Leslie Barnard

Leslie's story

Dad was born at home in Sandiacre, on 28th January 1931, and in his words – ‘On the actual day of my birth a blizzard struck the area, the midwife had to push her bicycle through increasingly heavy snow and arrived just in time to deliver me.’ He left school at the age of 14 to work in the offices of Taylor Brothers in Sandiacre and became a Christian in 1947, at the age of 17 ½, whilst away at Brockley Hall Christian Hotel in Yorkshire. In 1950, he was called up to do his National Service - serving with the 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards at Catterick and Bovington. Dad became a Methodist Local Preacher in 1954 and one of the entries in the Journal describes how he took a service at the Chapel in Breaston, where he met his future wife, Stephanie. Dad loved the countryside, and most sports, supporting Derby County. He also loved cricket. When he finally retired he also put pen to paper to create his poems which he had published along with his book about his experiences as an evangelist and Methodist Local preacher. An indescribable energy has departed from our lives. But it's not an ending - instead it's the start of a new, different, and Iexciting, relationship with Dad that is based on the foundations he laid during his life, which will become a rich source of comfort, happiness, and blessing.

Remembered by Richard Barnard