NEW CHAPLAIN

We are delighted to announce that Reverend Maxine Howarth is the new chaplain of Hitchin Town Football Club replacing Rev Nick Smith who we thank for his efforts.

Maxine is a football fan who grew up watching her home town club, Stoke City. She did a degree in Human Resources and People Management. She started work as a youth worker but also became a trained wine advisor after taking a break from youth work. She returned to youth work and moved to Stevenage. She had a spell in HR at Tesco’s but returned to youthwork, which was her passion and had an inter-church job working in secondary schools and on the streets.

Maxine and her husband took over a tea shop in Whitwell which the family are still running today. Meanwhile Maxine explored a call to ordination and embarked on her training which saw her studying at Westcott House in Cambridge for two years, followed by a 3 year curacy. This was spent at a church in Abbotts Langley and Bedmond before she applied for the post at St Mark’s which is very close to Top Field.

This Is what Maxine had to say on her new role–

Hi, I’m Rev Maxine Howarth – the new priest at St Mark’s around the corner from the club. I’m married and have three children and we moved from Hemel Hempstead at the end of June. I’m originally from Stoke on Trent where some of my childhood was spent following “The Potters” before I moved south. Chaplaincy in the community is something I’ve always been involved in and which forms part of my ministry – I’ve done hospital, school and airport chaplaincy, so I’m really looking forward to getting stuck in with Hitchin Town. I look forward to seeing lots of you at Top Field.

I am sure all supporters will make Maxine feel very welcome at Top Field.

BY ROY IZZARD