About

Staff

• Martyn Barson, data processing assistant
• Heidi Chow, campaigns officer
• Deborah Doane, director
• Kathryn Excell, fundraising assistant
• Caroline Griffin, fundraising and communications officer (maternity leave 2012)
• Hannah Griffiths, head of policy and campaigns
• Lorraine Groves, head of fundraising and communications
• Christine Haigh, policy and campaigns officer
• Angela Heasman, finance officer
• Amy Horton, policy and campaigns assistant
• Effie Jordan, campaigns assistant
• Andrea Kaszewski, development and...

WDM was founded in 1970, by bringing together a number of groups which had been campaigning against world poverty during the late 1960s. We broke new ground by focusing on the causes of poverty and demanding policy changes rather than charitable giving. Since then, WDM has evolved into a democratic, politically independent organisation, with 15,000 supporters and a network of 60 local groups across the UK. Read more about our campaigning successes below.

• 2011 After concerted lobbying by WDM supporters, French oil company Total postponed plans to mine tar sands deposits in one of the poorest regions of Madagascar. 
• 2010 After campaigning by WDM, RBS commits to developing external environmental, social and ethical risk statements and internally implementing similar policies for oil and gas, mining and metals and forestry and defence. 
• 2010 After sustained campaigning by WDM, including meetings with RBS group chairman Sir Philip Hampton and other board members, RBS’s 2010 and 2011 sustainability reports for the first...

We campaigned against Europe’s unfair trade deals from April 2008 to December 2009.

We are not against trade, but we do want to stop the European pirates stealing our resources"
- Norma Maldonado, Guatemala

In 2006. the European Union announced a new trade strategy which targeted developing countries for trade deals. These trade deals were clearly stacked in favour of European companies, for example unrestricted access to raw materials from poor countries and demanding less regulation for European corporations. The trade strategy also tried to get poor countries to open up their markets to subsidised, imported European goods and produce, rather than allowing space for developing countries to build their own industries.

Campaign successes

The campaign got a quarter of all UK MEP candidates at the 2009 European parliamentary election to sign up to the TJM ‘trade pledge’. Candidates committed to take action if they were elected to get a review of EU trade policy and to promote coherence between trade and development issues. 

WDM groups and supporters took an active part in lobbying their MEPs...

Head of policy and campaigns

hannah.griffiths@wdm.org.uk

Hannah joined WDM in 2011 as head of campaigns and policy. Previously, Hannah worked at Friends of the Earth, 1999-2009. There she led campaigns on a range of issues relating to economic and environmental justice and corporate accountability, including leading the corporates and trade team and developing Friends of the Earth’s campaign on biofuels. Prior to that, she coordinated a network of communities across the world campaigning on Shell’s impacts in their area, which resulted in many successes for different communities. From 2009-2011 Hannah was a freelance consultant on environment and development issues, and carried out campaign review, strategy, planning and fundraising for a range of organisations in the UK and Europe. Hannah has a Masters degree in Environmental Policy from Imperial College. 

WDM campaigned to clean up the bailed-out banks between 2009 and 2011.

Background

Following the financial crisis of 2008, the UK government used a staggering £45.5 billion of UK taxpayers’ money – the GDP of Kenya and Tanzania combined – to prop up the Royal Bank of Scotland.

RBS used that public money to finance projects and companies that threaten the climate and human rights, such as tar sands extraction in Madagascar and Canada.

Networks assistant and campaigns and policy assistant

sarah.reader@wdm.org.uk and climatejustice@wdm.org.uk

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Sarah is part time networks assistant at WDM and part time climate justice campaigns and policy assistant. As networks assistant, Sarah helps James and Katharine support WDM’s local groups network and organise events.

As campaigns and policy assistant, Sarah works on the climate justice campaign helping to research issues related to the campaign, produce materials and organise actions and events.

Before WDM, Sarah was the universities network coordinator for Campaign Against Arms Trade and promoted recycling in Hackney with Waste Watch. She graduated with a degree in Politics and International Studies from the University of Warwick. Outside of work Sarah is involved in anti-arms trade, anti-cuts and environmental campaigning.

Campaigns officer

heidi.chow@wdm.org.uk

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Heidi is a campaigns officer at WDM, working to stop excessive speculation on food prices in financial markets. She does this alongside her job share partner, Christine Haigh. Heidi started with WDM in 2008 and has campaigned on issues including Europe’s trade deals, the World Trade Organisation and stopping RBS’s unethical investments. Since gaining her degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from Oxford University Heidi has held a number of jobs in marketing and communications.  

Campaigns assistant, Scotland

jane@wdmscotland.org.uk

Jane is campaigns assistant and works with Liz and Eddy in WDM’s Scottish office, helping to adapt WDM campaigns to the Scottish context. She also works on Scottish WDM publications, including the Scottish newsletter and works with the Scottish local groups.

Before working for WDM, Jane worked for Scottish Environment LINK as a parliamentary officer, and for the Scottish Civic Forum.  Outside of work, she and her two young kids enjoy experimenting with  baking vegan cakes, reading, and mastering the art of the ‘lie-in’ – sleep being rather hard to come by at the moment!

Shaun Chamberlin is the author of The Transition Timeline and has been involved with the Transition Network since its inception, co-founding Transition Town Kingston.  He also co-authored the All Party Parliamentary Group on Peak Oil's report into TEQs (carbon rationing) and has been a member of WDM since 2004. His website is www.darkoptimism.org. 

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Marylyn Rayner has been a member of WDM since 1991. She’s an Area Rep for the East Midlands and a Rep on Council, and has served on and off council since 1996. She has also sat on the board of the WDM Trust for the past 3 years.  

Veronica Pasteur  is Head of Campaigns at the Fairtrade Foundation, where she has been for 6 years. She has been an active member of WDM for 10 years and on council since 2010. 

Kevin Meaney has been an active member of the Oxford WDM group for the last 9 years. In that time he’s been treasurer, secretary and chair of the local group. He is a regular blogger on environment and social issues. He works as a Software Engineer.   

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John Blair Fish has been a member of WDM for 20 years. He has been an active member of the Edinburgh and Lothians group for 14 years, and a member of Council for 5 years including one year as Scottish rep. He has a strong Church background as the son of an Anglican vicar who introduced Christian Aid to his Church. When he’s not spending time with WDM, he supports research computing in the University of Edinburgh and a passion for running up hills.  

Christine Babin joined WDM council in July 2010 as National Treasurer. She is a qualified accountant who previously supported financial management in WaterAid’s Asia region. She joined WaterAid in February 2006 from Rathbone and started the role of Internal Auditor in WaterAid UK January 2010. Prior appointments include roles with other international NGOs. 

Senior campaigns officer

kirsty.wright@wdm.org.uk

Kirsty is senior campaigns officer at WDM. She campaigns to keep the World Bank out of climate finance and against loans for climate change. Kirsty joined WDM in 2008 and was part of WDM’s successful campaigns to stop Kingsnorth and push for a strong Climate Change Act. Before this, she lived in New Zealand where she was campaigned on trade justice in the Pacific, conflict and climate change. She has also worked on women’s rights in Nicaragua, as a peace observer with Zapatista communities in Mexico, and with refugee communities in Middle East. She graduated from Sussex where she studied Media, Culture and Community focusing on social movements and political communication. Outside of work, Kirsty is also involved in anti-cuts and climate justice campaigning, and enjoys learning about bees. 

Fundraising and communications assistant

andrew.taylor@wdm.org.uk

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Andrew is fundraising and communications assistant at WDM. He helps raise money from individuals and ethical companies and organises WDM’s annual comedy night. Prior to working for WDM, Andrew spent a year working for a charity telephone fundraising agency. He studied Journalism and Sociology at Staffordshire University before completing an MA in International Relations. In his spare time, Andrew writes events reviews for an entertainment website and spends as much time as possible getting out of London to go wildlife watching.  

Media officer

miriam.ross@wdm.org.uk

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Miriam is media officer at WDM, and works to generate as much coverage as possible for our campaigns. She joined WDM in May 2011, and prior to that worked for ten years as a campaigner and press officer at Survival International, the organisation supporting tribal peoples. 

Head of campaigns and networks, Scotland

liz@wdmscotland.org.uk

Liz Murray is head of campaigns and networks at WDM’s Scottish office. She works to strengthen WDM’s campaigns by adapting them to the Scottish context, lobbying Scottish MPs and MSPs and working with WDM’s local groups in Scotland. Before WDM, Liz worked as a researcher at the Scottish Parliament and as a campaigner on environmental justice for Friends of the Earth Scotland. Liz previously worked as a campaigner on green economics and climate change for Greenpeace in the UK and in Australia and as a volunteer in Zimbabwe. Outside WDM, Liz has helped set up a community garden in the grounds of a hospital in Edinburgh. 

Head of resources

ashley.misplon@wdm.org.uk

Ashley is head of resources at WDM. She took on the role in 2008 and has overall responsibility for all of WDM’s key internal functions - finance, human resources, ICT and office management - ensuring that effective resource management helps WDM achieve its aims. Prior to joining WDM, Ashley worked at the Environmental Investigation Agency – firstly as communications and press coordinator and then as the operations manager.

Campaigns assistant

effie@wdm.org.uk

Effie is a campaigns assistant at WDM having first come across the organisation when she was in the throes of moving abroad to work on programmes to combat poverty in Africa. WDM made her realise to her horror that much of the poverty there existed due to UK international policies. Effie then traded a life in the sunshine for life in the inner city and initially volunteered at WDM before moving into her current role. Effie has a masters degree in Development. She has also been involved in the Women’s Environmental Network, arts and crafts, school volunteering and vegetable growing, as well as being a parent and child producing. 

Finance officer

angela.heasman@wdm.org.uk

Angela is finance officer at WDM, having joined in November 2010. She started work in the voluntary sector many years ago helping to run a small London housing co-operative. She has worked in a variety of financial management and accountancy roles, mainly for a large social housing and care provider. She has also worked for a small housing charity for Irish people in London, and prior to joining WDM, for Richmond Fellowship, a large mental health charity.  

Head of fundraising and communications

lorraine.groves@wdm.org.uk

Lorraine is head of fundraising and communications at WDM. She has overall responsibility for raising money for WDM’s work and for supporter communications and marketing. Before joining WDM in 2009 Lorraine held fundraising roles with The Children’s Society, Shelter and Action Against Hunger, having left a lengthy career in marketing with a global banking group in 2004. The decision was prompted, of course, by the desire to do something much more worthwhile. When not at work, Lorraine is busy as a qualified garden designer and restaurant reviewer.   

Director

deborah.doane@wdm.org.uk

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Deborah is director at WDM. Since 1996 she has worked on ethical trading, human rights and sustainable development issues, most recently as head of sustainable consumption at WWF-UK. Prior to that, she was director of the CORE Coalition of over 130 NGOs, which achieved groundbreaking changes to UK Company Law to improve governance of social and environmental impacts. Previously, Deborah was head of corporate accountability at the New Economics Foundation, and led the Humanitarian Ombudsman Project for the British Red Cross.  

Deborah is a frequent guest lecturer and has published widely on sustainability, human rights and corporate accountability issues. She is on the board of the Fairtrade Foundation, and was a member of the Corporate Responsibility Advisory Group of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England Wales between 2004 and 2010. She is also a co-founder of Anti-Apathy, which supports people to take creative approaches to social and...

World Development Movement (WDM) is committed to maintaining all personal data on our members and supporters in a secure manner which meets the requirements of the Data Protection Act (1998). All data on supporters who either donate to us or take part in our campaign actions is held so that we can communicate effectively with our supporter base.

Donations

All credit card donations made to WDM use the Secpay processing system which is operated by Paypoint.net. This offers a safe and secure way of processing payments online. 

All direct debits set up on WDM’s website are processed by RSM2000, an electronic payment provider which offers a secure system of processing these payments to organisations. 

Mailing list

Our e-news updates and e-bulletins are received by anyone who has provided their email address and opted in to receive emails from us. To unsubscribe from our mailing list you can click the unsubscribe button at the bottom of one of our emails, visit the...

WDM Scotland is the Scottish wing of the World Development Movement (WDM) - a UK-based anti-poverty campaigning organisation with a world-wide reputation for tackling hard-hitting, controversial issues.  We lobby decision makers to change the policies that keep people poor; research and promote positive alternatives; and work alongside people in the developing world who are standing up to injustice.

The WDM Scotland office was set up in November 1998 in order to support campaign activity in Scotland, and to adapt WDM campaigns for use in the Scottish context.  Read about our past successes here, or go to Scotland Campaigns for details of present projects.

There are lots of ways to get involved now - see Scotland Action for details of current action, or why not join a local group?

...

WDM's 2010 annual general meeting (AGM) will take place during our activist gathering in Sheffield on Saturday 19 June. Further information and booking.

AGM agenda

1. Welcome and introduction by the Chair

2. Director's report
    a) Update on WDM+10 (Strategic Framework)
    b) Plans for 2010

3. Adoption of the minutes of the 2009 AGM and matters arising not elsewhere on the agenda

4. Adoption of annual report and accounts
    a) Treasurer’s report
    b) Adoption of annual report and accounts
    c) Re-appointment of auditors

5. Election of Council members and Area Representatives.

6. Close by Chair

Accounts and annual review

The audited accounts for 2009 and WDM's annual review are available online. The minutes of the 2009 AGM will be available on the day.
 

The World Development Movement is one of the most dynamic and successful NGOs I have known. I salute WDM!

John Pilger, journalist

Who we are

The World Development Movement (WDM) is a UK-based anti-poverty campaigning organisation. We have a worldwide reputation for tackling hard-hitting, controversial issues.

Our vision

We believe a fairer world is possible if together we take action for social justice. Just as campaigners stopped the transatlantic slave trade and won women the vote, we can end global inequality.

Take action

The Climate Justice campaign. We are calling on the UK government to take action to reduce the UK’s emissions and pay back its climate debt to poor countries in the form of climate finance. It is time to stop climate injustice.

The Clean the Banks campaign. Following the bail-out of the Royal Bank of Scotland, taxpayers now own 84% of the bank and the Treasury has done...

The World Development Movement Trust is a registered charity (CC No. 1064066) linked to WDM.

WDM Trust enables us to use charitable income from individuals, churches and charitable trusts to fund our research and education work, whilst leaving WDM free to campaign at a political level. The Trust funds the key research and publications which underpin our campaigns.

The Trust is also active in a small way in direct relief of poverty. Its Tanzania Rural Revival initiative is especially linked to Bulongwa and its neighbourhood and a "Peppercorn" scheme, run jointly with another Trust that specialises in employment generation by refurbishing computers, supplies computers to schools and other institutions, mainly in Africa. Both of these also welcome donations.

Through the WDM Trust, you can support WDM's work 'tax effectively' - if you are a UK tax-payer. This means that we can claim back from the Inland Revenue the tax you have already paid - making your gift worth 28% more at no extra cost to you.

WDM strives to be a truly democratic movement, with individuals, groups and our professional staff working together for justice for the world's poor. WDM's council approves and monitors all WDM's major policy positions and initiatives, and sets our long term plans and direction. Council members are responsible for:

• Agreeing a shared vision and strategy for WDM's development created with the director in consultation with staff, local groups and southern partners.
• Ensuring that robust policies and plans, together with the necessary resources, are in place to achieve our strategic aims.
• Monitoring and evaluating performance against approved plans and budgets.
• Ensuring compliance with WDM's charitable objects, its legal and financial responsibilities and securing its long-term financial viability.

The council of WDM consists of nine people voted for by WDM members, up to three representing local groups, and a further three people co-opted as required to balance the council’s skills or diversity.

A revised Articles of Association was adopted at the June 2011 AGM, which now means that each council serves for a three year term, with elected members serving a maximum of two terms, or six consecutive years. Therefore those elected...