Helping the homeless out of homelessness
Rebuilding brokenness
Judith Shilling - Chair of Trustees
Judith runs a Pharmaceutical Consultancy with her husband, and in recognising how blessed she is in life, wanted to reach out to help those who have so little. She led Dover Soup Kitchen for over ten years and has been involved with setting up a social supermarket (Dover Pantry) in Dover. Judith has been a trustee for DOC since its formation in 2016 and took over as chair of trustees in 2021. She has two children, one in the US and one in Canterbury, and is churchwarden at her church. When time allows, she enjoys working in the garden, travel and music .... which helps when married to a musician!
Peter Wallace - Vice Chairman
Peter has been a Christian for 27 years. He is blessed with a small family. He has a heart to see Dover regenerated both spiritually and physically and is particularly keen to see Christians working together across denominations to serve and share the good news of Jesus Christ within the community. He hopes his work as a town planner can also be used to enhance Dover as a place to live, work and visit. Peter is a Street Pastor and it was in his role that he was moved by the challenges of homelessness, leading to his involvement in helping set up the first DOC Winter Night Shelter (2016/17).
Dr Jonathan Pryse - Trustee
Jonathan is a GP Partner at Pencester Surgery in Dover. He moved down to Kent in 2018 having been a GP Partner in Buckingham for 20 years. He is married to Becky, who is a GP in Sandwich, and they have 2 grown up children, Matthew and Alice. Jonathan and Becky are both Christians and attend St George’s Church in Deal where they are actively involved. It was at St George’s that Jonathan heard about Dover Outreach Centre when Noel was giving a talk. He was inspired by this and felt a calling to get more involved. As well as being a Trustee Jonathan also acts as a link between DOC and Pencester Surgery. He visits DOC once a month to see patients on-site to facilitate access to healthcare for a group that often find this challenging. He strongly believes that equal access to healthcare is vital and believes this aligns with his Christian ethos.
Janet Jowett - Trustee
Janet has three children and seven grandchildren. As a local primary school teacher, she helped to influence and shape many more as well! Her retirement from work gave Janet spare time for helping others. Already very much involved with activities in her church led Janet into volunteering her services to help at the Foodbank as well, and it was whilst working there that Janet heard about the Outreach Centre just before it opened. As a volunteer at the Outreach Centre, (mainly on breakfast duties) since 2016, she has become a valued member of the team. A late arrival to trusteeship, Janet has a good working knowledge of the Outreach Centre's Christian ethos and values, which meet well with her own, whilst her first-hand knowledge of those who are the subject of the help provided at the Outreach Centre, adds a further understanding of their needs.
Richard Jones - Trustee
Richard Jones feels privileged to be part of Dover Outreach Centre which to his mind offers such a caring attitude to those homeless men and women, who, because of circumstances, are unable to look after their own welfare. Jesus Christ commanded us to defend the rights of the poor and needy. It humbles him to think that his voluntary service to the Centre enables him to do the bidding of his Lord and Saviour.
Joanna Donaldson - Trustee
Joanna has run her own business in Deal since 1987 and has lived in East Kent all her life. She is married to Murray and together they have 6 children and a growing number of grandchildren. She is a Christian and this belief has led her to volunteer in various youth and special needs groups associated with the churches in Deal. She was drawn to Dover Outreach Centre to help, firstly, with the Dover Soup kitchen and this led to being introduced to the drop-in centre of Dover Outreach Centre. She first volunteered in 2022 and became a trustee a little while after. Joanna really enjoys meeting the people volunteering and those using the facilities and the Sunshine Cafe. Her other passion is the countryside and many varied outdoor activities including competing in triathlon in which she has represented her country in the GB Age group team.
Alan Boxall - Trustee
Alan retired in April 2020, committing himself to further the work of Dover Foodbank, and has been involved as treasurer, since its inception in 2012.
Alan has been happily married to Carol for over 40 years, has 2 children and 5 grandchildren, and enjoys life with his family. Alan is a Deacon at Dover Baptist church, where he has been since becoming a Christian in 1977. Other commitments include Street Pastors, having been part of the Management Team for 6 years from its inception in 2010. Currently he is Treasurer of “Christians Together in Dover”, and has just become a Dover Outreach Centre Trustee, with a focus on Dover Foodbank.
Alan enjoys playing table tennis, bowls, and cycling. He has recently completed a 185-mile “Royal British Legion” cycle ride to Ypres in Belgium. He played both of his great sporting loves, cricket & football, but now he enjoys watching them.