Can you tell us a bit more about how you decided to get into design work? Has drawing always been a hobby?
Drawing has always been a hobby, not only for me but for my whole family. My parents used to take us on sketching days when we were kids, the rest of the family would be sketching something very worthy like trees and plants and I’d be in the car park, sketching the cars! Loving the forms and the shapes… it’s always been there and then to one day learn that there was this job you could have sketching cars, that was a bit special.
You joined our Bicester Heritage location very early in its delivery, what attracted you to Bicester?
I came here in 2015 and I came as a punter, I’d just had a mental health breakdown, and this was part of my recovery coming here with a sketchpad and a pencil. I rang and spoke to someone called Tiggy who thought it would be a wonderful idea if they had an artist come down and sketch the cars. Back then there weren’t burger vans and things, there was a tea and coffee urn in the MT Yard! I just kept coming back and couldn’t keep away from the place.
I think what I loved about Bicester was the sense of community, the sense of history… but the community aspect was really strong for me, that’s what I am passionate about.
Has being based at Bicester had a restorative effect on your mental health?
Yes, it has, I think a lot because of the people and the people make a place. It’s a wonderful site and there’s amazing cars and businesses, but it’s the people behind them and some of those people have been really key for me. To go and do the Monte Carlo Rally with John Lomas and Martin Greaves was just massive. To just be accepted and welcomed, and then one day be invited to be chaplain, was just incredible really.
How did the REVS community come about? Do you find it is a ‘force for good’ working with like-minded people?
The REVS community came about partly during my training to be a vicar. When I left car design I went to theological college and there was a sense of you having left your old life at the door, and you came out in two year’s time looking like a vicar! I went through a real grief period about leaving cars and design, but then I read something from the church which said rather than confining ourselves to a building, we need to go out and be where the people are, and that was the start of the REVS community.
We started at the church where I was a curate, a kind of vicar ‘with L plates’, with a car show as a way of encouraging people to come and meet us and it just grew from there. We now have four community car clubs and a Facebook group on the go, so it’s grown, and it’s come from a desire to take faith and awareness around mental health out into the community.
For a lot of people church is quite an alienating environment, and I’m much happier when I am amongst people, amongst cars and I can talk. It’s the kind of thing that Jesus did, and it’s the kind of thing I think he’d like us to do.
Tell us about The Pilgrim Tour?
The Pilgrim Tour is the REVS tour that takes place in North Wales and we’ve now done it two years on the trot, in September, and it’s the idea of introducing people to the idea of pilgrimage. Quite a lot of people come, they don’t have a faith, and it’s the idea of escaping life, enjoying the stunning scenery and getting a sense of what’s important in your life. Last year we were very fortunate to be supported by Morgan, who gave us two cars. It’s also thanks to HERO-ERA that we were able to do it as a carbon-neutral project.
How do you feel about having your faith and passion for artwork so intertwined?
I think that’s important, if you look at ancient Hebrew culture, life was about community and community affected everything, and that was part of what it meant to be a Hebrew in that time and that place. I think that’s why it’s important not to divide things up; yes, I like cars, I’m passionate about faith, and all of those elements can work together.
You are currently working on the restoration of a Landrover with some of your REVS community, can you tell us more about that?
The idea behind the restore project is to bring people together, to help us to restore this 1975 Series 3 Landrover that we were very kindly donated, but it’s got a deeper significance as we are getting people together so we can talk about mental health and wellness. Working together on our project can be positive for people who are either ok, or really are struggling and just need an escape or a group of people to be that listening ear and that support. We’ve been running it since January and for the people who are involved it’s become a real life-line to them.
What piece of advice would you give to any aspiring engineer, mechanic or enthusiast hoping to get in to the historic motoring world?
Remember it’s about people and not just the cars. The relationships you make with people will always outlast the bits of metal with wheels on.
Apart from the body of Christ, what’s your favourite biscuit?
I have a real soft spot for jammy Wagon Wheels. There’s a guy called Mark who comes on our REVS Restore weekends and he always brings a packed of six for me. I have a real thing about them – my wife once made me a jammy Wagon Wheel cake!
Finally, can you give us some final words of wisdom and advice about business or life that you live by?
Love people... which sounds twee… and loving people can be hard, challenging, difficult… but at the end of the day people are what matter and relationships matter. When relationships are good, amazing things can happen.