




Monastic support
The idea of a practice centre in the UK was first proposed by Thich Nhat Hanh to the community in 1997. The project is backed and guided by Plum Village’s British monastic dharma teachers, who offered this letter in support of the project earlier this year. Communities across the UK have benefited from several of monastic tours in recent years, creating fertile ground and widespread support to establish a centre for peace in the UK.

Being Peace Trustees
Esteban Ruseler
TrusteeOver 20 years in start-ups and multinationals with a decade in leadership roles.
Key organiser of the first London Mindfulness Hub in 2018 and 2024 UK Monastic Tour.Jonathan Edwards
TrusteeBackground in telecommunications and semiconductor industries, managing multinational design teams.
Trustee and Assistant Treasurer for Plum Village UK as well as a councillor in local government.Phuong Quach
TrusteeSenior Specialist Occupational Therapist with extensive experience in both Charity and NHS sectors. Specialising in palliative care and working with asylum seekers and refugees.
Key organiser of Family Sangha UK and involved with Vietnamese Buddhist Interhelp Sangha, a registered UK charity.
Co-founder of a well-being social enterprise, supporting communities through mindfulness practices.

Phuong Quach
Trustee
Senior Specialist Occupational Therapist with extensive experience in both Charity and NHS sectors. Specialising in palliative care and working with asylum seekers and refugees.
Key organiser of Family Sangha UK and involved with Vietnamese Buddhist Interhelp Sangha, a registered UK charity.
Co-founder of a well-being social enterprise, supporting communities through mindfulness practices.

Jonathan Edwards
Trustee
Background in telecommunications and semiconductor industries, managing multinational design teams.
Trustee and Assistant Treasurer for Plum Village UK as well as a councillor in local government.

Esteban Ruseler
Trustee
Over 20 years in start-ups and multinationals with a decade in leadership roles.
Key organiser of the first London Mindfulness Hub in 2018 and 2024 UK Monastic Tour.
Delivery Team
Nuzhat Jabinh
Systems DeveloperNuzhat Jabinh FRSA is a born and bred Londoner. Her short post grad is in Neuroethics from The University of Oxford.Hilary Templer
Property & Architecture CoordinatorRetired town planner, member of the property group since 2021.
Practicing with the PV tradition since 2007 when I took my two small children there for a family week - a lift changing experience for all of us.Nick Kenrick
Director of Communications and FundraisingFormerly worked in diplomacy for the UK government before retraining as a psychotherapist in the NHS.
Co-founded the Wake Up London community in 2010.
Has been living and practising in Plum Village France since June 2021, and working with the community on the development of safeguarding and education within the Sangha.Kasia Stepien
Communications ManagerFacilitator and trainer in the fields of social change, wellbeing, empathic communication and sustainability, currently training as psychotherapeutic counsellor.
Experienced in leading retreats and facilitating groups and communities. Practicing in the Plum Village tradition for a decade and supporting Plum Village UK Sangha since 2020.
Trustee at Mindful Music Charity, promoting mindfulness and wellbeing for children and young people.Noah Walton
Project Director (Implementation)Chartered structural engineer turned manager in non-profit sectors including refugee, sustainability, and retreats.
Experienced in running retreats and facilitating intentional communities.Teri West
UK Lay Dharma TeacherProfessional storyteller, singer, and workshop leader.
Accredited teacher in this tradition, dedicated to community-building, running retreats, and establishing a UK practice centre.Marcus Lindner
Legacies ContactRetired following enjoyment of three careers including theatre, senior housing/care home development and management and real estate land investments over a period of fifty years. Practitioner in several spiritual traditions. With Thay since 2000.Virginia Wollaston
Fundraising Team30 years working as a dance practitioner, teacher and producer with strategic
experience of working with the Arts Council England & Birmingham City Council.
Practising with the Nourishing Peace Sangha in Stourbridge since 2017.Ho-ting Fung
Project AssistantFreelance artist and composer, with industry experience across corporate, creative and spiritual spaces.
Administrator for local monastery and interfaith retreat facilitator.Tasha Bassingthwaighte
Community CoordinatorManager of The Barn retreat centre in Devon for seven years.
Frequent practitioner at Plum Village in Deer Park, California.Twan Peeters
Digital Experience Designer & DeveloperExperienced filmmaker, photographer and designer of websites and high-end visual content.
Organiser and co-facilitator within the Wake Up London Sangha.
Active Plum Village practitioner since 2016.Ethan Pollock
Programme CoordinatorTeacher of mindfulness & Buddhism on retreats across the UK.
Coordinator of The Barn retreat centre in Devon and director of a UK-based non-profit.Lisa Ronkowski
Digital Content AssistantAudio Visual Communication - Editing video content.
Practises with Heart of London Sangha.Liz Beth
Property TeamTown Planner and accredited NPIERS Examiner; independent planning consultant.
A practitioner in this tradition for 25 years and Trustee of Plum Village UK since 2019.Jack Davis
EventsJunior civil servant and writer.
Practising in the tradition since 2022. Organiser and co-facilitator with Wake Up London.Iona Grant
Social Media AssistantWorks in admin for a local charity which specialises in diversity, equality, and inclusion in the tech industry.
Facilitates at Wake Up Edinburgh. Also runs the social media for the Sangha.Busra Kasapoglu
AdvertisingMarketing professional with a decade of experience in all aspects of online and offline marketing.
Holistic wellness curator helping hotels to create programs and spaces.

Nuzhat Jabinh
Systems Developer
Nuzhat Jabinh FRSA is a born and bred Londoner. Her short post grad is in Neuroethics from The University of Oxford.

Hilary Templer
Property & Architecture Coordinator
Retired town planner, member of the property group since 2021.
Practicing with the PV tradition since 2007 when I took my two small children there for a family week – a lift changing experience for all of us.

Nick Kenrick
Director of Communications and Fundraising
Formerly worked in diplomacy for the UK government before retraining as a psychotherapist in the NHS.
Co-founded the Wake Up London community in 2010.
Has been living and practising in Plum Village France since June 2021, and working with the community on the development of safeguarding and education within the Sangha.

Kasia Stepien
Communications Manager
Facilitator and trainer in the fields of social change, wellbeing, empathic communication and sustainability, currently training as psychotherapeutic counsellor.
Experienced in leading retreats and facilitating groups and communities. Practicing in the Plum Village tradition for a decade and supporting Plum Village UK Sangha since 2020.
Trustee at Mindful Music Charity, promoting mindfulness and wellbeing for children and young people.

Noah Walton
Project Director (Implementation)
Chartered structural engineer turned manager in non-profit sectors including refugee, sustainability, and retreats.
Experienced in running retreats and facilitating intentional communities.

Teri West
UK Lay Dharma Teacher
Professional storyteller, singer, and workshop leader.
Accredited teacher in this tradition, dedicated to community-building, running retreats, and establishing a UK practice centre.

Marcus Lindner
Legacies Contact
Retired following enjoyment of three careers including theatre, senior housing/care home development and management and real estate land investments over a period of fifty years. Practitioner in several spiritual traditions. With Thay since 2000.

Virginia Wollaston
Fundraising Team
30 years working as a dance practitioner, teacher and producer with strategic
experience of working with the Arts Council England & Birmingham City Council.
Practising with the Nourishing Peace Sangha in Stourbridge since 2017.

Ho-ting Fung
Project Assistant
Freelance artist and composer, with industry experience across corporate, creative and spiritual spaces.
Administrator for local monastery and interfaith retreat facilitator.

Tasha Bassingthwaighte
Community Coordinator
Manager of The Barn retreat centre in Devon for seven years.
Frequent practitioner at Plum Village in Deer Park, California.

Twan Peeters
Digital Experience Designer & Developer
Experienced filmmaker, photographer and designer of websites and high-end visual content.
Organiser and co-facilitator within the Wake Up London Sangha.
Active Plum Village practitioner since 2016.

Ethan Pollock
Programme Coordinator
Teacher of mindfulness & Buddhism on retreats across the UK.
Coordinator of The Barn retreat centre in Devon and director of a UK-based non-profit.

Lisa Ronkowski
Digital Content Assistant
Audio Visual Communication – Editing video content.
Practises with Heart of London Sangha.

Liz Beth
Property Team
Town Planner and accredited NPIERS Examiner; independent planning consultant.
A practitioner in this tradition for 25 years and Trustee of Plum Village UK since 2019.

Jack Davis
Events
Junior civil servant and writer.
Practising in the tradition since 2022. Organiser and co-facilitator with Wake Up London.

Iona Grant
Social Media Assistant
Works in admin for a local charity which specialises in diversity, equality, and inclusion in the tech industry.
Facilitates at Wake Up Edinburgh. Also runs the social media for the Sangha.

Busra Kasapoglu
Advertising
Marketing professional with a decade of experience in all aspects of online and offline marketing.
Holistic wellness curator helping hotels to create programs and spaces.