A new Executive Director for A Rocha International

A Rocha International looks forward to welcoming Ed Walker MBE as our new Executive Director on 1 September! Following an extensive global search, our trustees were unanimous in their decision to appoint Ed, confident he is God’s person to lead us into the next season. Chair of Trustees Soohwan Park says, 

‘Ed is a man of integrity, compassion and vision. He is someone who courageously obeys God’s call to respond to crisis and is stepping into the calling to lead A Rocha as we play our part to address the environmental crises facing us. We are grateful God has brought us a leader of his character and calibre.’ 

Having founded and, for 13 years, led the multi-award-winning homeless charity, Hope into Action, Ed has a strong track record of developing organizations and teams. In his previous work of disaster relief with Tearfund he spent ten years in war zones, including three and a half in Darfur, where he witnessed first-hand the horror of an ‘environmental-degradation war’. As an amateur ornithologist, trained mountain leader, PADI scuba diver and sea-kayaker, he loves God’s creation and believes wholeheartedly in A Rocha’s mission and vision. 

Ed says, ‘It is a huge honour to have been appointed in this role for A Rocha International.  

A Rocha is at once both an amazing story and also thousands of individual and very personal stories. I recognize the courage, hard work and inspiration from many who have gone before.  

A Rocha’s work is so close to God’s heart: the environment, poverty, simple living, speaking out, justice, community, theology, education and science are all intrinsically interwoven with the command of Jesus to “preach Good News to all creation”.’

Please keep Ed and the whole A Rocha family in your prayers, and join us in giving Ed a warm welcome in September.