Steve Chalke was born in Croydon, South London, in 1955 and as a teenager embraced Christianity, dedicating his life to ending poverty through social action. A graduate of Spurgeon’s College, he was ordained a Baptist minister in 1981 and served as a local minister before founding the Oasis Trust in 1985. Under his leadership Oasis established housing, healthcare and educational projects that address poverty and exclusion, combining faith-based impetus with practical social enterprise. Steve’s long career has focused on integrating community development with compassionate advocacy, building organisations that deliver tangible support to vulnerable people. His work exemplifies how religious conviction and civic action can collaborate to create sustainable social change, providing services that improve lives and foster community resilience.