Election of Trustees
At the charity’s recent AGM, Revd Kate Pwaisiho was re-elected to serve a second term of three years as Trustee, a testament to her invaluable contributions and dedication. Additionally, new Trustees were elected to fill further vacancies, ensuring the continued strength and diversity of the board. The charity warmly welcomes and thanks Mrs Jen McIlveen, Revd Sam Rylands, Revd Dr Arabella Milbank Robinson, and Bishop Sam Corley for their commitment to the mission.
Jen Mcilveen lives in Liverpool, with her young family and is a committed Christian, actively serving in her local Church. A primary school teacher for 20 years, she began supporting Liverpool Diocesan Board of Education as a consultant in 2012, working specifically with their RE subject leaders. In 2018, Jen took the role of Christian Character and training officer in Chester Diocesan Board of Education. As part of this role, she has worked with departments across the diocese, particularly around Growing Faith and most recently sitting on the Partners With Mission group. Jen has been actively supporting Chester and ACoM school partnerships over the last two years, liaising with Katie Drew & Colin Butler.
Sam Rylands is the Vicar of St Andrew’s Church, Fulham Fields and Chair of Youth Ministry in Communion. During an eventful visit to the Solomon Islands that coincided with the global pandemic, Sam spent time with the Melanesian Brothers, learning from their everyday holiness and the vibrancy of the Melanesian church. More recently, Sam completed a doctorate asking how the Church of England can engage faithfully as a politically established church through the work of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Rowan Williams. Sam’s other passion is sport– mainly football, cricket, and rowing.
Arabella Milbank Robinson is currently the Dean and Chaplain of Selwyn College, Cambridge, and Chaplain also at Newnham College. Her academic background is in literature, beginning with a degree in English and Modern Languages (French) at New College, Oxford and she has a PhD in Medieval Literature and an MPhil in Theology from Cambridge. She trained for the priesthood in Lincoln and at Westcott House, Cambridge. Arabella is married to another priest, James Robinson, who is the Vicar of Grantchester and St Mark’s Newnham. After seven years working in Grantham and then in and around Louth in the Diocese of Lincoln, they returned to Cambridge in 2022 with their two children, Aubrey and Ivor.
Sam Corley is the Bishop of Stockport in the Diocese of Chester. After studying Theology at University, Sam trained to be a history teacher and then taught in a secondary school in South London for three years before moving to Nottingham to train for ordination at St John’s College. Sam served his curacy at St Thomas’, Lancaster before he became Priest-in-Charge of Ellel and Assistant Missioner in the Diocese of Blackburn. In 2011 Sam became Canon Precentor at Bradford Cathedral and Chaplain to the University of Bradford. He became Rector of Leeds in 2015 and was consecrated bishop in July 2021. Sam is married to Claire, who is herself ordained, and they enjoy the fun and challenge of parenting their children and looking after an ever-increasing menagerie of animals. Sam enjoys keeping chickens, birdwatching and walking the dog in his spare time. Sam has been the trustee of various charities, including an NGO working in a number of countries overseas. Having visited India and East Africa frequently in the past, he was privileged to visit Solomon Islands for the first time this summer.
There is still one open position for a Fundraising Trustee, and the search for the ideal candidate is ongoing.