Yapton Free Church is a multi-generational, charismatic,
family Church in the 6 villages area of West Sussex.
Our Mission is to be a Church that loves God, loves people
and makes disciples of neighbours and nations.
Leadership Team
Pastors
Ben & Anna van Driel
Ben and Anna are actively involved in many aspects of church life, the local community and mission abroad. Ben studied theology and worked as a university Chaplin, before returning to Yapton in 2018. He works as a drum teacher in local primary schools and part of the chaplaincy teams at St Philip Howard School. He is also one of our youth workers.
Anna is born in the Netherlands, where she worked as a psychologist before moving to England in 2015. She now combines her passion for people, (especially the youth) and her organisational skills in her work as administrator and youth- and pastoral coordinator.
Elder
Veyanke Hodson
Veyanke is married to Nigel, and they have two beautiful grown-up children. Her passion is seeing new Christians flourish and grow in their true identity in Christ. She helps to lead the Alpha 2 group in the church and also supports the church through various administrative roles.
Originally from South Africa, Veyanke founded the charity Soup from Heaven in Cape Town. The charity is involved in a range of projects, including a soup kitchen, outreach to children, and ministry among those living on the streets, alongside many other initiatives. Its heart is to reach the most vulnerable and to demonstrate God’s unconditional love in practical ways.
Veyanke also carries a deep passion to see God’s love grow and be expressed within the community of Yapton and the surrounding areas.
Elder
Reg Hawks
Reg has a deep heart for prayer and for seeing lives transformed by God. He serves as part of the Alpha leadership team and is actively involved in the Soup from Heaven charity in South Africa. At YFC, he oversees the homegroups ministry and, together with his wife Paula, leads a homegroup of their own.
Reg and Paula have a married son who, along with his wife, is involved in the youth ministry at their church in Nuneaton. They are excited to be expecting their first grandchild in 2026.
Core Group
Will Cronin
Will serves as one of our youth workers. He first came to Yapton Free Church after completing an Alpha Course in 2014, where he encountered the love of Jesus in a life-changing way. Alongside his ministry role, Will runs a Topiary & Hedging business.
He is married to Katie, and they have two young children. Will and Katie share a passion for seeing the young people in our church grow in their walk with God.
Elder
Andrew Rackstraw
Andrew and his wife, Mavis, moved into the area at the beginning of 2019. Andrew has travelled widely, teaching and encouraging believers in both mission contexts and indigenous church settings. Both he and Mavis have a deep love for the Word of God and are passionate about helping those who struggle to engage with Scripture, guiding them in discovering how to unlock its treasures for themselves.
They are also involved in prayer and inner healing ministry. Andrew and Mavis are blessed with three daughters, three granddaughters, and two great-grandsons.
Core Group
Naomi Locke
Naomi joined Yapton Free Church as a child with her family in 1995. Over the years, she has led Kids Club, worked with the youth, and helped at Toddlers. She also served as our church administrator for seven years. Naomi is now a valued member of our leadership team, runs the monthly Soaking Evenings, and helps lead one of the homegroups. She is also mum to her wonderful teenage daughter.
Ministry Leads
Worship Director
Sam Oyediji
Parents & Toddlers
Angela Nunes
Coffee Connect Team
Paula Hawks, Henni Sercombe & Rose Lintott
Trustees
Trustee
Gerald Sercombe
Trustee
Reg Hawks
Trustee
Nigel Hodson