Nick Crowder: Founder, Executive Director
Nick’s record bears testimony to his pioneering, entrepreneurial DNA. He first pioneered sustainable community projects, charities, and social enterprises in 1992, building on his UK commercial background. He carries a deep passion for social justice, advocacy, and human rights, investing much of his life in these as a practical way to outwork his faith. His personal vision is, ‘to help people help themselves, by helping others.
He continually aspires to see the next generation of social reformers – or change-makers – both in the UK and developing countries, advance and be released, creating movements and networks that enable community transformation and sustainability. Nick has dedicated his life to enabling people to recognise and be released into their own social and vocational potential, alongside the realisation of social capital within communities. He has raised in excess of £8.5 million in investment, gifts, and kind to enable such outcome-based social solutions. Seeing justice and hope released, even in seemingly impossible situations, to the benefit of all, is Nick’s life ambition.
With a love of trekking and photography, an extensive multi-cultural journey, mentor, counselor, and therapeutic coach, Nick’s an animated public speaker, preacher, and lecturer.
Dr. Andrew Taylor: Trustee and Company Secretary
Andrew has been involved in the development and management of One Life International since 2000 when, after taking early retirement from Royal Mail, he began working with Nick Crowder. Andrew worked within Royal Mail for over 30 years, in personnel development and operational management.
He was awarded by Brunel University a Ph.D. in Human Learning for his thesis “Experimenting with Self-Organised Learning for Organisational Growth; a person-centered Approach”. His passion for developing ways to support people to take responsibility for their own learning and to contribute fully to whatever they are involved with continues; this has included founding the College of Self-Organised Learning with Nick Crowder and Professors Laurie Thomas and Sheila Harri-Augstein, the creators of Self Organised Learning.
Andrew is married with 2 adult daughters and an elder in his local church, with a passion for hiking.
Alastair Mitchell-Baker: Trustee
Alastair is co-founder and Director of Tricordant, a Christian-based organisational consultancy working with a diverse range of clients from NHS and Councils to international NGOs, including WorldVision, Tearfund and Forest People Programme, and global pharmaceutical companies. Prior to that, he spent 15 years in NHS senior management including as Chief Executive and Non-Executive Director in the NHS for 12 years, a Visiting Fellow at Brunel Business School, and co-founder and Treasurer of the European Organisation Design Forum.
Alastair enjoys painting, chess, running [nothing more than a few Reading half marathons], and watching sport – including Reading and Spurs and is on the leadership team of his church.
Sophie Mills: Trustee
Sophie is a learning and development specialist with over 20 years of experience in building, developing, program managing, and delivering training programs across the globe in many different fields – for schools, educationalists, as well as corporates. She runs training programs in thinking skills and emotional intelligence and has a special interest in people enablement and mentoring – having formed part of the guiding coalition team at the corporate she works for, establishing a corporate global mentor program. Skilled in training facilitation and passionate to see others succeed in all they do.
Sophie privately coaches in her spare time and shares life with her husband, two children, and a sausage dog, and when time allows she likes to run, go for long walks in the countryside, cook for friends, and play the violin with her church worship group.
Fiona Bevington: Trustee
Fiona has 30 years of experience working in the public sector in both social care and education-based roles – allowing her to outwork her calling and passion for social justice, advocacy, and equality of opportunity, to work with the most vulnerable, isolated, and excluded in society, whether in the UK or in developing countries
Her work is focused on providing life chances for young adults – focused on their continued education and training – many of whom exhibit challenging behaviors – surviving at the margins of society. Her work takes her into the heart of some of the country’s most deprived neighborhoods and communities, further strengthening her resolve to directly support individuals and families most in need.
She spent time on missions in Uganda, Malawi, Zimbabwe, and Kenya working with Aids projects, Girls escaping FGM, and Food programs as well as helping to build schools, rescue facilities, and medical centers. In addition, undertaking voluntary work with young unsupported migrants and refugees who have arrived in the UK without parents.
Living in the Peak District of the UK, Fiona has two daughters and enjoys hiking with her Spaniel, Coni.
