Neil and Carla live in South Wales and have been very happily married for almost 30 years. They have two children (Jonathan – 27yrs and Zoe – 25yrs) and two dogs (Millie and Bea).
Neil is a trained teacher and an ordained minister. Up until recently, he has worked for a national Christian charity as a Web and Email Coordinator. Carla is a projects team administrator working in the facilities department of a growing and vibrant university.
Their interests:
Music
Neil likes: Cerys Matthews; James Taylor; Carol King; Neil Young; Ray LaMontaigne; Jack Johnson; Damien Rice; Eve Cassidy; Nora Jones; Santana; Counting Crows; Ben Lee; Christian Kjellvander; Joni Mitchell; Eric Clapton; Pink Floyd; Steeleye Span; Crosby, Stills and Nash; Yes; Ben Folds; Kathryn Scott; Vaughan Williams; Sufjan Stevens, amongst many others. And he plays the guitar and djembe.
Carla likes: Tim Hughes; Eoughan Heaslip; Shirley Bassey; Abba; Boyzone; Michael Buble; and a lot of the music Neil likes. Carla plays the strings of Neil’s heart – okay, okay, we know it sounds a little cheesy…
Reading
Spiritual – The Bible, Eugene Peterson, John Bunyan, Watchman Nee, Henri Nouwen, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Keith Warrington, Floyd McClung, Brian MacLaren, Gordon Fee, Joyce Meyer.
Leisure – Neil likes: Ian Rankin, John Grisham, Terry Pratchett, Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, Henning Mankell. Carla likes: Helen Forrester.
Photography
Neil uses a Nikon D90 digital SLR and a Konica 400DZ digital compact. While at college, during the days of emulsion film, he enjoyed being the dark room manager.
Cycling
Neil rides a Dawes Khalahari regularly along the Taff Trail. He’s ridden a bicycle as far back as he can remember. Carla rides a Dawes Red Feather. It’s only in recent years that she’s got into cycling. Carla loves to cycle to work along the Taff Trail too. It’s their favourite form of transport that’s not only good for their health, but also very eco-friendly. Ban the car – long live the bicycle!
Art
Neil likes: The Bauhaus, especially Johannes Ittens, Paul Klee, Joseph Albers, Ray Man, Kandinsky; Frederick Church; Carravaggio; the Pre-Raphaelites; ‘Peasant’ Bruegel; Manet; Monet and Klimt are amongst my favourites.
Drinks
Neil likes variety: Black coffee (percolated, pressed or filtered) with two sugars; cafe latte; mocha coffee; Tia Maria coffee; chia tea latte; orange, mango and cinnamon tea; echinacea and raspberry tea; cranberry, raspberry and elderflower tea; ginger cordial; ginger beer (especially Crabbies); ginger and lemongrass cordial; lager shandy; snowball; liquorice tea; red bush tea; peppermint tea; Earl Grey tea; Darjeeling Tea; Lapsang Souchong tea; Assam tea; Swedish Glogg; mulled wine.
Carla likes: Tea, Earl Grey, rooibos; and water.
Food
Neil likes: Chocolate (pure and unadulterated). He also enjoy Italian, Thai, Indian and Mexican food. Neil likes chicken, turkey and pork when he know the animals have been looked after properly and the meat has been cooked proficiently. Generally, he enjoy a wide selection of vegetarian food – their children are vegetarians.
Carla likes: Chilli.
Films
Lord of the Rings; The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum; Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind; Lost in Translation; The Matrix Trilogy; The Lake House; An Unfinished Life; North by Northwest; Rear Window; The Birds; The Incredibles; Casino Royale; The Fugitive; and many others.
Neil’s Life’s Passions:
- To be a genuine follower of Jesus Christ and his teachings. Mark 12:30
- To be a great husband, companion, friend, lover and soul-mate to my wife.
- To be a wise and loving father to my children.
- To be a good friend.