Our Trustees

We are a UK registered charity run entirely by a passionate, volunteer Board of Trustees who dedicate their time to their shared goal: to empower disadvantaged children and adults of Nepal.

Lynne McCutcheon

From my first visit to Nepal in 1989, I was captivated by the country and its people. Their resilience and generosity, despite the harshness of their circumstances and daily challenges, left me in awe. After two more life-affirming trips to Nepal my chance to give something back to the people of Nepal arose in 2001 when I met an inspirational trekking guide who was helping fund a home for orphaned children some of them with disabilities. He introduced me to a group of like-minded people and we teamed up to form the charity New Futures Nepal.

My background as a manager in the accountancy and legal professions provided me with the skills to help set up and manage this charity which today has grown into a community supported by friends, family and many loyal supporters. I love my work and after 20+ years my passion has only grown stronger. It has forever altered my perspective on life and continues to reaffirm my belief in human nature. 

Andrew Small

My privilege today, as one of the founding trustees, is to use my time, skills and energy to help run this charity. I went to Nepal for purely selfish reasons but came away wanting to help a small group of people at the Hope Centre who were really struggling through no fault of their own. Each of our projects has a different dimension and each is absolutely focused on helping the many disadvantaged people of Nepal. The charity has remained a steadfast anchor point in my life, providing not just a sense of purpose but also a community that feels like family. Being able to use my change management and finance skills in a way that truly changes people's lives for the better is deeply rewarding. My commitment to this mission has deepened, and my enthusiasm is stronger than two decades ago. Nepal's echoes continue to inspire me, reminding me that every trial can lead to growth, fulfilment, and lasting connections.

Lee Brown

A long-time supporter of New Futures Nepal, Lee first became friends with its founding members in 2002 during the trek in Nepal that sparked the charity’s inception. He finally joined in a trustee capacity in 2017.

Lee has a great love of hiking and the mountains, and having significant experience in taking on challenge events and a close association with the charity challenge community, is working to expand New Futures Nepal's fundraising event portfolio.

Lee also has expertise in IT, as well as online fundraising and publicity platforms. As such, he ensures the smooth running of the charity’s social media presence and online fundraising platforms (such as eBay for Charity, PayPal Giving Fund, and Easyfundraising), and is working on the roll-out of the charity’s crowdfunding campaigns

Charles Barton

As a young man I travelled to escape and see new places; I am sure I saw and passed by people and places who needed help, but that was not part of my young agenda.

After college I joined the family hotel business which in some small ways helped local causes. 15 years later I ran the catering for the two small local hospitals for a short time. In doing so I became very aware of the importance of the meals, not from a business point of view, but in relation to the patients and the staff. For 22 years thereafter I worked in various departments of Royal Mail which included dipping into voluntary work but not in any serious way.

In between there has been 48 years of marriage and children.

Oscar Wilde said, ‘the smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention’. It was 8 years before my retirement and the chance meeting of a small group of children and their Nepali carers along with fellow trekkers during a visit to Nepal in 2002 showed me the almost impossible challenges that disabled, abandoned and orphaned children and adults had to overcome. I along with others took on that ‘small act of kindness’ through our charity. A decision and journey I could not have imagined with seeing such life changing results. One that I am very proud to be part off.

Paul Crook

I first went to Nepal in 2002 as part of a charity trek for YHA’s Give Us a Break scheme. It was there I saw the beauty of Nepal, the warmth of its people, but I also saw real poverty for the first time in my life and wanted to give something back. It was through this trek that I met many people who were to form the nucleus of NFN, many of whom are still Trustees and long term supporters.

Pauls sings with the Frampton Shantymen and the Frampton Cotterell Male Voice Choir. He enjoys travelling in the UK and overseas, hill walking and cycling and has recently taken up swimming. In a previous life he worked for a private bank and now works as a business consultant with small businesses.

Helen Crook

I first visited Nepal in 2002 and was struck by the country's beauty and the generosity of its people in the face of poverty. I wanted to give something back and relieve the hardship faced by many children and adults of Nepal. A founding member since 2002, I became a trustee in February 2006 and in addition to my general trustee role, co-ordinate the charity’s sponsor a child scheme.

As an experienced registered and paediatric nurse, with a specialist paediatric community qualification, I have a strong interest in child health and welfare and use this knowledge and skills to the benefit of the charity and the children and adults supported through our projects. I have returned to Nepal numerous times and have a good knowledge of the country and its culture. My passion for New Futures Nepal and its work in Nepal combined with my love of the outdoors has led me to take on many challenges to help fund projects (i.e. London Marathon, LEJOG cycle ride). I'm looking forward to the challenges that lie ahead in my work as a trustee for New Futures Nepal.

Alex Maher

By a chance meeting in 2009, I was introduced to this wonderful charity by trustee Charles Barton. Ever since, I have been inspired. Although I have been involved with a number of charities in the past, New Futures Nepal has been very close to my heart. The difference we make to the children has been inspiring to me, bringing a sense of accomplishment.

I joined as a trustee in 2017, fundraising and helping where I can. It has been a pleasure to see children’s drawings and pictures, knowing we can have such a positive impact on their lives.

Steven Davis

I remember, about 20 years ago, standing at the reception in the Youth Hostel in Castleton and being introduced to Helen and Paul, Lynne and others. My love of and interest in Nepal had started a few years previously, but the chance to give something back, to support the youngsters and give them a stable and supporting home was too good an opportunity to miss.

One of my passions is music and I run the Raising Steam Festival in aid of New Futures, which has grown into an arts festival with plays, storytelling, theatrical performances, performance poetry and workshops in addition to the four days of music. The opportunity to raise awareness of New Futures through the festival is a wonderful thing and seeing the difference it makes in Nepal is such a joyous thing. As a certain advert says – every little helps!