Who’s Who

Reader — Peter Atkins

I was born in the Barry Maternity Hospital in 1949 to Fred and Joyce Atkins, a brother to my sister Frances, and was brought up in Cadoxton. I went to Jenner Park Infants and Juniors, and was fortunate enough to pass the dreaded 11plus and started in the new Grammar School on Port Road in September 1960. I joined the school choir and was persuaded by one of the masters to become a chorister at St Paul’s Church; I sang there for about 3 years, until I was admitted to the Orthopaedic Hospital at Rhydlafar, in mid-1964; after a 6 month stay, during which my voice broke, I went home and never returned to the choir.

Sadly, my Dad died when I was in the 6^th Form, and so, after taking A Levels, I turned down the offer to study Geology at Cardiff University, and instead joined the Civil Service. After 6 months working in the local Labour Exchange (now called the Job Centre) in Dock View Road, I transferred to the Welsh Office in Cardiff. I worked in the Health Management Division and in 1972 was posted to the Welsh Office in Whitehall. While in London, I lived in a Scout Leaders’ Hostel in the East End, and helped run Scout Troops in Poplar, Stepney and Hackney; we had an Anglican Chapel in the Hostel and I started taking short “services of the Word”.

In 1976 I returned to the Welsh Office in Cardiff and worked for over 6 years in the Transport and Highways Group. It was when I worked there, that I met Jill, and happily, persuaded her to become my wife in 1979, and we bought a house at the top of Weston Hill.

Our daughter Kate was born in October 1981, and our sons Simon and Tom followed in 1984 and 1991. We now have a grandson, Dylan, and two granddaughters, Daisy and Lily, and a son-in-law Llŷr, and a daughter-in-law Makiko.

Although I had taken short religious services as a Scout Leader, I had not really been in Church since I was 16, but when Kate was born we took the decision to have her baptised, and I went to see Fr Gerald Steele, then Rector of Cadoxton; he emphasised that we would have to make solemn promises to bring Kate to Church regularly, and she was baptised on Easter Day 1982. Jill and I took her to St Mary’s every week, and we both soon became involved. Jill was baptised on Easter Eve 1984 and we were both confirmed the following day. Jill helped in Sunday School and I became a PCC member, then PCC Secretary and subsequently Chair of the Deanery Quota Committee.

By this time, I had transferred to the Welsh Office Industry Dept, and not long after was seconded to the Welsh Development Agency’s International Division, working to try to persuade American companies to set up in Wales. In 1989, one of the firms I had persuaded to set up in Cwmbran, making fire extinguishers, headhunted me to become their UK and European Managing Director.

We had moved from Holton Road to Cwm Talwg and then on to Nant Talwg, and so, following the retirement of Fr Steele, we started attending All Saints in 1992, again becoming very involved — Jill helping as a Sunday School teacher, and in 1997, I was appointed as Rector’s Warden, and a Governor of All Saints School. So I have worshipped in all three of the former Barry parishes!

In early 2000, the owners of the firm I worked for sold all their companies and retired, and I became the National Secretary of a Fire Trade Association, and in late 2000 was appointed as Diocesan Secretary of the Diocese of Llandaff, and I retired in July 2014.

There had been occasions over a period of years, when various people had suggested that I go forward for Ordination; on every occasion, after much thought and prayer, the answer was always NO! Then in 2004 at one of my personnel review meetings, Archbishop Barry suggested that I look at becoming a Licensed Lay Minister (Reader). After much soul searching and many discussions with family and various clergy, I started training at St Michael’s Theological College and Cardiff University in 2006, and was licensed in June 2008 — but to the East Vale Group of 7 Churches, and I served there, taking Morning and Evening Prayer services and preaching on most Sundays. However, I had also helped out by taking Evensong at All Saints after the retirement of Fr John Oeppen, and again when Fr Adrian Berry retired, and eventually I requested a transfer back to All Saints, and was licensed to All Saints’ Parish in 2016. It was like coming home!

In 2019, as required by the rules, I surrendered my license on my 70^th birthday, but was given a “Permission to Officiate” by the Bishop, and so I hope to continue my role of preaching and taking Evensong on a regular basis, once the current Covid situation draws to a close.