We exist to keep this place open — for everyone
Westminster Methodist Central Hall Trust is the charity that holds and cares for Central Hall Westminster on behalf of the Methodist Conference. Our mission is simple: to make sure this place keeps serving people — worshippers, visitors, students, families in need and communities from across the world — for generations to come.
Graduation day at Central Hall
More than a building
Central Hall Westminster opened in 1912, built as the centenary memorial to John Wesley and the Methodist movement through the 20th Century Fund — a million Methodists each giving a guinea. But it has never been merely a monument. It is a place where things happen — significant, life-changing things.
The United Nations held its first General Assembly here in 1946. Today, students from universities across the world graduate in the Great Hall and a global congregation worships here every Sunday. The St Vincent's Family Project, based in the building, supports families facing poverty, homelessness and crisis — in a borough where 26% of children live in poverty and around 2,600 people sleep rough over the course of a year.
"A beacon of the Gospel's call to justice and mercy."
— Cardinal Vincent Nichols, UN 80th Anniversary Service, January 2026
A global congregation in the heart of Westminster
Methodist Central Hall Westminster (MCHW) is a global Christian family with around 430 members drawn from across the world — one of the most culturally diverse Methodist congregations anywhere.
Around 200 people attend morning worship each week, and Easter 2025 saw the highest in-person attendance since the pandemic. The renowned Traditional Carol Service draws some 1,500 people every year.
MCHW's online ministry reaches far beyond London: services broadcast via MCHW.live attract 700–900 views each, with online members around the world.
The Great Hall, Central Hall Westminster
People at morning worship each week, in person
At the Traditional Carol Service every Christmas
Views of each service broadcast via MCHW.live
How the Trust is run
The Trust is governed by a Board of Managing Trustees appointed by and accountable to the Methodist Conference, supported by four specialist committees.
The Trust is a steward, not an owner: it holds Central Hall on behalf of the Methodist Church and reports each year to the Methodist Conference.
Audit Committee
Oversight of financial controls, risk management and external audit.
Financial Resilience Committee
Financial strategy, reserves policy and long-term sustainability.
Building & Infrastructure Committee
Maintenance, capital works and safety compliance.
Heritage & Identity Committee
Archive development, museum accreditation, heritage conservation and the visitor heritage offer.
Board of Trustees
Managing Trustees
Our trustees bring expertise in heritage, finance, theology, governance and community development, united by a shared commitment to Methodist values and to stewarding this extraordinary place for future generations.
The Board of Managing Trustees, photographed in the Great Hall, October 2025
Paul brings over 40 years of senior leadership experience as a Methodist Minister and third sector leader. He has chaired Citizens UK and London Community Land Trust, and led the successful Living Wage campaign in London. He currently chairs E16 Community Land Trust and serves as Vice-Chair of Church Action for Tax Justice. A Methodist Minister since 1965, Paul holds a BD in Theology and a BA in Philosophy, combining his ministerial calling with his passion for social justice and community development.
John brings extensive experience from both the corporate and charitable sectors. His corporate career was built at Smith and Nephew plc, where he served as Chief Executive Officer, leading the global medical technology company. He subsequently served as Chairman of Taylor Wimpey plc and as Operating Partner at Duke Street Capital.
In recent years John has focused on the charitable sector, serving as Chair of the University of Hull Council, Chair of Abbeyfield, Chair of MHA, and Chair of Shaftesbury. His governance experience spans education, healthcare, and social care. John also mentors academic spin-out companies, supporting the commercialisation of university research and innovation.
Bala is a Sri Lanka-born British professional with a career spanning telecommunications, public service, and charitable governance. After studying Electronic Engineering at the University of Southampton, he built an extensive career in telecommunications working with colleagues across the globe.
Bala served two terms as a Labour Councillor in the London Borough of Lewisham, including a term on the Inner London Education Authority, where he played a key role in developing the Anti-Racist Statement for Schools. He has served as Chair of University Hospital Lewisham, Vice-Chair of the Court of Central London Polytechnic, Trustee of Methodist Homes, Chair of Change Alliance (a Christian Aid subsidiary), and Trustee of the London HIV Chaplaincy. He was elected Vice-President of the Methodist Conference for 2018–2019.
Tony serves as Superintendent Minister and Team Leader at Methodist Central Hall, Westminster, and is a Non-Executive Director of Central Hall Westminster Ltd. An experienced broadcaster and author, he has presented weekly programmes for Premier Christian Radio since 1997 and is a regular contributor to BBC Radio 2's Pause for Thought. He served as Media Chaplain for over a decade and chaired the Church and Media Network, bringing valuable communications expertise to the Trust.
Jonathan serves as Chair of the London District of the Methodist Church, working alongside London's 200+ Methodist congregations and with missional and chaplaincy projects across the capital. His ministry experience spans local church leadership, chaplaincy, and theological education in both the UK and United States. Previously Director of Learning for Ministry for the Methodist Church, Jonathan is an accomplished author of five books exploring themes in Christian history and historical theology.
Ama is a finance professional with extensive experience in financial management and governance. She serves as District Treasurer for the London District of the Methodist Church and brings a strong commitment to integrity, stewardship, and service across her professional and church leadership roles.
Judith brings extensive charity governance experience, having served as trustee for Fight for Sight (1987–2010), Friends of the Courtauld Institute of Art (2006–2022), and St Vincent's Family Project (2011–2021). She read PPE at Somerville College, Oxford. Her interests include horticulture, music, and history of art and architecture, bringing valuable heritage and cultural sector expertise to the Trust.
Helen Tudor is Managing Director and Global Head of the Consulting & Professional Services Practice at Sheffield Haworth, an international executive search and talent advisory firm, where she also chairs the firm’s Global Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee and its Senior Leadership Committee. She brings 35 years’ experience in executive search, management consultancy and business transformation, including over 20 years as a Partner at Barry Latchford Associates. Helen has a long-standing connection to Central Hall, having served as a Trustee of Westminster Central Hall from 2013 to 2019 and as a member of the congregation since 1981; she is currently Senior Circuit Steward, having previously served as Church Steward and Sunday School teacher.
John Illsley is a retired Methodist Minister living in East Hampshire. He served as a minister in Sheffield, Derby and Bury, and for nine years in Hong Kong. Before becoming a minister he was an accountant with a large multinational company, a time that included a period in Zambia. He continues to preach every Sunday and remains committed to the gospel and the Church.
Bevan Powell MBE is an experienced charity trustee and senior executive with a background spanning policing, local government and the Methodist Church. He served as Director for Inclusion at the Methodist Church in Britain from 2018 to 2026, having previously held senior leadership roles in the Metropolitan Police Service, including Head of Diversity and Inclusion for Specialist Operations, and as an elected councillor for Kensington and Chelsea. Bevan currently serves as Circuit Steward for the Notting Hill and Harlesden Methodist Circuit and as a Trustee of Nubian Life and Place for Hope. He was awarded the MBE in 2007 and has given evidence to the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry and addressed the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
Revd Anthony Gordon Franklin-Ross is a Presbyter of the Methodist Church of New Zealand (Te Hāhi Weteriana o Aotearoa), ordained in 2009, with wide experience in parish ministry, district leadership and ecumenical relations. He has served as Acting Director of Methodist Mission & Ecumenical and Co-Superintendent of the Lower North Island District/Synod, and chaired the World Methodist Council’s Ecumenical Relationships Committee from 2019 to 2024, continuing today as a Council Member. A former professional accountant, he trained at the University of Auckland and is currently a part-time PhD student at Wesley House, Cambridge, dividing his time between Auckland and London.
Revd Steven Cooper is a Methodist Minister currently serving as Connexional Ecumenical Officer for the Methodist Church in Britain, having previously been Minister of Wesley’s Chapel & Leysian Mission in the City Road Circuit from 2019 to 2024. Before entering ministry, he worked on the staff of the Archbishop of Canterbury at Lambeth Palace. Steven has extensive ecumenical experience, serving as a Trustee of Churches Together in England and a member of the Governing Board of the Methodist Ecumenical Office in Rome, and has represented the Methodist Church on the Methodist Council and at the Methodist Conference.
Our team
The Trust's work is supported by a small professional team committed to the stewardship and development of Central Hall Westminster.
Ashleen supports the Board of Trustees and manages the Trust's governance, compliance and administration.
Get in touch
For general enquiries, partnerships, major gifts or archive access, please email the Trust and we'll direct you to the right person.
Email
info@wmcht.com
Address
Westminster Methodist Central Hall Trust
Methodist Central Hall Westminster
Storey's Gate, London SW1H 9NH