Cindy Kent: Former Settlers singer opens up about life as a Priest

  • Video report from ITV News Meridian's Tony Green

For someone who first found fame in the folk group the Settlers, it seems Cindy Kent has never settled. 

From music fame to becoming a priest, via a career in radio, she's been on something of a world tour for decades, with her most recent residency on the Isle of Sheppey.

But having been a big hit on the island for the last five years, she's now off again.

Cindy Kent when she was a singer in 'The Settlers'. Credit: ITV News Meridian

Cindy Kent became a priest in North London and came to the Isle of Sheppey after she couldn't afford to retire there.

She has since become the first woman to give communion at the Norman church.

The imminent prospect of becoming a grandmother means she's off again to be closer to her family. 

  • Reverend Cindy Kent:

Reverend Cindy says: "God moves in mysterious ways but I have always found that there is a verse in Ecclesiastes in the Old Testament that says; to everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under heaven and maybe the season my time for being here has come to an end and its time to move on to other things".

Cindy had worked on Radio 1, 2 or 4, Premier Radio and more recently on Sheppey FM. 

Cindy says: "Sheppey FM is a wonderful example of a really great community radio station".

Julie Nicholls, the Station Manager at Sheppey FM, says: "Cindy is rather a local celebrity a bit of a legend, and she has a background in radio and she very much wanted to be a radio presenter full time with us but she has such a huge commitment to her church services".

  • Julie Nicholls, Station Manager, Sheppey FM:

Julie continues: "At the start of the lockdown in March 2020 I thought it would be a good idea that we introduced a Sunday morning church service".

"Cindy has been the one that has co ordinated all of that and it has proven so popular that it is something that we are going to keep on at the station".

Cindy reflects on her early career: "Going back to the early sixties I met up with a couple of guys and we formed a group called 'The Settlers' and we did all sorts of things".

Rev Cindy Kent presenting her popular slot on Sheppey FM. Credit: ITV News Meridian

She says: "I still do a concert here every Christmas at the Criterion Theatre we do a Christmas concert and I get the tonsils out and had a little gig".

So although her Sheppey stay is coming to an end, this is one voice we are destined to hear again.