Hi, I’m Phil—welcome to my Substack. I am a coach working with people as they navigate cultural and life transitions.
Book a no obligation introductory session here: Click me.
I work with Friends International (FI) in Guildford, supporting and welcoming international students through activities, events, and courses. I have delivered the Life Leadership course for over 80+ post grad students, and deliver seminars on cultural welcome and Cultural Intelligence to students and staff at the University of Surrey, where I also serve as an international chaplain.
I’m passionate about helping people take responsibility for leading their life well, recognise their strengths, and build resilience. In June 2026 completed Level 5 Apprenticeship in Coaching with a distinction and I am an affiliate with EMCC. This blog is a place where I share insights from my coaching journey, along with ideas and resources to help people I coach.
If you’re interested in being coached, no matter your faith or background, please check out my coaching page and/or get in touch!
My background is in education—I’m a qualified teacher and, though I left formal teaching in July 2018, I still tutor GCSE maths and computing.
I have experience in Church leadership having been involved in strategic direction, teaching, and pastoral care for several years. I stepped down when an attempt to stop unethical behaviour, including the use of an NDA against a staff member, was seen as a threat to fellow leaders rather than an opportunity for change. Some of my blog posts are unpicking theology, scripture, and leadership structures having reflected on this time in my life. I hope these reflections are helpful to others facing difficulty in an organisation or community. If they resonate with you and you’d like someone to talk to or be coached through your own experiences, please get in touch.
My monthly-ish newsletter includes personal updates, reflections on my Christian faith and news from my work with Friends International. It’s only sent to those subscribed to the Friends International section - to change this you can click “unsubscribe” on any email received and select the appropriate sections you’d like to remain subscribed to.
A major part of my life was my daughter being diagnosed with Rett Syndrome, a very rare genetic condition. It has had a big impact on my career choices (see link about leaving teaching above) as well as how I work with and empathise with people going through difficult moments in their lives.
If you’re interested in what I get up to in my spare time, I share adventures with my daughter and raise awareness of Rett Syndrome on Instagram and Facebook at Rosalie’s Rainbow.
I also enjoy running and hiking. I share photos and videos from my trips on Simply Trails.
If you’d like to follow along, subscribe. If you’re interested in being coached and want to find out more, please message via the button below.
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Part of my job with Friends International requires raising funds for FI. If you'd like to support my role directly please click here and put my name in the first field of the form.
Subscription directly through Substack supports me personally and gives a discount to my private coaching but does not directly support Friends International.
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