Our People

Stephen Hammersley CBE

Chair of Trustees

About

Chair since April 2020, Stephen began his career in computers and worked in the banking industry for 17 years. In 2000 he was appointed a director of Tearfund, with responsibility for its use of business as a tool of development, before his move to Chief Executive of UK Community Foundations in 2005 and Pilgrims’ Friend Society in 2015.

Stephen has enjoyed the company of older people from his student days when he was part of a team that led worship in a care home and visited those who were housebound. Loneliness of older people was one of the key priorities that UK Community Foundations addressed latterly though its award winning "Surviving Winter" campaigns that Stephen co-ordinated. Stephen was awarded a CBE for this and the leadership of other charitable and philanthropic programmes.

Stephen worships at Christ Church Harpenden and for many years ran the Crusaders (Urban Saints) youth group in the town. He still helps occasionally, but is now part of the team that reaches out to the residents of a local residential care home where he visits and leads a men’s Bible study.

Stephen is married to Susan and they have three grown up children.

Elaine Cobb

Trustee

About

Elaine was the Salvation Army UK Director of Older People’s Services between 2006 and 2021, having recently retired. Elaine started her career as a social worker, working within the social services department of three London Boroughs over a period of 18 years in a variety of roles and with a variety of client groups. Over this time, much of Elaine’s work was with older people and she grew to recognise their tremendous contribution and wisdom but also that they are so often neglected and marginalised.

Following a number of years in a fundraising capacity in the Salvation Army, Elaine spent a brief period working at Age Concern as Director of Operations before taking up the appointment of Director of Older People's Services for The Salvation Army. In this role, Elaine was responsible for the Salvation Army’s 12 care homes for older people throughout the UK, and was also responsible for the regional teams team of older people’s specialists who work alongside all Salvation Army Corps (churches) to support them in developing meaningful and relevant ministry with older people.

Elaine worships alongside her family at Hendon Corps in the North London Division, where she is also the Mission Secretary.

Rebecca Chaplin

Trustee

About

Rebecca is the Quality Improvement and Safeguarding Lead at Keychange. Rebecca also works within the Senior Leadership Team at Keychange. Rebecca has experience of research into homelessness, housing need and collaborating with like-minded organisations, multiple examples of tendering for spot and block purchase contracts with local authority.

Rebecca acknowledges the support of her family in her work with and for Keychange and her relationship with God through her Christian faith. Together, the family belong to a local community church in Devon.

Terry Puttick

Trustee

About

Terry is a Field Director at London City Mission, where one of his main areas of expertise is mission with older people. In the 42 years Terry has worked for London City Mission he has spent 23 years of those working as a front line missionary. Since 2000 Terry moved into a central role as a Field Director of Ministries, and has found it a privilege and honour to focus on working with those in later life.

Terry says “As a Trustee for Faith in Later Life I am delighted to see all that God is doing to encourage others to reach out to the ‘forgotten generation.’ God honours those in later life, which although countercultural, is an amazing message to share. Faith in Later life has a vibrancy and is able to give hope to those who are facing the challenges of later life”.

Andrew Wileman BEM

Trustee

About

Andrew is the Assistant Director for the Salvation Army Older Peoples Ministries Team. He manages the team of Outreach Mission partners for older people working on a range of local and programme development projects across the UKI and Ireland.

He holds a B.A and M.A in Applied Theology from the University of Gloucestershire. He has served as a Church leader, an International Development Manager for UK charities, and a Communications Director and Academic Tutor for Moorlands Bible College before moving to the Salvation Army in 2011.

Andrew is a regular public speaker in Churches and Centres and on local and national media and has wide experience in Social Justice issues both here in the UK and overseas, particularly his focus on the Salvation Army’s work in Older People, social care, Human Trafficking and on Eastern Europe where he has visited many times.

Andrew originally hails from Yorkshire, but now lives on the South Coast and has been a active member of the Winton Salvation Army Corps in Bournemouth for the past 24 years. He was the awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) for his work with the local community in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in June 2021.

He is married to Karen, and has a son and 2 daughters.

Ruth Preston

Community Lead

About

Ruth joined the Faith in Later Life team in 2020 and leads our community engagement, with a focus on supporting and co-ordinating our community of over 450 Church Champions across the UK and beyond. Ruth along with her team also provides all the key administrative support behind the scenes that enables Faith in Later Life to continue to move forward.

Ruth lives in South East England but can sometimes be found in Spain working on her laptop whilst visiting family.

Our Sponsors

We have a network of churches and partner organisations, as well as Faith in Later Life 'Church Champions'. To find out more about becoming a 'Church Champion' click here.

In addition to our Ambassadors and trustees, Faith in Later Life associates, friends and speakers at training events and conferences include: Helen Calder (Retiring Well), Louise Morse (Pilgrim's Friends Society), Tina English (Embracing Age), Emily Kenward (Time to Talk), Gemma Gillard (Truth be Told), Carl Brettle (Neighbourhood Prayer Network), Debbie Thrower (Anna Chaplaincy), Dave Fenton (Afterwork.net), Jeremy Marshall and John Wyatt.

Faith in Later Life is also pleased to be part of Christians Together Against Loneliness, together with our friends at Anna Chaplaincy, Arthur Rank Centre, Care Home Friends, Faith Action, Linking Lives, Parish Nursing and Sanctuary.

If you would like your organisation to connect in any way with Faith in Later Life, please get in touch!

Our People

Stephen Hammersley CBE Chair of Trustees

Elaine Cobb Trustee

Rebecca Chaplin Trustee

Terry Puttick Trustee

Andrew Wileman BEM Trustee

Ruth Preston Community Lead

Our Sponsors

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CONNECTED

Stephen Hammersley CBE

Chair of Trustees

Elaine Cobb

Trustee

Rebecca Chaplin

Trustee

Terry Puttick

Trustee

Andrew Wileman BEM

Trustee

Ruth Preston

Community Lead