Revd Peter Holmes
As some of you will know Revd Peter Holmes, Vicar of St Peter’s, Norbiton, died recently of Covid 19 in St George’s Hospital after almost a month in hospital.
Peter was probably best known for being founder of the JOEL Community Project ( Night Shelter for the Homeless) and helping setting up Kingston Churches’ Action on Homelessness.
However he was a man of many parts. We know he was a Trustee of Oxygen (a charity helping facilitate projects for young people), passionately concerned about the future development of the Cambridge Estate and also helped to set up a charity “ COME” involved particularly in relief work in Gulu, Northern Uganda during the ebola crisis. He went with others several times to Uganda to give support in a variety of ways. Through Revd Stewart Downey (the then vicar at Christ Church, New Malden), we used to accommodate African clergy during holiday times whilst they were undertaking further study in the UK at theological colleges. One such vicar was Revd John Olanya (from Gulu) who asked us to take him to St Peter’s to attend a service as he wanted to express his appreciation to Peter for his support. It was clear the regard they had for one another and John was interviewed at the service and they chatted and prayed together as well.
We were involved in JOEL for over 4 years. During that period it was not unusual to hear residents say how much they valued Peter’s support and care. In 2015 we celebrated our 40th Wedding Anniversary, and asked the guests to donate to JOEL and Learn English at Home both local charities. On the following Monday at JOEL Peter and his wife Carol came to JOEL to give us a present and some flowers as an expression of our support for the project. This signified to us his imagination.
Finally above and apart from this information in our opinion Peter’s life truly epitomised Christian service in the full sense of the word and his compassion shone out in so many ways. We can only echo the words of Matt Hatton (Operational Director of KCAH) that Peter was a dedicated campaigner and many of us who met him have felt truly blessed by his friendship.
Chris & Elspeth Coke
As some of you will know Revd Peter Holmes, Vicar of St Peter’s, Norbiton, died recently of Covid 19 in St George’s Hospital after almost a month in hospital.
Peter was probably best known for being founder of the JOEL Community Project ( Night Shelter for the Homeless) and helping setting up Kingston Churches’ Action on Homelessness.
However he was a man of many parts. We know he was a Trustee of Oxygen (a charity helping facilitate projects for young people), passionately concerned about the future development of the Cambridge Estate and also helped to set up a charity “ COME” involved particularly in relief work in Gulu, Northern Uganda during the ebola crisis. He went with others several times to Uganda to give support in a variety of ways. Through Revd Stewart Downey (the then vicar at Christ Church, New Malden), we used to accommodate African clergy during holiday times whilst they were undertaking further study in the UK at theological colleges. One such vicar was Revd John Olanya (from Gulu) who asked us to take him to St Peter’s to attend a service as he wanted to express his appreciation to Peter for his support. It was clear the regard they had for one another and John was interviewed at the service and they chatted and prayed together as well.
We were involved in JOEL for over 4 years. During that period it was not unusual to hear residents say how much they valued Peter’s support and care. In 2015 we celebrated our 40th Wedding Anniversary, and asked the guests to donate to JOEL and Learn English at Home both local charities. On the following Monday at JOEL Peter and his wife Carol came to JOEL to give us a present and some flowers as an expression of our support for the project. This signified to us his imagination.
Finally above and apart from this information in our opinion Peter’s life truly epitomised Christian service in the full sense of the word and his compassion shone out in so many ways. We can only echo the words of Matt Hatton (Operational Director of KCAH) that Peter was a dedicated campaigner and many of us who met him have felt truly blessed by his friendship.
Chris & Elspeth Coke
