Terry Waite was born in the county of Cheshire, England on the 31st May 1939. He was educated locally and received his higher education in London. On leaving college he was appointed as Education Advisor to the Anglican Bishop of Bristol, England and remained in that post until he moved to East Africa in 1969. In Uganda he worked as Provincial Training Adviser to the first African Anglican Archbishop of Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi and in that capacity travelled extensively throughout East Africa. Together with his wife Frances and their four children he witnessed the Amin coup in Uganda and both he and his wife narrowly escaped death on several occasions. From his office in Kampala he founded the Southern Sudan Project and was responsible for developing programmes of aid and development for this war-torn region.
In 1972 he responded to an invitation to work as an International Consultant to a Roman Catholic Medical Order and moved with his family to live in Rome, Italy. From this base he travelled extensively throughout Asia, Africa, North and South America and Europe both conducting and advising on programmes concerned with Institutional Change and Development, Inter-Cultural Relations, Group and Inter-group Dynamics and a broad range of development issues connected with both health and education.
In 1980 he was recruited by the Archbishop of Canterbury and moved to Lambeth Palace, London where he joined the Archbishop’s Private Staff. In his capacity as Advisor to the Archbishop he again travelled extensively throughout the world and had a responsibility for the Archbishop’s diplomatic and ecclesiastical exchanges. He arranged and travelled with the Archbishop on the first ever visit of an Archbishop of Canterbury to China and has responsibility for travels to Australia, New Zealand, Burma, USA, Canada, The Caribbean, South Africa, East and West Africa to name but a few places.
In the early 1980s he successfully negotiated the release of several hostages from Iran and this event brought him to public attention. In 1983 he negotiated with Colonel Ghadafi for the release of British hostages held in Libya and again was successful. In January 1987 while negotiating for the release of Western hostages in Lebanon he himself was taken captive and remained in captivity for 1,763 days, the first four years of which were spent in total solitary confinement.
Following his release on 19th November 1991 he was elected a Fellow Commoner at Trinity Hall Cambridge England where he wrote his first book Taken on Trust. This quickly became an international best-seller and headed the lists in the UK and elsewhere. Following his experience as a captive he decided to make a career change and determined to give himself to study, writing, lecturing and humanitarian activities. His second book Footfalls in Memory was published in the UK in 1995 and again was a best-seller. His latest book published in October 2000 Travels with a Primate is a humorous account of his journeys with Archbishop Runcie. He has contributed articles to many journals and periodicals ranging from the Reader’s Digest to the Kipling Journal and has also contributed articles and forewords to many books. He was elected Visiting Fellow to Magdalen College Oxford for the Trinity term 2006.
Since his release he has been in constant demand as a lecturer, writer and broadcaster and has appeared in North and South America, Australia and New Zealand, South Africa and throughout Europe. There has been a particular interest in the lectures he has delivered relating his experiences as a negotiator and as a hostage to the pressures faced by executives and managers. Stress, loneliness and negotiating under acute pressure are but some of the issues with which he has a unique experiences and his ability to communicate clearly and with good humour has meant that he is in constant demand as a speaker not only to the Business Community but also to professionals in social work, education and medical field as well as to religious groups. He maintains an on-going interest in current humanitarian and political affairs.
Celia is director of the social justice programme at Dartington. The programme aims to promote social change through projects which educate, experiment and which encourage thought and debate. The programme is in its early stages, currently including Research in Practice (RiP), Research in Practice for Adults (RiPfA) and our newest project – to develop an Abundant Life community on the estate that enables older people to live active lives, free of the fear of loneliness and lack of support if they should need it.
Prior to taking up this post Celia was founding director of Research in Practice, which was established in 1996 as a joint initiative with the Association of Directors of Children’s Services, working in close partnership with the University of Sheffield (where its second office is based) and its network of over 100 partner agencies in England and Wales. Its aim is to promote the use of good research in the planning and delivery of services to vulnerable and disadvantaged children and families. RiPfA does the same for adults. RiP is also a one of four core partners in the delivery of the government-commissioned Centre for Excellence and Outcomes in Children and Young People’s Services.
Celia qualified as a social worker in 1976 and has worked in both the statutory and voluntary sectors, including as Director of Family Rights Group. RiP leads on network co-ordination and dissemination for the Local Authorities Research Consortium (LARC) – a voluntary collaboration between over 30 local authorities across England researching the impact of integrated services on outcomes for children. In addition to being a member of the Advisory Board for the English and Romanian Adoptees Study, Celia is also a member of the National Academy for Parenting Practitioners Scientific Advisory Group, the Editorial Advisory Board for the Children & Young People Now journal, the International Editorial Advisory Board of Evidence and Policy, NFER’s Advisory Group, and the Government’s Social Work Task Force. She was awarded an OBE for services to children and families in the 2007 New Year’s Honours.
Rory Stear is a South African/British “serial entrepreneur” who has founded and operated numerous ventures, starting when he was eighteen years old.
In 1994, Rory and Chris Staines founded Freeplay Energy Group and created an international company to develop market and distribute self-sufficient technology products. Rory led the company from its inception until it was sold in August 2008. He remains a consultant to the company.
Freeplay Energy is a global micro energy energy company with core competencies in product research and development, technology research and development, sales and marketing.
Since its inception, Freeplay Energy has been a role model for corporate social responsibility, including being showcased in the Agenda issue of Fast Company Magazine and in numerous other publications around the world. In 1998 Rory founded the Freeplay Foundation, today a registered charity in the UK, USA and SA, which itself has become a highly respected international charity. Freeplay’s business model has been the subject of two academic case studies and Rory is a frequent speaker at dinners, business schools and conferences around the world on his vision of business being a force for social responsibility and Freeplay’s example in this regard.
Rory currently devotes a large percentage of his time to managing investments on behalf of his family investment vehicle, Flambard Holdings, in renewable energy, environmental packaging, distribution, data management and media. He also serves as a non executive on the boards of two international companies.
Rory was one of the first South Africans invited to join the African Business Roundtable (1995). In 1996 he was a member of President Nelson Mandela’s business delegation to the UK and again travelled with the President on his 1998 visit to the USA.
In 2000 Rory completed the prestigious Birthing of Giants programme, sponsored by Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Young Entrepreneurs Organisation.
He is a member of the Young Presidents Organisation and the World President’s Organisation London chapters and is a member of the Dean's Council at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. Rory is also a member on the Advisory Board of The Business School at Nelson Mandela University in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
Rory is a member of the RAC Club in London and a member of numerous South African golf clubs and Wentworth Golf Club in England.
Internationally respected business journal, Business Week, named him one of the global "Top Entrepreneurs" of 2000.
In August 2000 he received the Theodor Herzl award in Jerusalem from the former Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, in recognition of his "impressive vision and tremendous accomplishments".
In 2002 Rory was elected a fellow of the Geneva-based Schwab Foundation for Outstanding Social Entrepreneurs. The Schwab Foundation, which is affiliated to the World Economic Forum, elects to its ranks the world’s leading social entrepreneurs. Rory has attended and made presentations at the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos for the last seven years.
Rory has been profiled in Business Week, Director, Fast Company, Enterprise, the Financial Mail, Financial Times and the London Sunday Times, amongst other leading publications as well as on CNBC, CNN, BBC. He has been a featured guest on “Foreign Exchange with Fareed Zakaria” in the USA.
In 2007 Rory was named one of CNN/Time/Fortune's "Principal Voices" in recognition of his stand on global energy poverty.
In October 2007 he and his wife Kristine Pearson, who heads the Freeplay Foundation, were named "Global Environmental Heroes" by Time Magazine. In November 2008, he was appointed a member of the Renewable Energy Council of the World Economic Forum’s Council for the Global Agenda. He was reappointed in June 2009.
In June 2009 Rory was appointed Non Executive Chairman of Minlam Asset Management, a New York based Global Micro Finance Fund.
Rory is Chairman of Fieldbury Plc, Freestyle Investments Limited and is Chairman and CEO of Flambard Holdings Limited, his family investment company and serves on the board’s of the various companies that Flambard has invested in.
Stephen, who retired in July as Principal of King Edward VI Community College, Totnes, has been a strong supporter of Dartington for many years and was a founding and active member of the arts partnership, Dartington Plus.
Chair of Trustees at Dartington Sir David Green said, "Stephen has been an important part of Dartington Plus and his outstanding track record and experience in local education will be a tremendous asset to our Board of Trustees. Dartington is a charity with a rich history in progressive education at all levels – so who better to join the Board of Trustee than one of the most committed and experienced people in local education? We are confident that he will bring a strong educational perspective to our work and a commitment to the local community."
Stephen will officially become the ninth member of the Board in September, Dartington’s fourth local Trustee. His fellow Dartington Trustees include former Director-General of the British Council, Sir David Green KCMG, Director of the Barbican Centre, Sir Nicholas Kenyon and grand-daughter of Dorothy and Leonard Elmhirst, Kate Caddy.
Stephen said of his new appointment, "I have been very involved in the arts partnership Dartington Plus since the beginning and am committed to its on-going success as it adds a great deal of value to both Dartington and KEVICC. I am naturally delighted to be joining Dartington as a Trustee and I hope that my background and passion in education and young people will be a valuable asset to Dartington, as the charity strives to further develop its educational activities."
Matt's career has spanned twenty years with a focus on creative industries, social enterprise, education and community regeneration. He is currently project managing Devon School for Social Entrepreneurs (www.sse.org.uk) and combines this work with other freelance activity, including project managing the music education project Wiltshire Music Connect and mentoring young musicians for South West Music School. Matt has also recently established a new creative agency – MCD Solutions – for which he is one of three Co-Directors. The company provides marketing, design, project management, fundraising and organisational development services.
Throughout his career, Matt has successfully generated income from a variety of public and private sources, with his total tally now standing at over £6m.
Originally a professional percussionist, Matt's previous roles include Founding Director, Live Music Now! (South West); Orchestral Development Animateur, Bournemouth Orchestras; Founding Director, Plymouth Music Zone; Director of Arts and Development Director, The Dartington Hall Trust.
Vibraphone and Piano.
Harriet is 17 and is in her first year of studying A Levels; Music, Art and Maths at KEVICC in Totnes. She started off as a pianist as her father and mother both play piano. However after learning drum-kit for a term or so when she started secondary school, her school bought a marimba. It was love at first sight, and because of the similar lay out to the keyboard, Harriet took to the instrument straight away. Harriet now plays in several ensembles including western and world percussion (such as Balinese Gamelan and African Drumming) and a Jazz sextet: "Jazzanova". She is also plays the Vibraphone,
Although percussion is her primary instrument, Harriet still plays piano and achieved her Grade 8 last November. Harriet is supported by South West Music School and is has percussion lessons with internationally renowned Jan Faulkner at Wells Cathedral School every fortnight and is being mentored by Jayne Obradovic whose performing career has span all the major national orchestra. She is now working towards applying for music colleges and universities for after A levels and is looking forward to being a professional musician... though she's not sure exactly what that means for her yet.
Return to the Social Justice Networking Dinner
Sponsored by:
Call dartington on 01803 847100 or email bookings@dartingtonhall.com
Related websites: dartington.org, Cider Press Centre , Schumacher College, Research in Practice
