Norman Wells, leading family campaigner, dies of COVID-19

It is with deep sadness that we have to report the death of Norman Wells, a long-standing friend of Affinity and member of our Social Issues Team. The Christian Institute have published the following piece on their website, which includes words of appreciation from Roger Hitchings and John Ling who served on the Team with Norman:

Longstanding family campaigner Norman Wells has died after contracting COVID-19. He is survived by his wife Nicola and their nine children. We remember them in our prayers.

Protecting children

Norman had been Director of the Family Education Trust since 2004. Before that, he had worked with Civitas.

Over the years Norman authored several significant publications. These included ‘Waking Up to the Morning-After Pill’, which highlights how promoting the morning-after pill to underage girls undermines parents, and ‘Too Much, Too Soon’, exposing the anti-family agenda of sex education in schools.

His 2017 report ‘Unprotected’ shows the danger of normalising sexual activity under the age of consent, and particularly how this puts children at risk of exploitation.

Norman also served as a director of the Coalition for Marriage, and in his role with the Family Education Trust supported the No To Named Persons (NO2NP) campaign, spearheaded by The Christian Institute.

Admirable, faithful, gentle

The Institute’s Director, Colin Hart, paid tribute: “I knew Norman for over 20 years as a campaigner for the family, with clear biblical convictions.

“He was much to be admired for his quiet, painstaking research and crystal clear writing. He was a passionate advocate for marriage and the family, and very influential, though he never sought the limelight. He will be greatly missed.”

Andrea Williams, CEO of Christian Concern, said: “Norman was a faithful man. An intelligent man. A modest man. A strong man. A man who loved his family. Jesus was Lord of his life.”

Bioethicist John Ling said Norman was “quiet, but always insightful, thorough and reliable in whatever he said or wrote. He was easy to admire and love. It was our privilege to know Norman. We honour the man, but we bless his Saviour.”

Rev Roger Hitchings added: “We have lost a true Christian gentleman, the epitome of gentleness, faithfulness and passion for Christ’s honour. May we serve as faithfully and be equally ready when our call home comes.”