Interview with the new CEO
We asked staff, contacts and followers of TTR on Facebook to send in some questions for Tim, our new CEO. This is the full interview -- an abridged version can be found in the Spring Vital Link.
What are Tim’s plans for TTR?
Firstly, I would say that my plans are to follow God’s plans for TTR. It is important that we first hear from God and then act on what He wants us to do.
Where do you see the organisation going in the next three years?
I am really excited by the prospect of what God will do in, and through, all of us involved with TTR during the months ahead and I sense that this is a new season for the charity. Over the next 3 years I want to grow the reach and impact of our work and those we work with, so that disabled people will benefit, physically and spiritually, in greater depth and numbers.
What is the charity’s role now? The DDA has passed, and everyone’s much more aware of disability – what are we here to do?
I believe we are here to lead the way in mobilising disabled people to release their hidden gifts and uniquely contribute to church and community life. We will do that through our programmes which distribute wheelchairs, offer friendship, and provide opportunities to enable disabled people. We’ll also continue to resource others to do so too.
What strengths do you think you bring to the role?
I would say that my leadership style is a Team Builder. I love identifying the right people (often marginalised people who are overlooked) with the right gifts and skills, then harnessing their talents by placing them in the right role so that altogether as a team we will achieve the right results. I strongly believe in the acronym – Together Everyone Acheives More.
I’m also a Developer – in that I always want to encourage and help people to grow and move on in their life journey. The Bible clearly tells us that every person has something to contribute and I love finding the hidden gifts in people who are often overlooked, then helping them to grow in that.
Any weaknesses?
Too many to mention here – just ask my wife!
What is your interest in disability?
I really feel that God has called me into the ‘field’ of disability. The catalyst for my 20+ years’ involvement, started at 15. My mum ‘volunteered’ me to help on the ‘Disabled Children’s Holiday’ based at a local church. That experience kick-started a passion in me to see disabled people given the same opportunities as everyone else, and to be accepted and included in life. Since then I have taught sports to college students with learning disabilities, worked in a strategic role for a disability sports charity, and now been on the senior management team with TTR for over 4 years. On a practical level at my church I am a buddy support to a young person with CP.
What are you most looking forward to about leading TTR?
It is a great privilege to take on the role and I acknowledge the great work of Jacky, Paul and Colin over the first 14 years’ of the charity’s life. I am excited by the potential that ‘Through the Roof’ can make in church and community life. When people hear the charity’s name the first thing I want people to associate us with is disabled people being visible and actively involved in ministry and mission – representing what we stand for as an organisation.
What’s the biggest challenge of taking over at TTR?
Driving round the M25 more often! No, but seriously, in light of the current global economic climate and government cuts the need for our work is growing –– while the general reduction in charitable donations means the ability to meet those needs is diminishing. We will have to do more with less and that means as a team - and by ‘team’ I mean anyone involved with the work - we need to be resourceful, creative and innovative.
What is your experience of church?
Throughout my life I have been fortunate to experience the value of many different expressions of church. As a child I went to Church of England schools, attended Methodist church with my family and made a commitment to Jesus as a student at 18. I got baptised in a Baptist church and whilst there I met and married my wife. We moved to a smaller Baptist church for 7 years where I got involved in youthwork and served as a deacon. As our family grew, we moved house and now attend Adeyfield Free Church – which is coincidentally full of people from Anglican, Baptist and Methodist backgrounds – and I’m a non-serving Elder.
Who are the people who have been important influences in your Christian life?
I am really grateful to Derek Page and Geoff Easton of Ruislip Baptist Church, who, when I was still young in my faith, invited me onto a leadership course when I wasn’t even aware of my potential. I’m also very fortunate to have a fantastic mentor – Matt of Urban Saints – who always encourages me, and my very close friends Danny Sitton and Peter Cannone inspire me in my faith. My wife is also a very wise woman.
If Tim was a candidate on The Apprentice, does he think Lord Sugar would hire him or fire him, and why?
Lord Sugar would probably say something like…”Tim, you’re a nice guy with a big heart but my business doesn’t need nice guys. I sell computers not compassion – you’re fired!”
Tim now has his dream job as CEO of TTR, but if he couldn’t do that what would his second choice dream job be?
I would have loved to have been – and this certainly is an unattainable dream – a Decathlete. Growing up I really admired Daley Thompson and I think that Decathletes are the most supreme all-round athletes.
What do you do to relax?
I love spending time with my wife and four wonderful children. I also enjoy running, reading and eating my wife’s home-made lasagne (but not altogether).
Any final words?
Personally, please pray that God will give me His wisdom and the courage to carry that out. As an organisation, please pray that we are continually in line with God’s will.
Lent Wheelchairs
Save £1 a day for the 40 days of Lent and help transform the life of a disabled person overseas!
Saving £1 a day for the 40 days of Lent works out to be just the right amount to sponsor a wheelchair for our Wheels for the World programme. We're hoping lots of people will take part in this project, funding the refurbishment of wheelchairs for disabled people in Africa.
Once you've saved your £40, please send us a cheque (not coins!) along with a sponsor form - the form can be printed by following this link or by contacting...
- Karen Goodridge, 01372 270983 or
- Gunn Fenn, 01372 273268
If you'd like to advertise the appeal, please feel free to use our poster, which you can download by following this link.
“Pressing on towards the goal” – A new season for TTR
An invitation to volunteers, supporters and anyone with an interest in any aspect of the work – Wheels, DCF, Integr8, Churches inc.
Come and join together to be inspired, celebrate, pray and share together. A light lunch will be provided. No charge will be made but a retiring offering will be open to all to contribute for the costs of the day.
Saturday 2nd April, Epsom; or Saturday 7th May, Burton-on-Trent
There will be the opportunity for those attending to:
• Celebrate our story so far
• Pray and contribute into our shared goals for the future
• Meet and mingle with other supporters, new staff and new CEO
Book your place now-- Margaret – tel: 01372 749955
e-mail: Margaret@throughtheroof.org
2011 Wheelchair Distributions
TTR's Wheels for the World programme has plans for three wheelchair distributions this year:
- Uganda: 30th March - 9th April
- Kenya (Nakuru): 7th - 18th September
- Ghana: 23rd November - 3rd December
Teams of volunteers will work with partner organisations in-country to provide and fully fit mobility aids and present Bibles to disabled people. If you are interested in taking part in one of these trips, or think you might be interested in a future wheelchair distribution, please follow this link for further information.
There are many other ways to support this programme (for example, by praying, fundraising or publicising the work). More information can be found by following this link.
Extra Audio from the Enabling Church Conference
Here's some extra MP3 files from different seminars at the 'Enabling Church' conference. To download them, right-click (or ctrl-click on a Mac) and select 'save'.
Jon Clark Mental Health Seminar
Bishop Michael Langridge and Esther Langridge
Nick Cook Nurturing an inclusive congergation
Laurence Banks Deaf in God's Image
Gordon Temple Onset of disabilty
From Jacky Oliver, CEO
As I celebrate my 66 birthday in January I have decided it would be a good time for me to say goodbye to my role as Chief Executive of Through the Roof. I have been working with the charity since 2002 and have felt privileged to work with a fantastic team of people, all committed to working alongside disabled people as they reach their full potential in every sphere of life.
There has been laughter and tears. We have seen God’s hand move in many miraculous ways guiding the work and I step aside from the leadership role knowing that the charity is in a very healthy position. I am delighted to announce that our Development Manager Tim Wood is taking on the role of Chief Executive from February. I have every confidence in his heart for God and his vision to take Through the Roof forward.
The Board has requested that I be retained as a non-executive director in a part-time capacity to provide some mentoring for Tim, so I will still be involved on the sideline for a period of time. I believe this will be a new exciting phase for the charity with a younger leadership to move forward to the future God-given direction.
Big Band Fundraiser for Wheels - All Welcome!
Through the Roof is pleased to learn that Stardust Big Band will be holding a Charity Tea Concert in aid of Wheels for the World at Ruislip Manor Methodist Church, Torrington Rd, Ruislip Manor, HA4 0AS on Saturday, 29th January 2011 from 5pm-8pm.
Tickets at £3 each will be available from 1st Jan from 01895 633644. A sandwich and cake tea will accompany some excellent live music from this local band. Band Secretary, Eileen Runkel says:
"It has been my wish to raise money for this worthy cause since seeing one of their DVD clips at my own church (Ruislip Baptist Church) a year or two ago."
The band plays at semi-pro standard, from a huge and varied repertoire from early swing to easy listening and modern big band. Over the years, under various titles, they have raised more than £150k for charities both local and national. They also perform at private functions, all income going into band funds to subsidise the charity work.
Further details of the band may be found on their website www.stardustbigband.co.uk
Autumn 2010 Vital Link
Our Autumn Vital Link - now in full colour! - is now available in PDF format. Download it here, and please let us know if you'd like to be alerted about each new issue by email.
Follow this link to download the Autumn 2010 Vital Link (PDF)
The Sharon Award 2010
On Saturday 20th November, Janet Wade travelled to her Disabled Christians Fellowship group meeting unaware that she was to be awarded the 2010 Sharon Award Crystal Key. It was also her birthday, so the day was a double celebration! On hearing that she had been awarded the Key, Janet’s response was to say that she just was just Janet and did not do anything for any reward. Janet truly displayed all of the attributes of faith, courage and cheerfulness also shown by Sharon during her lifetime, and was a worthy recipient.
The Sharon award is an annual award given to those who display the 'attributes of faith, courage and cheerfulness shown by Sharon Key during her lifetime'. We'll be posting details of how you can nominate someone for the award in the new year.
Nyeri, Kenya 2010 - The final day
Our thanks to Phil Green for his inspiring blogs from the Wheels trip to Kenya - Here's 'Day 9 - packing up and flying home.'.
Day started about 6:30 for me... Couldn't sleep so I got up.
Glenda, Chris and I headed down to the hospice to sort out the last chairs whilst the rest of the team headed off to Nairobi. We had two people turning up even today today wanting chairs and crutches. We did manage to provide for both of them.
We sorted out the rest of the chairs which were destined for various hospitals and the hospice. The children's chairs were also headed off to the place Glenda had visited on Monday.
We said our goodbyes and headed off to Nairobi to meet up with the rest of the team. A spot of lunch later and a visit to the place where they make Kuzuri beads. Apparently they sell them in Harrods for exorbitant prices. I got a few for some loved ones. All the beads are made by single mothers and we got a tour of how they are made.
Then we headed off to the airport where I am currently writing this. We have a 6 hour wait or so till we fly.
So it's time to reflect I guess and I have mixed emotions really, well more confused really.
Combination of sadness, nervousness, elation and probably mixed with other stuff as well.
Personally it's been a rough ride but worth while. I lost a loved one at home and so going home is going to be a challenge. Glenda has been such a blessing to me.
I have lots of things I need to work on with Gods help, some self confidence issues and learning to believe that my sins are and have been forgiven. I tend to struggle with guilt.
Even seeing the people coming for chairs has made me feel guilty sometimes. I am so blessed with what I have in life and seeing the things I have seen leaves a lasting impression. It should make me more grateful to God but I sometimes end up with feelings of guilt, the 'why me' question pops up now and again.
Glenda reminded me that while we have been here that about 50 people were born again making a commitment to God. At that point I realised why we were here. To share the gospel and God's love through wheelchairs. Being a techie or an OT you don't see that bit, we leave that to Pam ( well God really). It's great to be able to help and show love in such a way, in fact I feel privileged to be here. It's a strange feeling for me, I guess I never thought I was helping doing God's will, I just wanted to help where I could but again Glenda reminded me what we were here for. The side effect of hopefully improving someone's day to day life is also great but if I'll see them in heaven well that's much better !
I have a special place in my heart for Pip though. I hope she doesn't mind me writing about her here. I think she openly says she is an atheist and that surprised me. I am not saying Christians are somehow more compassionate or anything like that but coming out on the trips and the compassion she shows and coming to church with us etc. Well it just surprised me.
Anyway ....
I was upset the other night and both Glenda and Pip had their arms around me ( what a lucky guy you may think). That said, Pip was upset that I was upset. That made me even more upset ....catch 22.
But she has made a big impression on me.
Pip if you read this you would make a great (amazing if we use team speak see below) Christian and I'll be praying for you. I'll be really sad if you're not in heaven.
Every night Glenda or Chris would say the team have done an amazing job or may be it was awesome, I'd have to agree. It's been a tough trip with some long days and yet no one stopped.
God's been so good to us and often people would say God bless you and I know we have been. Maureen was good to go the next day after she had been ill so our prayers were answered there. We have been able to do some more creative things with the chairs also with Roy's woodworking skills, Brian's clamps and rasp and a little help from my cordless drill, all came together in the technical department. The way the OTs would bounce ideas of each other. The way Glenda and Chris organised things and Glenda would multiple task fitting crutches and chairs. The way Jane made sandwiches for lunch (as well as other things of course). The way Ian, Christine, Naymbura, Warui, Wakani (sorry if I spelt these wrong), Tess, and those others would help translate and of course the way Pam would preach the Gospel. That's what makes a team.
There are a lot more helpers behind the scene of course - those at the hospice for example. Those at home praying for us etc. All I can say is thank you to them from me and thank God for all of them.
It's been a interesting and as mentioned an emotional time for me being able to write the blog for the trip and sharing some of my experiences of a wheels trip.
I will hopefully be doing some more trips (if I am allowed and haven't caused too much trouble this time) in the future and I'd encourage others to do at least one.
So I'll end my story here. I hope I have managed to share some of the experience of a wheels trip with those reading and not sent you all to sleep.
By the time you read this we should be home and going back to our normal jobs etc. Those praying for us please don't stop as I know for me at least it can be tough trying to fit back in to the UK way of life. I'll have to remember what day it is for starters...
Till next time, thanks for supporting us.
PS Thanks God ... You're a great God.