Workshop Leaders
Your 2026 Line up
is Here!
It’s an incredible group of experienced and passionate, creative ministry specialists. We can’t wait for all the workshops and content they will bring to the event!
children's TV
Presenter & storyteller
Gemma Hunt is an award-winning TV presenter, children’s author and public speaker. Raised in Trowbridge, Wiltshire, she began performing at an early age through ballet, drama and local pantomime before going on to achieve a First Class degree in Media Performance from the University of Bedfordshire.
Gemma joined CBBC in 2003, where she spent a decade presenting flagship programmes including Xchange, Smile, Bamzooki and All Over the Place. Her work took her around the world, filming in Australia, South America and Africa, and presenting live from major events such as Wimbledon, Buckingham Palace and the Royal Albert Hall.
In 2013 she moved to CBeebies, becoming a household name as one of the presenters of the hit pirate game show Swashbuckle, now in its eighth series with over 200 episodes and a Children’s BAFTA for Best Entertainment Show. Gemma was also nominated for Best Presenter at the Children’s BAFTAs and has appeared across numerous CBeebies productions, including Justin’s House, CBeebies Bedtime Stories and multiple CBeebies Presents dramas.
Beyond children’s television, Gemma joined Songs of Praise in 2020 and has hosted a wide range of live and recorded programmes across TV, radio and festivals. She presents the BBC Education radio show Together, regularly hosts large-scale live events, and has filmed for the Alpha Film Series.
In 2022, Gemma became a published children’s author with See! Let’s Be… A Good Friend, followed by See! Let’s Be ME! in 2023. Her books use storytelling and her own mixed-race family to explore faith, friendship, diversity and emotional wellbeing.
Alongside broadcasting and writing, Gemma delivers confidence and public-speaking coaching and hosts children’s pirate parties. More information can be found at www.gemmahunt.com.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GemmaHuntUK?
Instagram: @gemma__hunt
Gospel
Magic
10 years ago, Bron Ivy attended Equip for the very first time, with no knowledge of magic or
puppets, and had her eyes opened to how scripture could be shared in an exciting and
powerful way.
Since that day, Bron has since made her mark on the world of magic. This year she became the first woman to become the international Family Entertainer of the Year at the world’s largest magic convention, is the reigning Stage Magician of the Year for South London, and has even won the Creative Arts competition at Equip three times in a row.
Bron is a member of the world famous Magic Circle, and is also an Associate Member of the Inner Magic Circle with silver star.
As well as being a full-time magician, Bron is a local preacher in her Methodist Church circuit
in Surrey. Bron’s preaching is known for being down to earth, understandable, and
relatable, and of course features a healthy dose of magic to make her message memorable and bring scripture to life!
puppet
Ministry
Cam began puppeteering in his local church at the age of six. Since then, his puppetry has taken him from local church ministry to overseas mission work, Speaking At conferences in the U.S as well as puppeteering on a range of professional film projects.
Cam is passionate about delivering excellence for God in every presentation and in his calling to support, train, and equip others to use puppets and creativity in their ministry. One of his greatest joys is taking a puppet, creating a character, and seeing the powerful way it connects with people.
After ten years as Lead Puppet Designer at One Way UK, Cam now serves as Creative Director, Leading and shaping the future of the ministry. His training sessions are practical, energetic, and packed with ideas, equipping teams to use creativity to bring the Gospel to life.
Sammy Hellyer is a phenomenal puppeteer and puppet builder with many regular characters that he loves to perform. Sammy has a deep love for television and stage puppetry, he is friends with lots of the pros who have helped him pick up some tips and tricks on how to bring puppet characters to life.
If you hadn’t already noticed he shares the same surname as one of our other workshop leaders, Dave Hellyer. Sammy is Dave’s son as a result of that he has quite literally grown up surrounded by puppets! Sammy is the third generation in the Hellyer family to lead sessions at the festival!
Puppetry
Technique
interactive
Storytelling
Bob has travelled the world, telling Bible stories, for over 30 years. He has written over 100 books, mostly for children, including The Lion Storyteller Bible, and YouVersion’s Bible App for Kids. Originally from Pittsburgh, Bob lives in England, is married to Sue and has two children and five grandchildren.
Dave Hellyer is the youth & children’s pastor at Kingdom Faith Church in Horsham. Dave has over 30 years of puppetry experience and 20 years experience making puppets. Dave has been fortunate to have made lots of good friends through puppetry, he has had some amazing opportunities to travel and perform all over the UK and overseas as well. Dave has taught puppetry internationally and is a huge fan of the work One Way UK do to inspire and equip puppeteers having started his own puppetry career working for them at the end of the 90s. Dave’s day job has him writing, teaching, filming puppetry, making crafts and running youth clubs (not necessarily in that order).
Puppet
ministry
Branden has been a puppeteer and has worked in Children’s Ministry for over 25 years. He previously worked for One Way Street/Creative Ministries in the United States, creating resources, products, and puppets, as well as leading training events and workshops. He has served in Children’s Ministry both in the United States and Ireland. He and his family currently serve as missionaries in Cork, Ireland for a para-church ministry called TreuImage.
puppet
Ministry
4Front Theatre have been creating performances that ‘put faith at the 4front’ for over a decade in Primary Schools, Churches, Theatres and even Prisons! During the COVID pandemic they also started their successful YouTube channel - Virtual Sunday School - watched in over 50 different countries. Most of 4Front’s productions are musicals, and they even have 2 kids worship albums out through Virtual Sunday School. Based in Worcestershire, Rob & Nat are the founders of 4Front; they have 2 children and a big dog
Drama
Ian started and has been director of his Church puppet team in Grimsby since 1998. With over 20 members they have a busy programme in churches and also outreach in the community, care homes and schools. He has also coordinated mission trips abroad for his team to Romania, Bulgaria and Burkina Faso. Ian's heart lies in reaching out to children and families and for over 30 years has led and been involved with these ministries in his church. Through his years of experience in puppet ministry, he is passionate about inspiring others to use their creativity to share the Gospel too!
puppetry &
team leadership
Fiona is passionate about children hearing the gospel and loves opportunities to do just that. She has years of experience in children’s ministry, having worked in churches across England as well as leading missions in South Africa with puppets. It was whilst studying a children’s ministry course at Philadelphia College of Bible in the USA that Fiona was introduced to puppet ministry at the local Church. She was then privileged to go on tour in America as a member of the One Way Street Puppet Internship Team. She is now based in the West Midlands where she is the children’s advisor for Thrive Youth Ministries, supporting and equipping churches to enhance their children’s ministry. Fiona has been involved in leading our Puppet Academy team since it started in 2008! She has a particular eye for and skill in creating puppet choreography, get ready to turn your puppet group into the next diversity in one of her workshops. In her spare time, she likes to travel, do cross stitch, watch films, and catch up with friends. Her favourite chocolate is Cadbury’s.
Puppet choreography
Science illustrations
Kirstyn is the founder of Alma Autism UK, a small business and mission raising awareness of Autism in Church communities. Kirstyn, born in the UK, spent 14 years of her life in Brazil as a child of missionaries. She is currently a children and families minister in South London and is a respite foster carer. She has also developed the Sensory Tray Bible books and kits to resource churches and families who are working with special educational needs. Kirstyn has a Masters degree in Autism studies and delivers training days and workshops which have so far reached 3 continents. She shares over 10 years experience of working in this field and it is her passion to support families and see those with SEN learn, grow and develop their own faith and connection with God.