Hi, I’m Ruth Valerio: Community activist, Christian, academic, eco-warrior, mum, author, veg grower, wife and pig keeper rolled into one.

I live with my husband and two daughters in Chichester, where I am part of Revelation Church, leading a cell group and preaching regularly. I am Theology Advisor to A Rocha UK, as well as running their Living Lightly initiative. I am also part of the leadership of Spring Harvest and am a Director of Cred Jewellery.

I am involved in issues of community regeneration, chairing the Community Association for the estate that we live on, and also chairing the local Community Action Partnership. With a theology degree from Cambridge and an MA from the London School of Theology, I am currently doing doctoral studies at Kings College London, looking at the concept of simplicity and consumerism.

I have written extensively on justice, environment and lifestyle issues, as well as writing Bible study guides for Scripture Union and CWR. Concerned to ‘practice what I preach’, I have an allotment, run a food cooperative and run a pig-keeping social enterprise with friends. I am also very involved withTransition Chichester and run the Chichester Garden Share scheme. I write a regular column in Families First magazine, as well as writing for magazines such as Christianity and Third Way.