Our Team.

Gordon East
Co-founder and CEO

Gordon worked in various roles as an engineer and in senior management within the oil and gas industry for over 30 years, living for nine years in the Middle East and South East Asia. During his career he has served on several Boards and brings a wealth of experience to the role as Trustee. He has always had a heart for compassion and for justice, and feels a close affinity to the sufferings of those from the lands of the Middle East. Working with CHARIS is a truly wonderful and exciting opportunity to express that calling.

Georgia Willcocks
Operations Director

Georgia is originally from Taunton and has moved back since working for a faith-based organisation in Israel, facilitating children from Gaza, Kurdistan and Syria to travel for emergency open heart surgeries, and sharing life together over many months, during their entire course of treatment. She loved getting to know the families and finding joyful long-lasting bonds during such a difficult time in their lives. Prior to this, she worked for the NHS as a Speech and Language Therapist. Georgia is passionate about welcoming people into our town, building friendships and encouraging others to do the same, with wholeheartedness.

Dave Mann
Communications and External Affairs Director

Dave has worked in communications and fundraising for various Christian international organisations over the last 30 years. Much of that time has been with projects assisting some of the mass refugee movements in Africa, Asia and the Middle East, including Rwanda, Cambodia, Afghanistan, Ethiopia and Iraq which gave him insight into the physical and psychological trauma suffered by refugees and internally displaced people who have been forced to flee their homes in search of safety. Immediately before joining CHARIS he worked for a Christian television network called SAT-7 which is based in the Middle East. In his spare time Dave enjoys mountain biking, kayaking, and spending time with his two daughters and four grandchildren. Dave and his wife Karen are also foster carers.

Alex Melbourne
Welcome Hubs Programme Manager

After many years working abroad in several conflict-affected countries in the Balkans, Africa and most recently Ukraine, working with the UN and other organisations, Alex returned home to Somerset and recently started working at CHARIS as the Welcome Hubs Programme Manager. His career in peacebuilding, promoting human rights and humanitarian affairs has brought him into frequent contact with refugees and displaced persons, giving him insight into the situations they face in displacement and the difficulties of integrating into new surroundings. It has also given Alex a deep appreciation of other countries and cultures. His role with CHARIS and its partners is to develop Welcome and Information Hubs across our region which offer a safe space where people can receive the help they need, enabling them to lead independent and fulfilling lives.

Luz Maria Jimenez V. (Luzma)
Taunton Centre Manager

Luzma is from Colombia where she trained as a physical therapist. After marrying Julio they went to Kurdistan to run a coffee business and support a new church in Erbil. Seven years later ISIS took control of areas of Northern Iraq causing many people to flee to relative safety in Kurdistan. Through their involvement with the church, Luzma and Julio gained experience of helping meet the needs of displaced people.

After the birth of their daughter in 2015, they moved to Israel to work as translators for a charity helping Sorani families having medical treatment paid for by the charity. They also took on administrative and leadership roles with the organization.

Luzma and Julio moved to the UK in 2022 when Luzma became the Centre Manager for our newly opened base in Taunton.

Ralph Bullock (Chair)
Creech St Michael Baptist Church

Ralph has worked in education since 1981 and throughout his career he has been employed in Somerset Primary Schools. He was Headteacher at two primary schools in Taunton for a total of 23 years and retired from Headship in August 2015.

Since leaving Headship, Ralph became self-employed and worked on a part-time basis as and education adviser for Somerset County Council, supporting Headteachers and enabling school improvement. He is now retired!

Since moving to Somerset in 1981 with his wife Marjorie, Ralph has been a member of Creech St Michael Baptist Church. When CHARIS was first formed Ralph sat on the Management Group, taking responsibility for Safeguarding and School Placement. He then joined the Board and is now the Designated Safeguarding Lead and is responsible for delivering all training in this area.

He was appointed Chair of the CHARIS Board in 2021.

Ralph finds working for CHARIS a humbling experience. Being able to show love and compassion to families of strangers and help them settle and flourish in safety he believes to be both a joy and a privilege.

Rev Tobie Osmond
St Mary Magdalene Church, Taunton

Tobie has been in ministry for over 20 years. He started here in Taunton, then has spent time in Bath, Toronto and Wells. He is now the Vicar of St Mary Magdalene (about to be Taunton Minster) and St John’s Taunton. He has always had a heart for the people on the fringes, “it is here that we live out the life and work of Jesus, and it is being with and supporting these people that we get to share the love of God at its fullest.” Tobie is an avid skier (five years skiing with the Canadian Ski Patrol), he trains people in advanced riding on motorbikes for RoSPA. He is married with three step children, loves dogs (1 black Lab and 1 Cockapoo), loves reading and movies, and the occasional gin.

Richard Austin
St Mary Magdalene Church, Taunton

Richard claims he became a CHARIS volunteer by mistake. "When my wife and I heard that accommodation was needed for a refugee family we thought - we have a spare bedroom , we can help. At the time we did not realise that the appeal was for a self-contained house or flat. But God works in mysterious ways and once we heard about the plan to sponsor a refugee family we were keen to offer what help we could."

Richard's career in the media has meant that he can help with promoting CHARIS and advising on how to help with press enquiries.  He enjoys driving, so early taxi duties were no problem. Previous experience as a trustee of another Somerset charity has given Richard the confidence to accept an invitation to join the board.

Richard says that working as a volunteer with 'our refugees' has been a delight.  It has broadened his mind and, like most service, is spiritually rewarding.

Phil Hindle (Treasurer)
Taunton Baptist Church

Phil has been a travel agent for 10 years and has run his own business for 8 of them. Previously he was Bursar at Bristol Baptist College, and a team manager with the Baptist Missionary Society.

A member of Taunton Baptist church, Phil was drawn to CHARIS at its first public meeting when his concern for suffering people chimed with CHARIS’ desire to help refugees in practical ways.

Phil is finance officer of the South West Baptist Association, which brings skills which are important in his role as CHARIS’ Treasurer.

Annie Maw
Former Lord Lieutenant of Somerset

Annie trained as an SRN at Westminster Hospital in London and worked there until she married in 1971. Her husband, who was a Barts surgeon, took up a post as consultant surgeon at the Bristol Royal Infirmary and the Bristol Children’s Hospital in 1974 and they have lived in Somerset ever since. They have 2 sons and a daughter all of whom are grown up. They now have 7 grandchildren.

Annie has been involved in the voluntary sector for many years and served as High Sheriff of Somerset in 2008-2009 and Lord Lieutenant of Somerset from 2015 to 2022. She has maintained a close involvement with many areas of work in the community throughout this time and since her retirement. These include the Friends of Wells Cathedral where she was for many years a guide, and is on a number of committees. She is patron of a number of charities which focus on the delivery of health care such as Festival Medical Services. She also enjoys the honour of being part of the Somerset Community Foundation. She has a strong interest in education and the search for opportunities for young people.

She serves as a trustee of Somerset Supports Ukraine and CHARIS both of whom care for families who have been displaced by armed conflict. She also works with the Royal Bath and West of England Society where she is a council member and a vice president.