Our Trustees

Here are our Trustees, who “sustain” the business of the Charity and are responsible for considering grant applications. One day you might consider becoming a trustee for this valuable cause…

Five joined the AHS in 2000, and was involved in the formation of the Mahayanagana and Shrimalagana from their beginnings. He has been teaching within the sangha since 2007. The idea for “Sustain” developed after reading in Milarepa’s life story about Shindormo, who supported Milarepa to practise long retreats in the snowy mountains. It is inspiring that supporting someone in their Awakening is as beneficial as practising yourself.

Kate has been a sort-of-Buddhist since picking up the Tibetan Book of the Dead as a teenager about 50 years ago. Over a long family and professional life (as a surgeon) she joined a variety of UK sanghas, usually near wherever was home at the time. In the early 2000s she realised that she needed a teacher as well as a community and, thanks to a tip-off from a friend, attended one of Lama Shenpen’s teachings in London. Kate has been a member of the AHS since then and a member of the Mahayanagana since 2015.

Tsulba joined a meditation group which grew out of a Tai Chi class, both run by Alan Smith, who introduced her to AHS. Visiting the Hermitage for the first time in 2008, she felt ‘at home’ there, and signed up for the courses on offer. She has helped in various ways with the ‘admin’ of the Sangha over the years, and organised a number of events in the Midlands, both for the Sangha and for Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo. She continues supporting students in various ways for the Sangha, and is a member of the Mahayanagana.

Namtar began meditating in 1998, and slowly began to develop a connection with Buddhism through books and attending various groups. She eventually realised she needed a teacher in 2013, and was so lucky to find not only Lama Shenpen, but the Awakened Heart Sangha too. On joining the AHS she began training, taking Refuge vows in 2014 and Bodhisattva vows in 2015. At this time she also began training to join the Mahayanagana.

Delam’s exploration of Buddhism began with Liberation Unleashed, and it was the encouragement of his hypnotherapy teacher, himself a student of Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche, that motivated him to look for a local group to practise with. A quick Google of “Buddhist community near me” led him to the Surrey group of the Awakened Heart Sangha which he joined in 2018. Delam took the Refuge vow in 2019 and the Bodhisattva vow in 2021. He also became a mentor in 2021 and joined the Mahayanagana in 2022.

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More about Sustain Dharma Support Trust

• Email us at contact (at) sustaindharma.org
• Our registered address is 24 Riverside, Cambridge CB5 8HL
• Our charity number is 1186827