da teem

This page is here to tell you about the 'team' of guys n gals who so generously helped to (unofficially) edit Dear Bob.

The book was written in 6 parts, and as each part was written it was sent/given to the following 6 people, who rigorously went through it, following a certain criteria regarding how to edit it. It meant they could say when they thought something was funny/moving/relevant to them/realistic, etc... and also when the opposite of these were true!

Tamsin

Age: 16
Doing: AS-levels: Drama, Philosophy, Eng Lit and Music
Bonus fact: "I really like tomato sauce but hate tomatoes!!"

Tam says:
"Leaving home is always something I think about with mixed feelings! In some ways I want to go far far away just to be able to start again in a place where no-one would know me - but in reality I don't know whether I could bear to be away from my family and friends with such a long distance between us!

I can understand the way Jude feels so desperate to get away from her home because of the way it makes her feel like a child, and in a new place she can be "grown-up"! But she still misses the little things and the way her mum took care of her etc, so I think how ever far away or near to home I end up - I will never forget the people and places that helped to make me who I am!!"

Debbie

Age: 16
Doing: AS-Levels: Maths, Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Philosophy
Bonus fact: "My two life ambitions are to get a flat stomach and to get all the Friends videos!"

Debs says:
"At the moment I am seriously hoping to go and study medicine at univeristy in about 1 year and a half! But I am very scared because I need to get at
least ABB grades at A-level to get in! And at the moment I am not extremely
confident of reaching those grades! I am having to trust God and
pray that He will help me to know what He thinks is best for me! I have to
believe that He has my future in his hands, and that if medicine is the
course for me, I will do as well in my A-levels as I need to! Because I am
finding my subjects quite a struggle and a strain. I think that it is a
scary thing at this stage in my life to rely on god to have my future in his
hands, because I am the type of person that likes to know what is going to
happen! I would just like a comfortable life where I am happily married with
about 4 children! But who knows what God has in store?!

I am very excited about going to university as I am looking forward to being completely my own person!. It will be fun to have to look after myself. I am very scared though, because at the moment I have the two most amazing
christian best friends ever, and I think I will find it a struggle to be
apart from them, as we are always together! I will have to trust God that He will strengthen our friendships and that we will stay wonderful friends! And
also I will have to trust God that he will bless me with good friends at
university!

I am scared of going to uni because I will have to do everything
myself, which may be cool for a while, but i figure it will wear off! And
also I can't iron, and I'm not that great a cook! :)
With God behind me, I guess I should do fine, and he will help me do what's right!"

Will

Age: 19
Doing: works as a lifeguard
Bonus fact: "I play the bongos in a Christian band!" (and he is Annie's bro!)

Will says:
"I have been accepted to do a year with London City Mission, and start in Spetember. I am looking forward to leaving home because it will be nice to have the freedom. I don't look forward to doing my own washing! I think that living with a large group of Christians will make it easier to follow the Christian way, compared to being at Uni, where I might be more isolated.

I think that what happened to Jude is what a lot of Christians go through. Every Christian goes through hard times, but comes out better for it.
As young Christians we would ideally like to find a Christian partner to be with, but it's easier said than done! Sometimes we just need to have faith that the right person will come along!"

Esther

Age: 19
Doing: ITT BA Hons Primary (Teaching degree) in Bristol
Bonus Fact: I love photography and would like to photograph the 'Vans Warped Tour' (American music/skate tour thing).

Esther says:
"Going to university has always been something I assumed I would do. I'm currently in my second year of a four year degree in primary school teaching. I really enjoy the course although at times have found it quite a struggle. I've wanted to work with young people for some time, but the course and where to do it was something I prayed a lot about, and feel God helped me to make the right decision in.

Knowing how much God loves me and is in control of my life has made the difficulties I've come across whilst at university easier to cope with. I can identify with many of the things which happened to Jude, through personal experience of moving away from home, and the experiences of my friends."

Zoe

Age: 23
Doing: recently finished her B Sc in psychology at Uni of Gloucestershire, now works with adults within the autistic spectrum.
Bonus fact: She was Vice President of the Uni CU. (She is also Annie's sister!)

Zo says:
"When I started at Uni it was nice to have some independence – and to have my own money to spend (even though it wasn't really 'mine'). I preferred living in a house to living in halls.
It was good to have lots of Christian friends – they helped me through the tough times. It was also good that there were so many people my own age – it was easy to find both Christians and non-Christians that I got on well with."

Mark

Age: 31
Doing: Went to Loughborough Uni for 2 yrs and was Social Secretary to the CU there. Now working as a engineering database administrator/developer.
Bonus fact: Really want to get a BMX again!! (and is Annie's hubbie!)

Mark says:
" I'd known what course I wanted to do at Uni since I was 15 - automotive engineering. I went and did it. However, in the 2nd year I started questioning what I was doing with my life - God really spoke to me week in, week out. Bizarrely my reaction was to leave Uni before I finished my degree. My only regret is that I didn't grow up a bit more before going to Uni, as then maybe I could have made a better decision about whether to go at all or to leave the option open for a couple of years. Uni is a valuable opportunity and it is worth going as a reasonably mature adult rather than an overgrown child!!"

Other jolly useful people:

Ideas and information for 'Dear Bob' also came from the following sources:

Fusion - their online forum - extracted some comments from students re issues in 'Dear Bob'

Keith, a chaplain at Uni of Gloucestershire - shared his thoughts and experiences

NUS online team - many an email flew back and forth re 'Dear Bob' - in attempts to keep facts accurate and discover more about student issues.

A jolly useful photographer:

There's nowhere else suitable on this site to mention this, so a quick TA V MUCHLY goes out to Tom Sergeant (doing BA in photography, Uni of Gloucestershire) for 'doing' Annie's photo for the book/site (making her look a darn site better than normal!)

Notes about this web site:

This publication includes images from CorelDRAW® which are protected by the copyright laws of the U.S., Canada and elsewhere. Used under license. The images may not be saved or downloaded and are only to be used for viewing purposes.

site created by Mark Porthouse