get in touch!
Every blessing,
Ben and Jess
contact Ben & Jess: ben@gaines.org.uk
As you can see, Gaines is an amazing provision from God, and the potential for using it for youth ministry is enormous. We must be honest and say that we're both somewhat daunted by the task we face, but excited and reassured in the knowledge that God Himself has called us and will equip us.
