An Oxted based community charity made up of over 350 members.

Based in Oxted, Surrey, we are a community charity made up of over 350 local members who share in the mission and values of the charity

Many of our members have been with us for many years, supporting the organisation by running and attending fundraising events across the year. The charity is voluntarily and professionally run by a board of trustees, all current or previous residents of Oxted. Each and every one of the trustees bring a unique set of skills and expertise to the organisation. Our AGM is run every October for members, and our annual accounts are independently audited prior to submission to the Charities Commission.

Profiles of the OWG Board of Trustees

Geoffrey Sanderson

Geoffrey, who has lived in Limpsfield since 1985, has been Chairman of OWG since 2009. His career included 21 years with Reuter’s during which he travelled globally, leading projects and businesses. He also visited a number of African countries, India, Nepal, SE Asia and South America. He is a keen fund raiser for charities and has a particular interest in helping developing countries.

Valerie Adamson MBE

Valerie, who has lived in the Oxted area since 1967, is Vice-Chairman of OWG and was one of the founder members of the Group. In September 1966, she joined Oxted County School as a geography teacher and has been involved in education in a variety of roles ever since. She writes the twice-yearly OWG Newsletters and is a keen organiser of plant sales in aid of OWG and of church funds.

Anna Burrage

Anna, who has lived in Limpsfield/Oxted since 1978, has been Treasurer of OWG since 2001. She worked in the hotel business and then ran the local Kumon Maths & English Centre for 20 years as well as bringing up 5 children. She has a strong commitment to raising money for projects in developing countries.

Helen Adams

Helen has been a trustee and Secretary of OWG since 1992. Her career has focused on marketing training and development for global companies, such as Nestle and Danone. She has travelled widely, including to a number of African countries, and is a keen organiser of fundraising events.

Paul Belok

Paul has lived in Oxted since 1994 and coordinates the annual OWG open gardens event. He is a retired consulting actuary and is membership secretary of Oxted tennis club as well as being involved in local school governance.

Barbara Buxton

Barbara has lived in Oxted since 1988. She has been an OWG trustee since 2015, and helps to maintain an accurate database of all projects supported by the Charity. Barbara had a career in teaching for 30 years and spent many of her earlier years helping her church raise money for Christian Aid, which provides humanitarian relief and long-term development support for poor communities worldwide.

Averin Cox

Averin was brought up in Zimbabwe and has strong links with Southern Africa. She has lived in Oxted for 30 years, works for the NHS and is committed to helping developing countries.

John Leslie

John, who has lived in the Oxted area since 1971, was Chairman of OWG for 2 years in the early 1990s. His career as a Chartered Engineer was spent in engineering services covering an assortment of buildings in the UK, SE Asia and Africa. In his early career, he lived overseas for 8 years in Afghanistan, Jordan, Jamaica, Nigeria and Ghana, where he experienced on the ground and in depth the needs of people in developing countries.

Shaun Mundy

Shaun, who has lived in Oxted since 1984, is Chair of OWG's Projects Committee. Following a career in the Home Office, Cabinet Office and financial services regulators, Shaun has provided consultancy support to more than 20 developing countries to help them strengthen their population's ability to manage their money well.

Stuart Paterson

Stuart, who has lived in Oxted since 1979 and has been an OWG trustee for 30 years, is OWG's Press Officer and also heads the team which runs OWG's annual Silent Auction fund-raising event. A Fellow of the Institute of Housing, he worked for a large local authority and then for several housing associations in a housing development role. He is Press Officer for several other local organisations.