Speakers

Once again at Alive we have a great line up of speakers from various walks in the Christian faith. Below are just some of the great speakers we have for alive this year.

	David Bracewell has spent 40 years working in and leading churches, the last 25 of which were at St Saviour’s Guildford where the church membership reached 1000+ and where he helped prepare 30 candidates for ordination. Recently retired, he remains committed to encouraging church leaders at all stages of their ministry. A popular speaker at last year’s festival, he makes a welcome return with his unique blend of humour and depth of biblical knowledge.
	Michael Mitton graduated with a degree in Theology from Exeter University, Michael trained at St.John’s, Nottingham before ordination. Following a curacy in High Wycombe, he became a Vicar in Kidderminster and the leader of St.John’s Nottingham Introduction to Pastoral Counselling extension studies course. Leaving parish work for a while he became National Director of Anglican Renewal Ministries, editing Anglicans for Renewal and overseeing production of a number of training courses. He travelled overseas, as the co-ordinator of a number of renewal organisations in different countries, particularly enjoying visits to developing countries.Following that he was appointed Deputy Director of Acorn Christian Healing Foundation and led Christian Listeners. In 2003 the Diocese of Derby employed him to implement a strategy for change called Renewing Ministry after which he worked in the Training and Discipleship team as the Mission and Ministry Development Adviser. During his time with the diocese he was invited to be Priest-in-charge of St Paul’s Chester Green where he continues to serve. In 2010 he was made an Honorary Canon of Derby Cathedral. He is married to Julia with three grown-up children and two grandchildren.
	Brian Draper is a writer, thinker, speaker, and author of Spiritual Intelligence – described by both Douglas Coupland and Oliver James as “inspiring”. He runs Echosounder, a course which works with leaders and organizations to nurture their spiritual intelligence, has written for the official U2 website and regularly contributes to Radio 4’s “Thought for the Day” on the Today programme. He is a former editor of Third Way magazine.
	John Wright acts out the Biblical command to ‘waste no opportunities, at times convenient and inconvenient’ to talk to everyone he meets in order to pass on the Christian message.  He has such a strong faith that he finds himself talking to complete strangers and it’s surprising the response he gets. Founder of the Full Gospel Businessmen’s Fellowship International and the St Matthew’s Society to provide for the homeless in over 80 houses throughout East Anglia, John was educated at Winchester and Christ Church, Oxford and received his business training at Price Waterhouse and  Harvard Business School. As a bachelor of 32 with an E-Type Jaguar it seemed as if a brilliant career lay before him. At this point he had a dramatic conversion experience,  his businesses collapsed, he went through two years unemployment, he had cancer and finally the undeserved humiliation of prison. John is married to Sue and they live near Norwich where John is a Lay Reader in the Church of England. He is also the non-executive Chairman of a Massey Ferguson Agricultural Machinery dealership. They have four sons and a daughter, all of whom are on fire for God.
	Judy Hunt was of the first female priests to be ordained in the Diocese of Chester is the Church of England’s 13th woman Archdeacon. Revd Canon Dr Judy Hunt, the Director of Mission and Ministry for the Diocese of Chester and a former Priest-in-Charge at Tilston and Shocklach, and is now the Archdeacon of Suffolk.Judy passionately believes in the call and the ability of each and every local church to be alive and attractive.
	Grant Sheppard Director of World Sport Ministries
	Ed Walker graduated from Exeter University with a degree in Geography and spent the next 10 years working in relief and development. For much of this time, Ed was working overseas for Tearfund’s disaster response team in Burundi, Rwanda, Southern Sudan, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Northern Kenya & North Sudan, running projects in water, sanitation, health care, emergency feeding, health promotion, agriculture and community development. His last post for three and a half years was as Programme Director of Tearfund’s Darfur programme, heading up Tearfund’s largest relief response to reach over 200,000 war affected people. Ed is author of the book ‘Reflections from the Scorched Earth’ and has also had work published by Theos Think Tank, as well as a book entitled: ‘Issues facing Christians in Sudan.’ Currently, he works as Director of Client Services for the YMCA in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, leading the organisation’s youth, homelessness, youth crime prevention and health and fitness work. He is also a member of the Haberdashers’ Company which helps run a number of schools across the country. Ed is married to Rachel and has 2 daughters: Iona (3) and Elana (1).
	Rosie Bunn
	Shell Perris is a speaker, author, singer, songwriter and presenter. Her bubbly personality and powerful life-story challenge and inspire the hearts of many. She became a Christian at the age of 15 whilst suffering with an eating disorder and after being told that she had only 8 weeks left to live, God miraculously healed her and transformed her life. Her latest album ‘Beautiful Life’ made it in to Cross Rhythms’ Top 20 Albums of 2009, her autobiography ‘Made To Be Me’ has sold over 8,000 copies to date and she is traveling all over the UK and beyond sharing Jesus and seeing lives transformed. Shell lives in Warrington, Cheshire, UK with her husband, Tim, and little boy, Harvey.