Staff

Staff

John Ashcroft, Research Director

John is also Research Director of the Relationships Foundation which he has worked for since it was launched in 1994. His time is split between identifying and developing new projects, managing ongoing research programmes and advising on strategy and direction. John's work has included consultancy and training for a wide range of private, public and third sector organisations. He is the co-author of The Case for Interprofessional Collaboration (2005) and Relationships in the NHS: Bridging the Gap (2000). As Research Director, his time is split between identifying and developing new projects, managing ongoing research programmes and advising on strategy and direction. John holds a degree in theology from Oxford University and a Master of Theology from King's College, London.

j.ashcroft@marriagefoundation.org.uk

Harry Benson, Communications Director

Harry Benson was founder and director of the relationship education charity Bristol Community Family Trust. Over the past ten years, he taught hundreds of relationship courses to thousands of people in Bristol and elsewhere. He is a vocal and unashamed champion of marriage because the research tells him that marriage matters. He has written research papers that have made front page news and co-authored influential family policy papers for the Centre for Social Justice. He is also the author and originator of Let’s Stick Together, a pioneering relationship book and programme for new parents in the post-natal system and Surestart, now backed by the Department for Education. He is currently in the public eye for his completely different book SCRAM! a gripping first hand account of the helicopter war in the Falklands, reflecting his first career as a 21 year old Royal Navy commando pilot. In between, he became a partner in a successful stockbroking firm in Asia before achieving a first class honours BSc Psychology degree back in the UK at Bristol university as a mature student. Harry is married to Kate and lives in Somerset. Surviving a marital crisis in the mid-1990s, they have now been married for 25 years. They have six children aged nine to twenty.

h.benson@marriagefoundation.org.uk
(press and media only: 075151 699187)

Danielle Greene, Communications and Development Manager

Danielle studied Law at Cambridge University and at the University of Poitiers (France). At Cambridge she was involved in various volunteer projects, primarily working with young people aspiring to reach higher education. Since graduating in 2012 Danielle has worked for several companies in administrative and technical roles. She recently joined the Marriage Foundation as their Development and Communicatons Manager.

d.greene@marriagefoundation.org.uk

Michael Trend, Executive Director

After studying at the University of Oxford Michael started work as a volunteer at Toynbee Hall in London's East End. Since then he has chiefly worked in journalism and politics. He held senior posts in the Times Literary Supplement and The Spectator and was the Editor of History Today and the parliamentary House Magazine. He was the Chief Leader Writer of the Daily Telegraph when, in 1992, he was elected as the MP for Windsor. For three years he was also the Deputy Chairman and Director General of the Conservative Party (1995-98). He stood down at the 2005 election. Michael has a strong interest in human rights: he was Vice-Chairman of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy and has led election delegations to Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan for the Washington-based International Republican Institute. He joined the Relationships Foundation as Executive Director in 2008.

m.trend@marriagefoundation.org.uk

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Summer 2013 Newsletter now available

Second marriages are less likely to end in divorce than first

Startling new MF research on UK divorce rate