The Goth Father

08/09/2026

On 18th September I'll be doing something a little different to comedy...

01/09/2026

It's the time of year one stocks up on props for use during 'services'

28/08/2026

Who?

24/08/2026

Nineteen years ago today, Sophie Lancaster died after she and her partner, Robert Maltby, were attacked because they looked different.

Today, the Church of Goth observes a solemn remembrance.

Long before I became The Goth Father, I was involved with Goth Help Us and ran Ulfilas Christian Goth International. In the days following the attack, I helped to receive and forward messages of support for Sophie and Rob from members of the alternative community.

We hoped Sophie would recover. Tragically, she did not.

Her death sent shockwaves through the Goth and alternative communities. It also showed where prejudice, mockery and hostility towards those perceived as different can ultimately lead.

The cassock, collar and Church of Goth may now be part of a comedy character—but the belief beneath them is entirely sincere:

Nobody should be abused, harassed or attacked because of how they look, how they dress, who they are or the community to which they belong.

In my life outside the pulpit, I now work as a hate crime trainer for Uniting Staffordshire Against Hate. The work I began within the Goth community nearly two decades ago continues today: challenging prejudice, supporting people affected by hate and encouraging others not to remain silent.

My friend Adria is now CEO of The Sophie Lancaster Foundation, continuing the work begun by Sophie’s mother, Sylvia, to challenge prejudice, hatred and intolerance.

Today we remember Sophie.

May those who are judged for being different find sanctuary.

May those who witness hatred find the courage to act.

May we never become comfortable with cruelty.

In the name of the Goth Father, No Sun, and plenty of Spirits.

Amen. 🖤

18/08/2026

Two years ago I appeared for the first time at an open mic stage in Burslem to try and convince the regulars to join the Church of Goth.

30/07/2026

Well so much for making that announcement

28/05/2026

(This is Sister Cumquat again) We've not yet managed to reconstitute Father Ulfilas. I've been having a standoff with Count Slinky Ashburton Noctis the 3rd, Earl of Cobridge and Keeper of Shadows (Slash for short), the Church Cat.
We've not quite worked out what the last item is that we need. Though Michael Hunt thinks it might be Crayons.

27/05/2026

🕯️ ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE DIOCESE OF DUSK 🕯️
​Sister Cumquat here.

​It is with a heavy heart, and an exceptionally heavy dustpan, that we must share some tragic news regarding Father Ulfilas.

​Earlier today, Father Ulfilas mistakenly thought the stained glass windows in the sanctuary were "100% UV protected." They were not. He caught a direct beam of afternoon sunlight and has, regrettably, turned entirely into a pile of dramatic, ash-grey dust inside his favourite leather jacket.
​We have spent the evening frantically consulting the Book of Lugosi, and the good news is: this is reversible. The bad news is, the ritual required to reanimate him is utterly ridiculous.

​According to Chapter 13, Verse 4, to reconstitute a vampiric priest, we must create a "Resurrection Slushie." We have to collect his ashes, mix them into a blender with exactly three shots of cheap tequila, the tears of a disappointed goth teenager, and a melted black cherry ice lolly. This mixture must then be poured back into his clerical collar while blasting Bela Lugosi's Dead at maximum volume.
​However, the text is smudged on the final step! It says we need a specific, absurd catalyst to make the dust stick back together.

​🦇 WE NEED YOUR HELP! 🦇
​What is the final, most chaotic ingredient we should throw into the blender to bring Father Ulfilas back to life?
​Drop your suggestions in the comments below! (Please hurry, the church cat is looking at his remains like they're cat litter).

​

24/05/2026

Pentecost is really about outsiders suddenly finding their voice. Which is rather gothic when you think about it.
A group of frightened weirdos in dark clothing gathering secretly indoors while society misunderstands them?
Frankly, the disciples sound like they’d have fitted right in at Whitby.

22/05/2026