Who are we ?

Manna Academy was originally called Time 2 Act and started in Eastbourne in 2000. During the first few years of Time 2 Act we worked with a group of young people from all different denominations and formed a fantastic team of young people who put together an hour long production which was performed in a local theatre. Later the team went on to perform and work in a youth conference over a weekend event, where people came from west and east Sussex to see the performance.
Over a period of years and after a move to Hertfordshire Time 2 Act was renamed Manna Academy and children’s classes were added to the core of training young people.

Having worked with a team in Hertfordshire to produce a similar production as Sussex, it has become apparent for the need for a mobile training school to equip the young people in churches , this is where Xowie teams step in to the picture.

As a family we attend El-shaddai Church in London and are willing to travel to fulfil the heart God has given us for young people.

Wishing to avoid the rat race of the city we live in the great town of Harpenden.
We have three children all who keep us very busy and entertained with their inherited love for performing, and are constantly either dancing or doing plays in the living room!

Jaime

Hya I am Jaime. Having trained in many disciplines of dance as a child and then to go on to do gymnastics to a national level, I settled in the modern/contemporary side of dance and pursued my love for that through formal training and also as teaching in my local home church at the time in Sussex, heading up a small performing arts group. Going through school and college I was involved in numerous performances and took to the west end stage with my school in Joseph for a period of 6 months, which proved invaluable with voice training and stage presentation. I then went on to perform in a local production by Peter Duncan. I studied GCSE drama and A level dance.

I have continued my love for performance in amateur theatre in and around my community where I have played many chorus parts and Nellie in South pacific. I love watching DVD’s with a huge bar of choccie, yes I am a confessed open and secret chocoholic! In any form, and feel no guilt as I dance it off or running up and down the stairs with the littles all day! (Also the iron is good for you!)

Gary

Hi all I am Gary, the other part to team Crick!

Unlike my wife, I can’t say I have any formal dance and drama training, although I have always loved and enjoyed the theatre and going to performances. It wasn’t until I met Jaime that I realised how interesting it could be on the other side of the stage as we worked together in training young people and in our work in primary schools. I am a busy Dad and love reading good novels and when I get a chance mountain biking.

Having an army background has given me a real taste of living a disciplined lifestyle, what you can do when you put your heart and soul into something and how when you pull together as a team you can accomplish great things for God. Manna is a strong vision my wife and I share and we look forward to where God is taking this vision. I am doing a biblical diploma over three years and I love studying, but I too am fond of the sweet stuff around the house and unlike Jaime I don’t dance it off, I am not studying nutrition and so don’t know how bad it is or isn’t. Ignorance is bliss sometimes!

When my wife and I married we started a local Christian performing arts team. This was under the covering of our church but involved young people from all the local churches and a wide variety of denominations. This team performed in local youth conferences and theatres. Having continued our love for the theatre and the use of the arts we established a business under the care of the Princes Trust UK, taking creative literacy projects in schools, through the use of drama and imagination.

We however as a couple hold a passion for God that no-one can quench, a desire to see God’s name made great and relevant to society today, to make others think outside the box and raise questions only theatre can. We also desire to see children, reach their potential in a safe and fun environment to develop and grow under an umbrella of praise and encouragement in classes with a Christian ethos.
That’s where Manna academy steps in.

Kym

I'm Kym, I live in St Albans with my brother and mum. I have been singing since before I can remember; I come from a long line of singers and we all love music - it is in my blood so to speak! Singing is important to my whole family and I live, sleep and breath music.

At the moment I'm working on my solo career in music. I have been serving in the worship team at my local church El-Shaddai for about three and a half years now. I am also stepping out in faith by looking for a recording label. I really have a heart and a passion to see others grow in their gifting.

I also work in the children's ministry of my home church and love to see kids encouraged and excited by music; seeing them love to sing and speak out for their generation.

I am part of Xowie and I support Manna Junior by teaching the vocal side of the classes.