UK Council of Reference

Professor Graham Ashworth CBE, DL

Professor Graham Ashworth was chairman of the government-sponsored 'Going for Green and ENCAMS (Environmental Campaigns)' until April 2000. He was president of the Foundation for Environmental Education in Europe from 1996-2004, and is a member of the UK Round Table on Sustainable Development. As a former professor (and current research professor) of urban environmental studies at the University of Salford, Graham is particularly interested in urban regeneration. He is a council member and has been the president of the Baptist Union of Great Britain, and says, 'I am delighted to be able to serve A Rocha, whose activities I have admired for a number of years.'

Rev Steve Chalke, MBE

Steve was ordained as a Baptist Minister in 1981. He is married to Cornelia and has four grown-up children. In 1985 he set up the Oasis Trust  and in 1997 launched Parentalk, an organisation that inspires and equips parents. He has since developed Oasis Community Learning and Oasis Academies, bringing Oasis values to young people’s education. 2001 saw him lay foundations for the Faithworks Movement. This empowers individual Christians and local churches to develop their role at the hub of their community. It seeks to change the public's perception of the Church by engaging with the media and the government, and to build the UK's most effective social action network.

In 2006 Steve founded Stop The Traffik , a global coalition that campaigns to end people trafficking, and in 2008 was appointed as UN GIFT Special Advisor for Community Action against Human Trafficking. He is also a Guinness World Record holder, having raised the largest amount of sponsorship money by an individual in a single event - £1.84 million by running the London Marathon. He was awarded an MBE in 2004 for services to social inclusion.

Steve is the leader of Christ Church & Upton, in Central London. This was the first of a network of churches that are always open, and where no one is turned away, whatever the time of day. He has presented his own television series and a regular show on Radio 4, writes monthly columns for Prima Baby and Christianity magazine and has written over 30 books.

Ram Gidoomal CBE

Ram Gidoomal is a successful entrepreneur and businessman, and the author of several books including 'The British and how to deal with them', 'The UK Maharajahs' and 'How would Jesus vote?'. He is active in community and environmental concerns, chairing the London Community Foundation and the London Sustainability Exchange, and as a non-executive board member of English Partnerships. Ram has had family links with Southall, and founded and chairs South Asian Concern, enabling Asian and other Christians to be more effective leaders in Asian communities. Ram is delighted to be associated with A Rocha UK, particularly as 'Living Waterways' reflects his environmental, urban, Christian, and Asian, interests and experience.

Dr Andy Gosler

Dr Andy Gosler is an Oxford University research lecturer in zoology, and editor of 'Ibis'. More

Sir John Houghton, FRS

Sir John Houghton has been a member of A Rocha for some years and chairs the John Ray Initiative, a sister organisation to A Rocha which looks at ecological sustainability from a Christian perspective. He is also co-chair of the scientific working group for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. A former professor of atmospheric physics at Oxford University, and head of the Meteorological Office, he chaired the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution. His books include 'Global Warming: The Complete Briefing' and 'The Search for God': Can Science Help?'. Sir John states 'The Living Waterways Project sounds a most exciting venture - a diverse conservation site in the city with enormous potential for influencing a wide range of people, not to mention the wildlife'.

The Rt Rev Dr James Jones, Bishop of Liverpool

The Rt Rev James Jones is well known as an author and speaker who relates the Bible to every area of modern life. He was ordained after working as a teacher, and as a producer of audio-visual materials for Scripture Union. After parishes in Bristol and Croydon, he became Bishop of Hull in 1994 and Bishop of Liverpool in 1998. Among the many organisations he is involved with, Bishop James is president of the Church Pastoral Aid Society, and chairs the Church of England's Board of Mission. Having spent a sabbatical looking at environmental issues, he writes: 'It gives me great pleasure to lend my support to an organisation with such a distinctive ethos and such an excellent reputation. I see A Rocha's work in reintroducing communities to their local environment as being of particular importance'.

Professor Sir Ghillean Prance

Professor Sir Ghillean Prance has been involved with A Rocha for several years as an International Trustee. He is a world-renowned botanist and committed Christian. Formerly director of Kew Gardens, he is now scientific director of the Eden Project, visiting professor to Reading University and president of the Institute of Biology. He is the author of many publications including 'The Earth Under Threat - A Christian Perspective'.

Sir Ghillean writes: 'A Rocha performs a vital role in linking the Christian faith to important environmental issues. I am delighted that it is expanding into the UK. It has chosen well to begin with an urban environmental project, because it is so essential to bring the wonders of creation and the need for conservation to city dwellers'.

Dr Elaine Storkey

Dr Elaine Storkey is one of the most experienced writers and speakers in relating the Christian gospel to contemporary culture – and well known to many for her 'Thought for the Day' broadcasts on Radio 4. She has a background in philosophy and sociology and has many years experience of teaching in the UK and overseas, most recently with King's College, London. For seven years she was executive director of the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity. She is the UK president of Tear Fund, a vice-president of the University of Gloucestershire and a member of the Crown Appointments Commission. Her most recent publication, with the University of Salford, focusses on helping business leaders explore and apply Christian ethics in their work. She is a senior research fellow at Wycliffe Hall. Elaine says: 'I am grateful for all A Rocha's work and its timely reminder of the calling of our faith to work with God's Creation and not against it'.