Introducing Fran Youings, St Swithin’s curate from June 2019

I’m Fran.  I live in Saltford with my husband, Adrian and our dog Barney! We have two children, Becca (21) who is currently in her final year at Worcester University and studying Criminology and Tom (18) who is finishing his first term at Guildford School of Acting where he is studying Theatre Production.  We are officially ‘empty-nesters’ and it’s taking some getting used to!

For many years I have worked with young people, most recently in Trull where I spent 10 years employed as the church youth worker, before pursuing my calling to Ordination.  I now find myself 1 year and 1 term down of my theological training with St Mellitus College, Plymouth and looking to begin a Curacy at St Swithin’s at the end of June 2019.

I was brought up in Sussex, and having spent a number of years in and around the south east of England, I now consider myself to be ‘properly’ Somerset, having spent 15 years in a village called Trull, just outside Taunton where my husband was, until last year, the Vicar.

Whilst I complete my many essays, travel once a week to college and attend various teaching weekends I am also spending this year at St Bart’s Church in Oldfield Park, predominantly working with students.  My Curacy will be a combination of working in the parish, and working with students at Bath Spa University, both of which I am really looking forward to.

I’m really enjoying getting to know Bath and am hoping next term to get involved in one of the many choirs in the city. I love music, playing the piano, leading worship and anything that involves singing!  Adrian and I find as many excuses to go to the theatre as we can, and all of us as a family enjoy going to London and the West End – our most recent visit was to Hamilton which was incredible! 

Other than that, I enjoy frequent visits to coffee shops, chatting with friends, days off walking the dog, pub lunches, good books, holidays and of course spending time my lovely family.

I’m excited to be stepping into this new phase of life, and walk with God and looking forward to where He is going to take me next as I join your church family in a few months time.