Childrens Charity, India
OSCAR is honoured to have HRH The Countess of Wessex as Royal Patron providing vital support and publicity of our work. The community in Mumbai was delighted to welcome HRH in 2017 and she has gone on to host the OSCAR UK teams both at her home and Windsor Castle. In May 2022 HRH attended the first OSCAR luncheon in The Reform Club in London and spoke movingly about her visit to Mumbai and interaction with beneficiaries. Supporting HRH, we are proud to have OSCAR Charity Ambassadors raising awareness of our work, fundraising and organising events.
As an Opera Singer and Composer, Hal has appeared in most of the world’s main opera houses. A keen advocate of new works, he has toured the UK and Europe with the American composer, Philip Glass and taken many leading roles in productions in New York at Weill Hall, Carnegie Hall and London’s Wigmore Hall and Royal Opera House. Hal is currently working on taking his musical of Oscar Wilde’s The Happy Prince to the Mumbai Opera House. Hal performed in ‘Baroque to Bollywood’ in 2016 and it was here he met Ashok Rathod. Hal’s commitment to OSCAR thrives and this is in no small part due to the passion and inspiration of Lucinda Sowerbutts and all that she gives to the Foundation.
In 2024 I visited the OSCAR community in Mumbai and Karnataka, an inspirational trip which has reinforced my determination to support the OSCAR family in every way I can. My daughter Airlie introduced me to OSCAR in 2017 when the first OSCAR UK girls team visited Downe House School. Since then I have been a child sponsor and was on the 2023 OSCAR Ball Committee.
A British stage and screen actor, Nathaniel Parker is most recently known for his commanding portrayal of Henry VIII in Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall trilogy. Nat first became involved with OSCAR in 2017, hosting the touring kids at his UK home. Later, whilst filming in India he took time out to visit the two OSCAR children he sponsors in their community in Mumbai. Nat has engaged many friends and colleagues to support, OSCAR’s work, including his brother Sir Alan Parker. Stopping at nothing he has also thrown himself out of a plane to raise money!
Monica is a former city lawyer, who now works with her family running their London based property business. Monica met the OSCAR UK U14 boys’ team at her children’s school, Hall Grove in 2017. Listening to the OSCAR boys deliver a morning assembly inspired Monica to get involved. Monica, Hitesh and children Vilas and Tamira have held many fundraising appeals, including Hitesh running the Mumbai Half Marathon and Vilas and Tamira gathering friends to walk and run to raise funds. With the generous support of the family business the first ‘OSCAR Medical Centre’ opened in May 2021 in the Ambedkar Nagar community. The centre paid an integral part in OSCAR’s emergency response to the pandemic, providing access to medical support and vaccine education. The entire OSCAR family has a debt of gratitude to Monica and her family.
Julian is an independent renewables’ consultant. His OSCAR journey started in 2016 and his commitment to OSCAR remains steadfast. He played an integral part in the fundraising and planning of the first UK Tour. Julian has visited the community in Mumbai many times, hosted all the UK tours in his home and accompanied the victorious girls’ team to the Dana Cup in Denmark and the boys’ team to The Donosti Cup in Spain.
Tom is a King's Counsel in London and his work focuses on discrimination, whistleblowing and High Court employment claims. Having spent time in India for both work and leisure, he has developed a strong connection with the country and its rich and varied culture. Through an introduction to OSCAR, Tom had the good fortune to meet Ashok, Lucinda and some of the beneficiaries on a UK football trip. He has since taken a keen interest in their work and was further inspired by the fundraising undertaken by the children of his blended family. Tom looks forward to combining his professional network and expertise to support others in their pursuit of independence and opportunity. "I've watched OSCAR from the side lines for a few years. It’s clear to me that their work is making an incredible change to so many lives, and I'm delighted with the opportunity to contribute to their continued impact and growth at such a vital time for international development."
Sarah is a graphic designer/art director for over 30 years. Having studied at Central St Martins (London) Sarah has worked for large corporate design companies followed by a two year trip travelling and working across the world, including India. On her return, Sarah set up a design company and worked with many high street brands including becoming creative director of Micro Scooters for over ten years. Sarah now lives and works in West Sussex with her family and two dogs (one of which is crazy). Sarah has been working with OSCAR creating campaigns for the last 4 years. She is utterly thrilled to be asked to become a Charity Ambassador and looks forward to helping the organisation as much as possible in the years to come!
After a career in grassroots sports marketing, Jo retrained as a Mindfulness Walking coach. She got involved with OSCAR in 2016, when asked to spearhead the fundraising for Beaudesert Park School, who were hosting the inaugural Boys Tour in 2017. She has been passionate about the OSCAR Foundation ever since and involved in each UK tour, hosting the girls from the UK Tour 2019 at her home, sponsoring 4 OSCAR children, was an OSCAR trustee and most recently a committee member for the spectacular OSCAR Ball held in May 2023. She has visited Mumbai twice and is honoured to become an OSCAR Ambassador and continue to spread the word about OSCAR’s work.
