Who We Are
Council of Management
The present War on Want Council of Management:
Sue Branford, Chair
Sue is a journalist and broadcaster who lived in Brazil for many years. She has worked for the BBC, the Guardian and the Financial Times. She has written books about Brazil and international debt, and has written a history of War on Want’s project partner, MST, the Landless Movement in Brazil. Martin Hughes, Vice Chairperson
Martin worked for War on Want from 1988 until 1994, eventually becoming deputy chief executive. He runs a public relations business in London and is also a board member of Medical Aid for Palestinians. James O'Nions, Vice Chairperson
James is an anti-corporate activist, a founding member of Iraq Occupation Focus, and writes on global justice issues for Red Pepper magazine. He currently works for the World Development Movement. Ben Birnberg, Company Secretary
Ben is an eminent civil rights lawyer and has been involved with War on Want since the early 1970s. As Company Secretary, Ben is not a member of the Council of Management but is appointed by the trustees. Pete Coleman, Treasurer
Pete is a charity finance specialist, and has worked for campaigns promoting peace, economic justice, and human rights. He is currently serving his second term on Council, having been elected in 2003 and re-elected in 2006. Pete was appointed to the role of Treasurer in 2005.
Sandy Boyle
Sandy was previously Deputy General Secretary of the banking union, UNIFI. He has been President of the STUC, President of Union Network International's Europe Finance Section and a Member of its Europe and World Executives. He is a member of Action for Southern Africa’s (ACTSA) Scottish Committee and of Scottish Friends of Palestine. Michael Hindley
Michael is a freelance consultant in International Politics and Trade registered with the Ethical Exchange and works for a number of international bodies. He was a Labour Member of the European Parliament from 1984 to 1999 and is a now a Lancashire County Councillor and member of CND and the GMB union. Mark Luetchford
Mark is the co-author of War on Want’s authorised history, and has worked as a campaigner for War on Want (in the 1980s), Oxfam, and the Soil Association, and is currently Chair of the Western Sahara Campaign. Jenny Ricks
A former War on Want campaigner, Jenny is now Corporates Campaigner at ActionAid. Toby Shelley
Toby is an Author and Journalist, and expert on the occupation of the Western Sahara. His recent book, Endgame in Western Sahara was published in conjunction with War on Want. Yasmin Khan
Yasmin is an anti-racist and social justice campaigner in the Labour movement in the UK and the global justice movement. Her recent work has focused on highlighting the human rights implications of the role of corporations in occupied Iraq. Dave Spooner
Dave works for the education and international departments of Unite (T&G Section), responsible for the union’s education programmes on globalisation and international organising. He is General Secretary of the International Federation of Workers' Education Associations (IFWEA), a Board member of the Global Labour Institute, and on the Steering Committee of Women in Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organizing (WIEGO). Nick Dearden
Nick is a former member of War on Want staff, and spent six years campaigning on workers' rights in the global economy and poverty in conflict zones like Palestine and Colombia. He is now the Director of the Jubilee Debt Campaign.
Sue is a journalist and broadcaster who lived in Brazil for many years. She has worked for the BBC, the Guardian and the Financial Times. She has written books about Brazil and international debt, and has written a history of War on Want’s project partner, MST, the Landless Movement in Brazil. Martin Hughes, Vice Chairperson
Martin worked for War on Want from 1988 until 1994, eventually becoming deputy chief executive. He runs a public relations business in London and is also a board member of Medical Aid for Palestinians. James O'Nions, Vice Chairperson
James is an anti-corporate activist, a founding member of Iraq Occupation Focus, and writes on global justice issues for Red Pepper magazine. He currently works for the World Development Movement. Ben Birnberg, Company Secretary
Ben is an eminent civil rights lawyer and has been involved with War on Want since the early 1970s. As Company Secretary, Ben is not a member of the Council of Management but is appointed by the trustees. Pete Coleman, Treasurer
Pete is a charity finance specialist, and has worked for campaigns promoting peace, economic justice, and human rights. He is currently serving his second term on Council, having been elected in 2003 and re-elected in 2006. Pete was appointed to the role of Treasurer in 2005.
Sandy Boyle
Sandy was previously Deputy General Secretary of the banking union, UNIFI. He has been President of the STUC, President of Union Network International's Europe Finance Section and a Member of its Europe and World Executives. He is a member of Action for Southern Africa’s (ACTSA) Scottish Committee and of Scottish Friends of Palestine. Michael Hindley
Michael is a freelance consultant in International Politics and Trade registered with the Ethical Exchange and works for a number of international bodies. He was a Labour Member of the European Parliament from 1984 to 1999 and is a now a Lancashire County Councillor and member of CND and the GMB union. Mark Luetchford
Mark is the co-author of War on Want’s authorised history, and has worked as a campaigner for War on Want (in the 1980s), Oxfam, and the Soil Association, and is currently Chair of the Western Sahara Campaign. Jenny Ricks
A former War on Want campaigner, Jenny is now Corporates Campaigner at ActionAid. Toby Shelley
Toby is an Author and Journalist, and expert on the occupation of the Western Sahara. His recent book, Endgame in Western Sahara was published in conjunction with War on Want. Yasmin Khan
Yasmin is an anti-racist and social justice campaigner in the Labour movement in the UK and the global justice movement. Her recent work has focused on highlighting the human rights implications of the role of corporations in occupied Iraq. Dave Spooner
Dave works for the education and international departments of Unite (T&G Section), responsible for the union’s education programmes on globalisation and international organising. He is General Secretary of the International Federation of Workers' Education Associations (IFWEA), a Board member of the Global Labour Institute, and on the Steering Committee of Women in Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organizing (WIEGO). Nick Dearden
Nick is a former member of War on Want staff, and spent six years campaigning on workers' rights in the global economy and poverty in conflict zones like Palestine and Colombia. He is now the Director of the Jubilee Debt Campaign.
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