Sarri Bater

Sarri has spent nearly 30 years as a scholar-practitioner in Conflict Transformation. Sarri's work in system change, transforming structural and cultural violences, peace building and anti-oppression has taken her to live and work around the world. Sarri's practice goes beyond political and technical engagement to include the neuroscience and somatics of violence, power, oppression and systemic trauma, with nature connection practices and deeper spiritual and philosophical resources as key for moving from paradigms of violence to paradigms of peace and justice. Sarri has a passion for the relationship between personal change and transforming structural and cultural violences, and supports organisations and communities in non-violent leadership, alternative systems building, non-hierarchical organising and ways of distributing power.

Sarri specialises in 'identity and difference' conflict and is increasingly in demand to lead work on Systemic Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Decolonising, in institutions, organisations, communities and movements, including local government bodies, philanthropists, activists, and change leaders. Sarri is committed to learning, embodying and developing re-humanising cultures, practices and systems. Sarri's portfolio includes restorative dialogue projects; mediation and negotiation; election monitoring; University lecturing; Truth and Reconciliation projects; detached youth work; working in Maximum Security Prisons; developing understandings and engagement in Hate Crimes; UN Human Rights Council Sessions; independent advisor to police and Home Office on 'community race relations'; school and community mediation projects; European Forum for Restorative Justice... and more.

Sarri holds a First Class Honours Degree in Peace Studies, an MSc with distinction in Transitional Justice, and an LLM in Human Rights, and certificates in many other social technologies, change processes and practices.

Albert Beale

Albert is a militant pacifist, born-again atheist, Londoner, pedant, and Shostakovich junkie; he opposes nationalism without exception. An active member of the PPU and of War Resisters' International since the 1970s, he has frequently represented both in the media, and has held elected office in both. He became a pacifist at school, on a day when someone was hanged "to show that killing people is wrong". Once a computer programmer, then a physics teacher, peace movement jobs include co-ordinator of the Campaign Against Arms Trade, co-editor of Peace News, and editing an international database of peace organisations. Anti-militarist campaigning has included a focus on Northern Ireland and the Middle East; he also campaigns over public transport, nuclear power, censorship, sexual rights, over-consumption, and local democracy - amongst other things. He has a varied experience of (civil and criminal) legal issues in a political context (with a 100% acquittal record).

Ed Bridges 

Ed joined the Council in February 2020. He is a peace activist in South Wales, and is passionate about the PPU's work in challenging everyday militarism, particularly given Wales' proud history of resisting and opposing conflict. He is also a campaigner on civil liberties issues, having previously worked with Liberty to successfully challenge South Wales Police's use of facial recognition technology. Professionally, Ed has worked in various campaigns, policy and public affairs roles, engaging with government and policy-makers at all levels. He was also a Cardiff county councillor for 13 years, before stepping down in 2017 to spend more time with his two young sons. Ed is a season ticket holder at Newport County AFC, and a junior football coach. He hates writing about himself in the third person.

Peter Glasgow (Chair) 

Peter was the Peace Education Officer for the Peace Pledge Union from July 2014 to July 2016 and subsequently joined the PPU Council.  At the Annual General Meeting on 29 February 2020 he took up the role of Chairperson of the PPU. Prior to working with the PPU, Peter worked as the Vice Principal, Curriculum in a large, North London College of Further Education and was particularly interested and involved in innovative curriculum development.  He is also a keen cyclist.

Matthew Harbage

Matt has been a peace activist for over 15 years; taking part in protests, petitioning MPs, attending arms companies AGMs and promoting peace in schools and churches. He is an Anglican priest, currently serving as a vicar in north London. Matt has a passion for peace building, motivated by his Christian faith, and believes in strength through diversity of tactics, people and motivations. He joined the PPU Council in 2023 and hopes to support the PPU in building resilience against future wars through peace education and engagement in the public square.

Colin Kerr

I joined PPU in the 1980's and have also supported PRET by way of regular donations for some years. Recently retired I can devote myself to what is important in life - PPU goes into this category! For some months I have been volunteering in the PPU office. Witnessing for peace - pacifist not passive; this is my position. I adopted pacifism as a six former, demonstrated against the Vietnam War (first demo), and many under my belt since then, got arrested outside Downing Street for protesting on 18 Dec 1998 when Tony Blair bombed southern Iraq, and recently on most of the London Gaza marches, wearing the white poppy. The PPU is important. The history of the PPU is important. But the future is more so. I would like to see our movement growing and our vital voice reach new ears. In the context of present conflict issues, war-mongering, limiting of freedoms at home and elsewhere, the work for peace is crucial. I was born and lived in Northern Ireland until I was 29 but went to Manchester to study. I want to contribute in whichever way I can to the PPU. I am also a member of Anglican Pacifist Fellowship, Pax Christi and a supporter of Jews for Justice for Palestine.

Katie McLean

Katie joined the PPU as a Remembrance Intern in 2019. She studied History and Politics at university, focussing on war and conflict in the 20th century. She became interested in pacifism after researching the language and campaigning used both during wartime and in Remembrance, and finding that the horrific realities of war were often ignored. Katie is especially interested in the White Poppy campaign, and the PPU's work to commemorate conscientious objectors

Rachel Melly

Geoff Tibbs (Remembrance Project Manager)

Geoff runs the PPU's Remembrance and White Poppies campaign. When he isn't busy distributing white poppies to the thousands worldwide who wear them each year, his work focuses on building a peaceful and inclusive culture of remembrance. Prior to joining the PPU in 2019, Geoff worked on projects in the arts and voluntary sectors, including a hate crime reporting app for London and a magazine for new creative writing. Alongside working for the PPU, Geoff is a painter and a magician.

Amy Corcoran (Operations Manager)

Amy joined the PPU staff as Operations Manager in September 2023. Amy is an artist, writer and researcher who has been involved in the peace movement for the past decade, including through helping organise the first Art the Arms Fair. She's interested pacifism's intersections with freedom of movement, climate change and feminism. Amy has a background in supporting activists and analysing nonviolent resistance, as well as in psychology, human rights law, community projects and cooperative living. Her PhD - 'Protesting the Borders but on the Borders of Protest: Art Activism as Resistance to State Crime' - investigated the ways artists intervene in public space to challenge European border control policies. Amy loves overland travel, punk, animals and being out in nature (in all weathers).