(Reg. Charity No. 1132488)
To contact the Beacon Parish office, please email:
Meet the Team
Reverend David
Reverend David Wallis is the Vicar of the three churches of the Beacon Parish.
Tessa Haughton
Churchwarden of the Beacon Parish and Vice Chair
Tessa's family have lived in Streat and Westmeston since the 1920s. She moved to the village from London and East Chiltington in 2005 to the family home. Tessa retired at the end of 2016 having worked for the last 36 years for a consulting company in London.
Her husband, Michael, runs his business from home. She enjoys walking her dogs and gardening. She is a Trustee/Secretary of Westmeston Parish Hall and Parish Councillor of Westmeston.
Tel: 01273 843 581
Keith Hine
Churchwarden, St Margaret's
Keith is married to Maralyn and they have lived in Ditchling since 1984. They have 3 daughters and 9 grandchildren. Keith is a retired Consultant Physician and works part-time as a medical member of HM Courts and Tribunals Service.
Keith and Maralyn retain their strong links with the Christian Medical College and Hospital in Ludhiana, India which is supported by the Beacon Parish.
Paul Charman
Churchwarden, St Martin's
I have lived in Westmeston since 1961 so all my life (60yrs in 2021), my family moved into Rectory Cottage in 1942 during World War II. My Grandad was employed by Mr Baines as the herdsman and gardener at the Old Rectory. He was verger at St Martins church for many years, my Gran sang in the choir, was a member of the Mothers Union, sat on the PCC, she was a very active person in the village.
All my family have strong Christian links with St Martins. My Mother Doreen was on the PCC, became Churchwarden for 17 years and when she passed away I took on the role of Churchwarden at St Martin’s in 2015. This now the Beacon Parish (a merger of St Margaret’s Ditchling, St Martin’s Westmeston and Streat Church).
I went to St Margaret’s school which is now the well-known Ditchling Museum. My secondary education took place at Lewes Priory. After which I served an apprenticeship as a baker which was my career for 41 yrs.
I am also a Trustee of the Westmeston Parish Hall and together with other Trustees and village residents we celebrated the opening of the new Parish Hall on the 1st January 2000 which is a well used community venue.
Tel: 01273844743
Mike Sewell
Churchwarden, Streat Church
I am married to Sue and have lived in the parish since 1988. We have two sons and three grandchildren.
I am retired and spent my working life in IT, first working for Rolls Royce on Concorde, and later as a Management Consultant which took me around the world.
I enjoy walking the dog and also tinkering with anything old and mechanical. I am a regular participant on the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run and also have a Model T Ford.
I am the Church Warden at Streat Church, and chairman of the Fabric Committee for the Beacon Parish.
Colyeen Blanchard
Parish Reader
I am a Sussex woman, born and bred, though, being married to Tony, an RAF man, I have also lived in several other interesting places, including Kenya.
I am a life-long practicing Christian and studied to become a Licenced Reader in the Church of England.
I served at St Andrew’s Burgess Hill for 17 years before transferring to the Beacon Parish in 2009.
colyeen.blanchard@btinternet.com
Margaret Bovil
Secretary
Hello - I am the PCC Secretary as well as helping Rev David Wallis in the Parish Office. Although the Parish Office is closed at present I am able to work from home.
If you contact the Parish Office it is usually me who will respond to you in the first instance.
My family have been in the Parish since 1956 when we first moved from Hove to Hayleigh Farm. I am also the RBL Ditchling & District Branch Secretary and Poppy Appeal Organiser. Margaret Bovill
