Who We Are
When they lived in Kenya, Richard and Claire Homer saw a need to provide high quality education to the neediest children of a local deprived area.
As a result, they helped establish Dominion Hope Academy in Gachie in 2012. This later led to establishing the charity which has since grown. See our story.
Karen Ferguson
Chair
Karen is the Managing Director of The Maven Club, a virtual network that helps people to grow their ideas, their organisations and themselves in a supportive environment; providing access to resources, 1:1 sessions, peer support, expert workshops, labs and academies, training packages, and bespoke concept development. Over many years, Karen has worked in communication and concept development specialising in helping individuals and organisations to grow well, from start-ups to large organisations. Her work encompasses various sectors bringing to life project ideas, through to establishing businesses or charities. She is passionate about good communication and organisational health and loves to see people released into their full potential.
Karen is the chair of trustees and oversees educational training.
Richard Homer
Treasurer
For two decades Richard has worked coordinating treatment for people affected by substance use. He has authored drug treatment programmes and managed recovery teams within custodial and community settings, both in the UK and East Africa.
Richard’s work in Kenya included overseeing the Bridging the Gaps alliance, a programme to improve the health and rights of people who use drugs. In the UK, Richard has led on numerous interventions addressing addiction, such as Alcohol Brief Interventions, Harm Reduction facilitation, Community Outreach and Peer Mentor Schemes.
As Treasurer, he is responsible for the financial management of the UK charity and oversees the administration of Dominion Hope Academy in Kenya.
Claire Homer
Trustee
Claire has spent many years supporting individuals with social, addiction and housing needs through Christian churches, organisations and personal projects, within the UK. She has also developed and run children’s work and kids’ clubs through local church as well as supporting many families when running parenting courses.
As a Trustee she has firmly established herself as the Lead for children’s health and well-being. This compliments her role as an Advanced Nurse Practitioner within General Practice in Dorset. Claire has almost 30 years of nursing experience in a variety of roles and specialities in primary and secondary care. This wealth of experience and knowledge, coupled with compassion, supports her in providing an advisory health clinic to staff and children at the school.
Having lived in Kenya she understands the needs of children living and growing up in a developing country and especially within deprived areas. Claire is passionate for the welfare of children and focuses her Trustee role in this area. She is secretary for the charity.
Ash Barker
Trustee
Rev Dr. Ash Barker is a shalom activist and Pioneer Minister with over 35 years of experience unlocking potential in urban communities. Born and raised in Melbourne, Australia, he spent 12 years serving in Bangkok’s largest slum before relocating to inner-city Birmingham, UK, in 2014. An inspiring speaker and author of 9 books, Ash leads Seedbeds, releasing unique potential from within local people and places around the world. Alongside his wife Anji, Ash lives in community at Newbigin House in Winson Green, ministers with Lodge Road Community Church (URC), and lectures at Nazarene Theological College, Manchester.
