War Child CEO joins Hope and Homes for Children

Mark Waddington has become the new Chief Executive of the international charity Hope and Homes for Children.

Mark, 42, joined the Salisbury-based charity on Monday from War Child - where he has been CEO since 2004.

He replaces Rick Foulsham CMG, who departs Hope and Homes for Children after six years at the helm.

Hope and Homes for Children is a leading charity in transforming harmful and outdated childcare practices in Central and Eastern Europe and Africa. Working with willing governments in ten countries, it closes children’s institutions and helps to establish family based alternative care and support services in their place.

Mark, who during his tenure at War Child lifted the charity’s income base by 500 per cent, said he was looking forward to the next chapter in his career.

"Hope and Homes for Children is a well established and highly respected organisation that has succeeded in transforming the lives of many children who would otherwise have been denied their childhoods,” said Mark.

“It is an organisation that can be proud of what it has already achieved and in so doing can be excited by the vision it has set for itself to extend its reach and help even more children.

“I am very much looking forward to helping Hope and Homes for Children to achieve its potential."

Hope and Homes for Children has been helping some of the world’s most vulnerable children grow up in loving families since 1994. In this time its played a leading role at national level in reforming outdated childcare systems. In 2010 alone it closed seven institutions - freeing more than 500 children.  It also prevented a further 5,641 from being separated from their parents and placed in institutions. In all, the charity had a positive impact on the lives of more than 26,000 vulnerable children and families last year. Along the way it recruited and trained 409 local volunteers to support children in their communities, as well as providing new skills and mentoring to more than 5,000 professionals.

J. Timothy Richards, Chair of Trustees at Hope and Homes for Children and CEO
of Vue cinemas, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to welcome Mark to the
Hope and Homes for Children family.

“His expertise within the international development sector will help Hope and Homes for Children transform even more lives.”