A retreat is your chance to step aside from life for a while, to rest and just 'be' in a welcoming, peaceful place.
Who we are
Patrons of the Retreat Association
We are very grateful to each of our patrons for their generosity in lending support to our work. They share with us a passionate belief in the value of stillness and silence and their involvement will be a great encouragement to those who seek to deepen their faith journey through retreats and reflective activities.
Abbot Christopher Jamison OSB
Abbot President of the English Benedictine Congregation, author, broadcaster and speaker, Christopher plays an active role as patron, taking part in a number of Retreat Association conferences and Summer Events.
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Margaret Rizza
Composer and musician, former tutor at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, Margaret is an enthusiastic supporter of the work of the Retreat Association and took part in our 2015 Retreat Association Conference.
Sara Maitland
Author of fiction and non-fiction, speaker and creative writing tutor, Sara has been a contributor to our Retreats handbook and was guest speaker at our 2018 conference and 2021 Summer Event.
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Rev Graham Sparkes
Baptist minister Graham is a tutor in Christian spirituality, speaker and retreat leader. Graham has played a key role in Retreat Association conferences since 2012 and Summer Events since they began in 2014.
Dean of Southwark, author of several books about poetry and theology with a strong interest in theatre, Mark was a guest speaker at our 2025 conference and is our newest patron. We look forward to working with him.
Dr Rowan Williams
Bishop, theologian & poet Rowan Williams is a great supporter of the work of retreat centres, has contributed articles to the Retreats handbook and was a speaker at the 2015 Retreat Association Conference.
Trustees of the Retreat Association
The trustees of the Retreat Association are responsible for the governance of the organisation and for guiding its vision and mission. They work with the Director to develop the overall strategy of the Retreat Association.
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The trustees are unpaid volunteers and meet three times a year, some also serving on sub-committees to provide additional support for the work of the organisation.
Our current trustees are:
Mrs Susan Chastney
Rev Martin Davies
Mr Urs Mattmann
Mrs Sheila Pollard
Miss Shirley Taylor
Retreat Association Staff
Alison MacTier
Executive Director
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Alison is the Director of the Retreat Association, with overall responsibility for the leadership of the charity. Alison has a professional background in book publishing and the charity sector. She is also a trained spiritual director and leads quiet days and retreats.
Clare Lake
Office Administrator
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Clare is responsible for looking after the administrative activities of the charity. She explains, 'Having always had an interest in psychology and spirituality, and a desire to understand the human essence, it was a natural choice to contribute to The Retreat Association'.
Retreat Association extended team
Gina Cavanagh
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Gina is responsible for looking after the website and social media for the charity. She is excited to see the work of the Retreat Association reach a wider group of people.
Jill Keegan
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Jill helps out in a number of ways, in particular with the preparation of our annual handbook, Retreats, and with the planning of our three-yearly Conference. Jill is also an active member of the Catholic Spirituality Network CSN.
Carol Marsh
Carol works on the design of our publicity material and newsletters. She lives in Devon with her husband, son and dog, and also makes and sells her own jewellery via her website 'Nonsisa'.
Alan Mossman
Alan of the Alpha Xperience is responsible for the design and typesetting of our annual Retreats handbook and some of our other resources such as our icon cards.
Caroline Rance
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Caroline is a writer and editor helping us with the Retreats handbook and a number of other projects. She brings many years' experience of working in the charity sector. Caroline lives in Buckinghamshire with her husband, son, dog and three horses.