|
In 1972 he responded to an invitation to work as an International Consultant to a Roman Catholic Medical Order and moved with his family to live in Rome, Italy. From this base he travelled extensively throughout Asia, Africa, North and South America and Europe both conducting and advising on programmes concerned with Institutional Change and Development, Inter-Cultural Relations, Group and Inter-group Dynamics and a broad range of development issues connected with both health and education.
In 1980 he was recruited by the Archbishop of Canterbury and moved to Lambeth Palace, London where he joined the Archbishop’s Private Staff. In his capacity as Advisor to the Archbishop he again travelled extensively throughout the world and had a responsibility for the Archbishop’s diplomatic and ecclesiastical exchanges. He arranged and travelled with the Archbishop on the first ever visit of an Archbishop of Canterbury to China and has responsibility for travels to Australia, New Zealand, Burma, USA, Canada, The Caribbean, South Africa, East and West Africa to name but a few places.
In the early 1980s he successfully negotiated the release of several hostages from Iran and this event brought him to public attention. In 1983 he negotiated with Colonel Ghadafi for the release of British hostages held in Libya and again was successful. In January 1987 while negotiating for the release of Western hostages in Lebanon he himself was taken captive and remained in captivity for 1,763 days, the first four years of which were spent in total solitary confinement.
Following his release on 19th November 1991 he was elected a
Fellow Commoner at Trinity Hall Cambridge England where he wrote
his first book Taken on Trust. This quickly became an
international best-seller and headed the lists in the UK and
elsewhere. Following his experience as a captive he decided to
make a career change and determined to give himself to study,
writing, lecturing and humanitarian activities.
|
 |
|
Since his release he has been in constant demand as a lecturer, writer and broadcaster and has appeared in North and South America, Australia and New Zealand, South Africa and throughout Europe. There has been a particular interest in the lectures he has delivered relating his experiences as a negotiator and as a hostage to the pressures faced by executives and managers. Stress, loneliness and negotiating under acute pressure are but some of the issues with which he has a unique experiences and his ability to communicate clearly and with good humour has meant that he is in constant demand as a speaker not only to the Business Community but also to professionals in social work, education and medical field as well as to religious groups. He maintains an on-going interest in current humanitarian and political affairs.
Some of his responsibilities include:
Founder President of Y Care International, the international relief and development agency of the YMCA in the UK and Ireland. Y Care International works in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East to empower disadvantaged young people to lift themselves and their communities out of poverty. Much work is done to assist street children. In India there are several Terry Waite Vocational Training Centres. Founded 1984.
Trustee, since 1986, of the Butler Trust (work within UK prisons) The Terry Waite award is given annually to those who work effectively with long-term prisoners.
President of Emmaus UK, an international charity working with homeless people.
Trustee of the FreePlay Foundation, the foundation primarily concerned with the development of self-sustainable energy in the Third World.
Member of the Advisory Council of Victim Support. An agency assisting those who have been victims of violent crime.
Founder Chairman of Hostage UK (since 2005), a charity providing support for hostage families and encouraging research into post release care and related issues.
Chairman of Prisons Video Trust (since 1998) a charity that makes videos for distribution throughout the Prison Service for both prison staff and inmates covering issues such as drug prevention, suicide awareness, self-harm and information of interest to those working and residing in HM Prisons.
Ambassador for WWF-UK.
President of the NICRO (National Institute for Crime Prevention and the Reintegration of Offenders) UK Trust for a Safer South Africa, since 2000.
Vice President Suffolk Association of Local Councils since 1999.
Vice President East Cheshire Hospice since 2001.
President International Friendship League since 2000.
President of the Suffolk Branch of Far East Prisoners of War Association.
Member of the Advisory Board of Gorton Monastery since 2003.
President of the International Musical Eisteddfod at Llangollen, Wales from 2006.
Patron of:
The Abbeyfield (Ipswich) Society since 1996
Amnesty International Human Rights Action Centre since 1997
Bishop Simeon C R Trust (incorporating the Living South Africa Memorial) since 1993
The Bridge Project Sudbury Appeal, since 1999
The British Friends of Neve Shalom – Wahat al-Salam, since 2003
Bury St Edmunds Volunteer Centre, since 1994
Canterbury Oast Trust
Children with Aids Charity, since 2004
COFEPOW (Children {and families} of the Far East Prisoners of War)
Coventry Cathedral International Centre for Reconciliation, since 2000
English Springer Spaniel Welfare, since 1998
Friends of Commonwealth Institute
Friends of the John Bunyan Museum, since April 2005
Friends of the Samaritans, Bury St Edmunds Branch
Habitat for Humanity, since 2004
Kingswood Foundation
Langley House Trust, since 1999
Lewisham Environment Trust, since 1996
The One to One Children’s Fund, since 2001
One World Broadcasting Trust, since 1987
Rapid UK, since 2004
The Romany Society, since 1997
Save Our Parsonages, since 1999
Strode Park Foundation, since 1988
Sunderland Counselling Services, since 2004
Tymes Trust (the Young ME Sufferers Trust) since 2005
Uganda Society for Disabled Children, since 1995
Underprivileged Children’s Charity, Bristol, since 2003
Warrington Male Voice Choir, since 1996
West Suffolk Voluntary Association for the Blind, since1998
and many other organisations.
Some of the awards he has received include:
Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) 1982
Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) 1992
Templeton UK Award 1985
Roosevelt Four Freedoms Medal 1992
Doctor of Civil Law University of Kent at Canterbury, 1986
Doctor of Civil Law University of the City of London, 1992
Doctor of Law University of Durham, 1992
Doctor of Law Liverpool University, 1992
Doctor of Civil Law University of Sussex, 1992
DHC, Yale Divinity School, 1992
Hon LHD Wittenberg University, 1992
Doctor of Humane Letters, University of Southern Florida, 1992
Doctor of Humane Letters, Virginia Commonwealth University, 1996
Honorary Doctor of Philosophy, Anglia Polytechnic University, 2001 (renamed Anglia Ruskin University 2005)
Honorary Doctor of Letters, Nottingham Trent University 2001
Honorary Doctor of Letters, De Montfort University 2005
Freedom of Canterbury 1992; Lewisham 1992. |