Here we feature some of the faces you’ll see around Harvest City Church and dig a bit deeper into who they are and how they live for Christ in their daily lives.
Tell us a little bit about yourselves.
Adrene: I am originally from the most beautiful island in the Caribbean, Trinidad. I immigrated to England in 2005 where I met Simon. We were married in 2008 because he knew he had found someone special! I am currently working for a school as an administration/attendance support worker. I became a partner in Harvest City Church in 2006 and have never looked back. It has been one of the best things that I have done.
Simon: I have been in Harvest City Church since the beginning and was part of the very first Partnership Class. I’m an HGV driver for Walkers Crisps and have been there full-time for 5 years or so. I love golf and you can normally find me down Beedles Lake golf course in East Goscote. I also love sci-fi (particularly Star Trek) and industrial history stuff like old train lines, steel mills, pottery kilns, coal mines, etc.
As well as your own day jobs, you also have your own business, Calypso Spice. What motivated you to start up a business?
Adrene: In my country, one of our national dishes is doubles. It is so delicious and it’s always available from various vendors. One night I made some as I just wanted something quick and I didn’t really want to cook. Then I started to have a ‘doubles day’ at home with friends as some members of the church had visited Trinidad and enjoyed it. After the great response from friends and family, Simon persuaded me to form a partnership and that is how the business began.
Do you think a business with Christian values is different to other businesses out there?
Adrene: It’s very important to use the principles of the Bible to run your businesses. Yes, Christian businesses are different because we use our success to build the church. We can also use our businesses to glorify God by how we deal with our customers.
What is the best part of owning your own business?
Adrene: The greatest part for me is when people enjoy our food! I like to serve people and ensure that they are well fed. My thing is less how much it costs, but more satisfaction; giving value for money so they can be returning customers.
And lastly, why do you think your Harvest Group is the one to compete with in this year’s Harvest Group Challenge at the Summer Fayre?
Simon: Our Harvest Group is the best because we have great people in it! We all strive to be the best and will try our hardest to win the challenge in August.
Simon and Adrene lead Birstall Gates Harvest Group and are heavily involved in Harvest City Church. Adrene is a JC Overseer and part of the tech team, and Simon helps in JC and stewarding.
