OWW is delighted to welcome Richard Becher who joined the team in September as National Co-ordinator. This is a paid post for the equivalent of one day a week. His role involves recruiting and co-ordinating the team of national volunteers to ensure that OWW meets its commitments to inspire local organisers, provide appropriate resources and publicise their events.
In the September News letter Richard introduced himself thus:
"I am excited by the role I am taking on. I hope that we can work together as a One World Week team of volunteers and supporters to enable silent voices to be heard alongside the voices of the powerful so together we can all hear grow into a One World Family.
I am an ordained minister in the United Reformed Church who retired at the end of December 2014 but I had many experiences before entering the church ministry. I was a journalist before working with Vietnamese Boat People with Save the Children Fund and Refugee Action; was involved in village development work in Kenya before managing a children’s home in Nairobi and then managed a project for homeless young people in Birmingham before being ordained. I have also made visits to Zimbabwe, Malawi, Jamaica and India which have given me further insights into issues across boundaries of faith and culture.
I am based in Birmingham where some of my time will be devoted to supporting my daughter, Laura, and her husband, Danny, look after a granddaughter named Isla. My daughter’s mum used to be Coordinator for One World Week in Birmingham in 1990 so it seems I am walking in her footsteps after all these years. Sadly, she died in 2000 but I am now remarried.
I look forward to working with you all as we try to make our contribution together to building a more equal and peaceful world."
If you would like to join the team and take up any of the volunteer tasks listed on the recruitment page here, please get in touch with Richard - he'd love to hear from you.