Oasis Trust

Oasis Trust logo

Oasis Trust (known as "Oasis") is a UK-based Christian registered charity. It was founded by the Reverend Steve Chalke in August 1985. Chalke had been assistant minister at Tonbridge Baptist Church, Kent, for four years. His aim was to open a hostel for homeless young people.

Since its foundation the Oasis Trust has developed into a family of charities now working on five continents and 11 countries around the world, to deliver housing, education, training, youthwork and healthcare. Oasis is now a significant voluntary sector provider, delivering services for local authorities and national governments, as well as self funded initiatives aimed at providing opportunity to people across the globe.

Oasis now has over 400 staff, students and volunteers involved in projects related to education, health and housing in the UK and worldwide.

In 2008 the group acquired 75 Westminster Bridge Road, a further 32,500 sq ft (3,020 m²) of office space.^[1]

Church.co.uk

In 2003, Oasis along with Christ Church and Upton Chapel united to form Church.co.uk in Waterloo, London. Alongside a number of activities that run throughout the week, including running clubs, Southside radio station, football teams, befriending services and extensive youth and children's work, there is an 11.00 am Sunday morning service and a gathering at 6.30 pm on a Sunday which is more informal and creative. Church.co.uk is now a growing network of Christian communities around the country which share the same values. Further "Church.co.uk" network churches have developed running alongside the communities of the Oasis Academies in Salford, Oldham, Brightstowe, Bristol, Enfield, Southampton (Lord's Hill & Mayfield), Immingham and Wintringham.^[2]

The Church.co.uk network have three goals and five values which they practice daily. The goals are to be all day availability, global and holistic and the values are inclusion, interdependence, intimacy, involvement and influence.^[3]

Oasis Community Learning

Oasis Community Learning^[4] is a subsidiary charity formed by Oasis Trust as an umbrella group to govern the Oasis Academies which are schools classed as academies. The first three academies in Enfield Lock, Grimsby and Immingham, opened in September 2007, with six more, two in Bristol, two in Southampton, two in Croydon and one in Salford, that opened in September 2008. Other academies in Enfield Highway and Croydon opened in September 2009. Oasis have continued to open further academies around the country.^[5]

In August 2010, Oasis began its first private school in the upper-market Bristol suburb of Westbury-on-Trym. The Bristol City Council bought the site and Oasis were given a one year lease. It was part of a rescue deal to save the St Ursula's School which was on the site but went into administration with a debt of £2 million owned by the Sisters of Mercy. The sisters originally rejected the Oasis deal but eventually accepted after the bank and trustees agreed with it. The intention was to make it into an academy the following year, however their bids failed and another provider intends running a primary academy on the site. It closed on 15 July 2011.^[6]

Oasis Academies

Primary

Secondary

All-through

• Oasis Academy Hadley, Ponders End, London
• Oasis Academy Shirley Park, Woodside, London

References

External links

• Oasis Trust website
• Oasis Trust, Registered Charity no. 1026487 at the Charity Commission