Meet some of the team

Andy joined A Rocha UK as Chief Executive in 2016. He introduced our current mission: ‘To equip Christians and churches to protect the natural environment – for God, nature and all people’. Andy develops strategy, directs programmes, leads the management team and staff body, and, through speaking, writing and coalition building, mobilises Christian action to protect the environment.

Andy studied Geography at University College London and has a Masters in Latin American studies. He has worked with secular and Christian charities, campaigning for public and government action on human rights, international development and the environment. As Advocacy Director at Tearfund he helped lead the Make Poverty History campaign before heading up Friends of the Earth UK for seven years. In 2021, in the run-up to COP26 in Glasgow, he chaired the ecumenical Climate Sunday Campaign, and in 2025, in recognition of his work to engage churches with the environment, he was made a Lay Canon of Honour at Portsmouth Cathedral.

Andy is the son of missionaries and spent his childhood in a remote area of north Australia before moving to London’s East End as a teenager. He attributes his love of nature and deep commitment to social justice to his parents’ example of Christian service and the starkly contrasting home environments he grew up in.

When he can find the time, he enjoys plein air watercolour sketching, birdwatching and world literature. Andy is married to Sarah, lawyer turned vicar, and they have three adult children.

Andy has been working with A Rocha UK since 2008 and is responsible for the development and day to day management of our conservation work. This includes Partners in Action, one of our main programmes, and our nature reserves. Andy has a professional background in ecology, sustainable land management and global economics. He is a Chartered Environmentalist with a wide experience of nature and sustainable land management in Europe and parts of Africa.

Before joining A Rocha UK, Andy worked in a range of posts in the charitable and corporate sectors and has been involved extensively as chair and trustee of a variety of UK-based and international organisations. He worked in corporate development and fundraising for Marwell Zoo.

He is married to Jacqui, a South African, has four sons and lives on a smallholding near Carlisle where they are developing a community focused initiative to build local climate and wildlife resilience.

In his spare time Andy can be found birding, kayaking, barefoot fell running (not on rocks!) and scrambling on the fells of the Lake District.

Helen joined A Rocha UK in November 2017 and is responsible for the management and development of the Eco Church programme.

After gaining a degree in Geography, Helen spent some time in Kenya before working in the telecoms sector. She held various roles in product management, regulation and corporate responsibility, all of which she sees, remarkably, as having some bearing on her Eco Church role. She also worked for her vicar for several years before joining ARUK.

Helen has an MSc in Agriculture, Environment and Development and an MSc in Sustainability and Responsibility. While studying for the latter degree, she explored the role of Christian faith, in a personal and a church context, in caring for creation, realising that this is an integral part of Christian mission.

She grew up in Swansea near the Gower Peninsula, which inspired her love of nature and the outdoors. She lives in Hampton with her husband and son. Her son’s love of sports means Helen can often be found at the side of a football, hockey or cricket pitch watching him play. She loves walking and is an occasional Park Runner.