Values

Having been part of the leadership teams of Member Care at European and Global level for a number of years, Marion instituted an MA in the subject at Redcliffe College. She now consults with Refugee Highway Partnership on Care for Refugees and Refugee workers and leads trauma response for the European Evangelical Alliance. Marion has developed courses for churches on working with Traumatized refugees and Sustaining Refugee Workers. She is an international speaker on Staff Care and works with an international relocation company as an intercultural trainer both pre- and post-assignment. She has written two books, “Families on the Move” and “Burn-up or Splashdown – the survival guide to re-entry”.

Alex is Head of Programmes at the Sheila McKechnie Foundation, working to equip people and organisations to bring positive social change.  Having worked in senior roles at Christians Against Poverty and Christian Aid, he brings his fundraising, campaigning and leadership experience to his trustee role. Alex is deeply committed to a world where each person is treated with inherent dignity and infinite worth. An active member of a local Baptist Church in Bradford, he is passionate about church unity and celebrates the rich diversity of Christian expression across the world.

Ali’s experience spans over 22 years in NGO's, international organisations, and the charity sector both abroad and in the UK. Ali's background resonates deeply with the challenges faced by refugees and individuals seeking asylum, as he himself has lived experience as a refugee. His profound understanding of these challenges fuels his passion to make a difference. Driven by his own journey, Ali is committed to facilitating a seamless transition and integration process for refugees in the UK.

Andy has been in church leadership for over 25 years and currently co-leads Christ First Church Watford who have a heart for displaced people.  Between 2020 and 2022 Andy and the church lead a town-wide initiative to support over 500 Afghan refugees and evacuees, and experience that radically caught Andy’s heart and introduced him to Welcome Churches.  He also runs his own business specialising in process management and improvement for local and global organisations.  Andy is married to Jane with 2 grown up children and, when not working in his business or for the church, can be found in his home music studio.

Ellie is the CEO of the charity Kintsugi Hope who train and equip churches to run programmes that support people with their mental and emotional wellbeing.  Ellie has a passion for seeing people supported with their full wellbeing - whether emotional, mental, material, spiritual or relational.  With over 20 years experience of leading in the Christian charity sector, Ellie brings experience of governance and operational delivery. This is coupled with her deep Christian faith which informs all that she does.

Consultant

Jon is a qualified Chartered Accountant who previously worked in the housebuilding sector. He has many years experience in church life and being part of church leadership teams. He seeks to live out his Christian faith by being involved in a local church and other organisations that express Christ’s heart for justice, mercy and hospitality. Welcome Churches gives great expression to this and he sees being part of the team a real privilege.”

Mark has been in church leadership for over 40 years and has been involved with inter-cultural ministry for many of those years. He has been one of the founding trustees of Welcome Churches.

Today, he lives in Worcester and continues to encourage and support church leaders across the country in various locations.

He is married to Nesta, and has 3 married children and 10 grandchildren!

Nathaniel Jennings is of Anglo/Caribbean/American heritage and was born in Bangladesh. He trained as a teacher in London and then worked in a Christian international school in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Following completion of a Master’s in theology through Queens University Belfast he returned to Bangladesh to be involved in social development and welfare work with SIM. For the past 12 years he has been based in Ireland, working for OMF International, first as their Ireland Area Representative and now as their Intercultural Ministries Director. During this time he has also been involved in teaching at several theological institutions and working with churches to see them welcome and embrace newcomers to Ireland. Nathaniel lives in Belfast, is married to Donna, and they have two children, Micah (15) and Tabitha (13). Nathaniel loves travel, reading, music, football and all kinds of food.