Trustees
Alex Cotter
Executive Trustee
He grew up in a Christian home where practical faith was a real example and an inspiration.
Working alongside Stuart King, he helped to organise the discipleship programme at Cheriton Baptist Church in Folkestone.
Having spent all his working life in the construction industry, and 28 years of those running a small business, it was something of a surprise when he became aware that God was calling him to leave it all behind and concentrate on ‘discipleship’.
Remarkably, his wife and two grown up children didn’t question his sanity!
His heartfelt passion is to see churches ‘grow in depth’, and to encourage, particularly new believers, to discover a deeper, more personal walk with Christ.
His other heartfelt passion is to see Spurs win the Premier league – something his wife and two Arsenal supporter children do have cause to question his sanity!
Josh Carter
Josh grew up in a Christian home and remembers praying with his mum to become a Christian at an early age, but it really all came ‘alive’ for him at a youth camp at Ashburnham Place when he was 11.
He and his wife Anna, attend Harbour Community Church where he is on the leadership team and along with Anna, has responsibility for short term courses and marriage ministries.
Josh and Anna led the youth work at Harbour Community Church for several years and also ran various children’s groups within the church.
During that time he was also employed by a local Christian charity, ‘What4’, working as a schools worker in numerous local schools. He then became the Project
Co-ordinator of a government funded ‘Junior Youth Inclusion Project’ (JYIP), working with young people with behaviour problems.
Josh had great fun running his own children’s entertainment business called ‘Joshing Around’ and ran this successfully for 6 years, 3 of those as full time.
He stopped running the business to take up a job as Manager of The Vine Bookshop and Coffee Shop, a local ‘Churches Together’ project of 13 years.
Josh was also a previous Chair of ‘Churches Together in Folkestone’ for 3 years.
Josh is the newcomer on the board of trustees of Christ Followers – a welcome addition, not least because he lowers the average age by 6years!
Josh and Anna have 3 young children, and live an energetic life in Folkestone, Kent.
Ruth Whitaker
Ruth leads the team at Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF UK), raising awareness of the worldwide work of the charity in the UK so that people will be inspired to join or to support the work in developing countries.
MAF is a worldwide Christian mission organisation flying light aircraft in developing countries to enable aid, relief, medical help and the hope of the gospel to reach isolated and remote communities, living in difficult to reach places.
Ruth joined MAF UK from the aircraft manufacturer Airbus. Having trained as an aeronautical engineer, she gained wide experience in project management, procurement, business development and customer support within the aircraft industry.
Having grown up in a Christian home, Ruth made a personal commitment as a teenager, however, cannot remember a time when God was not a key part of her life.
Ruth currently lives in Kent and is a member of Life Church in Folkestone.
She is one of the founding trustees of Christ Followers, believing in the importance of developing disciples, a passion ignited in her after attending the Lausanne Congress (Capetown) in 2010.
Stuart King
Stuart and Phyllis King worked for many years as missionaries in Africa.
Stuart, supported by his wife, pioneered and headed up the work of MAF-UK for 40 years. (See "Hope has Wings" published originally by Harper Collins and now by Mission Aviation Fellowship UK. www.maf-uk.org)
Stuart also served as an elder in his local church for 23 years.
Through many years’ experience of teaching, of leading small home groups, and running discipleship and leadership courses, Stuart and Phyllis felt burdened to develop, not just another ‘course’, but to encourage a lifestyle that enables Christians to experience a close daily walk with the Lord, and as a result ‘Discipleship With A Difference’ was ‘born’.
Stuart is President Emeritus of Mission Aviation Fellowship International and an enthusiastic and founding Trustee of Christ Followers.
He lives an ‘unquiet’ life in Folkestone, Kent.
Wilf Ashburn
Wilf is a retired career Civil Servant who focussed on employment and training initiatives and disciplines.
Latterly primarily involved in encouraging private and public sector partnerships, aiming to improve enterprise and economic regeneration in local communities, especially in the inner cities.
He is a past trustee and fundraising employee with the Shaftesbury Society now known as Livability, and is still a company law member.
Wilf is also one of the founding trustees of Christ Followers.
Wilf is married to Madeleine, with two children and six grandchildren and lives in Folkestone, Kent.
Celebrates being a lifelong supporter of Newcastle United FC.