Lloyd Notice – Pastoral Director

Hello, my name is Lloyd Notice and I’m an actor and have taken over as Pastoral Director of Christians in Entertainment. I’m originally from Nottingham, and trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London and have been involved for many years in theatre, tv, radio and West End Musicals such as The Lion King. I’m married to Clarissa a Church of England vicar and we have 5 children.

I’ve known CiE’s founder, Chris Gidney for a number of years both as a friend and professionally and that’s one of the many reasons I felt I’d to take on this new role within the entertainment industry. Very early on when I first met Chris he showed me a great example of Christ like love. I was working for him as a follow spot operator, beaming light onto each performer during a musical concert he was involved in. I remember Chris was having a particularly challenging time with one of the crew members. At the end of the show Chris gave this person a bottle of wine and thanked him for his hard work ! It was wonderful to see something of how Chris, being a Christian in the world of entertainment chose to handle the situation. There so many examples I could give of Chris’ courage to love in challenging circumstances. I’ve learnt a lot through his example. He has promised to be there for me offering love, support and encouragement to make this pastoral role my own. When praying about taking over from Chris I felt it was important to be a jobbing actor in order to relate to those active in the business. I had taken time out of my career to assist with my wife’s busy ministry. She has now stopped parish ministry and is now working part-time as a hospital chaplain. This has given me the freedom that I needed to restart t my career. I believe that God has a sense of humour as I managed to get a small role recently playing a Vicar in a murder mystery called The Burning Girls, (not out yet) Since my experiences with parish work I felt confident that I didn’t need much research! What was lovely during the production process was particularly one day when my costume fitting had ended. I got into my car to drive home when the costume designer and assistant suddenly ran out into the carpark. They wanted to know if the silver cross I would be wearing should have a Jesus figure on it or not (I’d already mentioned in passing to them that my wife was a Vicar). I took the opportunity to ring her there and then and handed the phone to the designer. Clarissa explained that in the Anglican tradition the cross would be empty since we believe in faith that He is, alive and risen from the dead. When I saw the designer the next week during filming she admitted that she hadn’t stopped thinking about what my wife had said.

Since taking over in CIE I’ve been so encouraged by how connections keep happening and how balancing this “spiritual meals on wheels” ministry and working in the industry is seems to be working positively. I am so excited and honoured to be doing work for CIE. Its been wonderful talking already to various performers. This summer I’ll be acting in Shakespeare’s’ The Tempest playing Alonso The King of Naples an outdoor production for the Salisbury Playhouse.

With each opportunity my prayer and hope whether in work acting or doing CIE activities my prayer is to show courage in love and encouragement to others within the business whether they are working or between jobs.

Chris Gidney – Founder & Head Ambassador

Chris comes from a show business family and at age nine formed a comedy magic double-act with his father. Since then he has spent a lifetime in the profession as entertainer, producer, director and author, working with numerous artistes from the legendary Frank Sinatra to Sir Cliff Richard. Joining London’s West-End in 1980 he enjoyed twelve consecutive productions before moving to BBC Television, working on such classic programmes as `Blue Peter` and `That’s Life` with Esther Rantzen. Chris has authored 28 commercially published books covering various aspects of life and faith in show business including best-selling books with classic entertainers Sir Harry Secombe, Cannon & Ball, Paul Daniels & Bob Monkhouse and many others . Apart from several Pantomimes, Chris has also written for the BBC and a number of newspapers and periodicals.

As a freelance Director and Producer, Chris is responsible for a number of unique stage, television, radio and cruise ship productions, alongside music, audio and video releases. He created That’s Entertainment Productions`, which specialises in bringing high quality family entertainment to the commercial theatre. TEP regularly produces touring shows and seasons for popular resorts such as Blackpool, Eastbourne, Clacton and Bournemouth and often has several productions on the road at any one time including its latest Comedy Legends series with well-known faces from such classic TV series such as Dads Army and Allo Allo. His `Liberace – Live in Las Vegas! ` show recently enjoyed a spot at the London Palladium, and Chris produces several consecutive Pantomimes each year across the UK. Chris enjoys creating and producing specialist themed cruises which have taken him around the world, including the Christian Cruises which feature Christian professionals from the entertainment business. Chris enjoys taking some of these special events to churches across the UK.

Chris formed the show business charity `Christians in Entertainment` in 1982 when working on the original West-End production of EVITA. CIE provides backstage support for professionals at every level of the entertainment industry, and is recognised as a well-respected organisation within the industry. Chris has a grown up family and enjoys living in Sussex.

Rev Cindy Kent MBE

Cindy is well known as lead singer with The Settlers, the UK’s leading 60`s pop-folk group and travelled the world with songs such as The Lightning Tree and was respected for its hit covers of Beatles songs. A six-month residency on the BBCTV series, Singalong, led to tours with Dusty Springfield, Roy Orbison and The Small Faces. Cindy left the band in 1973 to join Radio 4, Radio 2, and Radio 1, later becoming a broadcaster on London’s first legal commercial radio stations, LBC and Capital Radio and in 1995 was the first presenter recruited to the team for Premier Christian Radio. In 2008 Cindy was ordained as a priest, and was also the Anglican Priest on the multi-faith Chaplaincy team at the North London Hospice; Local Chaplain to the Fire Brigade and the local Residential Care Home and Trustee of The Christian Evidence Society. She is also a Trustee of the Church of England Newspaper. Cindy was a co-founder of the Arts Centre Group – for Christians who are professionally engaged in the arts. Her hobbies are ecumenism, reading, crosswords, Sudoku, tapestry and needlework and sleeping! She now lives in Minster on Sea, Sheppey and still works occasionally as a freelance broadcaster and as a Priest conducting weddings and funerals and leading worship. She was awarded the MBE for services to religious broadcasting in the Queen’s 90th Birthday Honours List. Cindy has a first-hand understanding of the needs, difficulties and joys of working in the entertainment profession and heads up our Social Media network to encourage and support performers whether on tour, in residencies, on cruise ships or `resting`.