Oasis Trust

Oasis Trust (known as "Oasis") is a UK-based Christian registered charity. It was founded by the Reverend Steve Chalke in September 1985. Chalke had been assistant minister at Tonbridge Baptist Church, Kent, for four years. He left this job with the aim of setting up a hostel for homeless young people. Oasis now has over 5,000 staff in the UK as well as thousands more volunteers.

Since its foundation Oasis has also developed into a family of charities now working on four continents (11 countries) around the world, with the goal of delivering 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.

Oasis currently works in 51 local neighbourhoods – 35 of which are in the UK – where it seeks to bring together the resources, expertise and infrastructure that it has developed over the years, in order to build on existing strengths and assets in the local community. Oasis' aim is always to serve and respect all people regardless of their gender, race, ethnic origin, religion, age, sexual orientation or physical and mental capability and to work with the whole community to create a neighbourhood in which people feel known, are able to thrive, achieve their God-given potential and build deep and nourishing relationships.

In 2003, under Steve Chalke's leadership, Oasis, having become responsible for the buildings of Christ Church and Upton Chapel, in Waterloo, central London, worked with the existing members there to form what was initially known as Church.co.uk. Since then it has been renamed as Oasis Church, Waterloo.

Christ Church and Upton Chapel actually began its life as Surrey Chapel in 1783, and was to provide a major influence in the start of the Ragged School Movement – which provided schools for local children from poor homes – and also supported the birth of the Shaftesbury Society, the YMCA and the Bible Society. In the 1800s it was also influential in the anti-slavery movement; William Wilberforce and friends made its building a venue for many of their anti-slavery meetings, and its spire, built in 1867, is named the Lincoln Tower, donated in memory of Abraham Lincoln who was both inspired and supported by in his work to achieve the emancipation of the slaves of North America through the network of friends based in London.

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