Who we are
Achord is a UK-based charity equipping people with practical tools to build stronger, healthier relationships—at home, in churches, schools, and throughout communities. Grounded in Christian values and inspired by biblical wisdom, our resources are research-backed, highly accessible, and proven to help people relate better, even under pressure.
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At the heart of our work is our flagship short course, built around The 4 Habits® of All Successful Relationships—four essential behaviours that have transformed how millions connect, communicate, and navigate life’s relational challenges. Backed by over 30 years of expertise and trusted by corporates and non-profits alike, these habits offer practical, skills-based learning for everyday life, empowering individuals and groups to show up better and thrive in every relationship.
Across every context, our purpose is the same: to see relationships flourish, isolation diminish, and communities transformed through the power of intentional, love-driven connection.
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Our Governing Body
Dr. Andrea Taylor-Cummings
BSc, MPhil, DPhil (Oxon)
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Co-Founder & Trustee
Andrea's passion is helping people live purposefully, lead well, and build meaningful relationships. She has spent 30 years empowering leaders to drive change by improving their emotional intelligence and relationship skills.
She holds a First-Class Honours degree in Computer Science from the University of the West Indies, and both Master’s and Doctorate degrees in Management Studies from Oxford University. Andrea was awarded the Rhodes Scholarship for Jamaica in 1989.
Andrea designs leadership development programs for global audiences. Through seminars and one-on-one coaching, she equips leaders and teams to better understand each other, manage conflict productively, and foster vitality in their relationships for both organizational and individual benefit.
Andrea notes, "Great relationships support and sustain us, yet misunderstandings easily divide us. My goal is to help people do relationships well—breathing life into this generation and the next. It’s a calling worth pursuing."
Jonathan Taylor-Cummings
B.Eng, MPhil (Oxon), AltMBA
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Co-Founder & Trustee
Jon's passion is developing “bigger” people and organizations by cultivating engagement, strategic alignment, and strong, healthy relationships.
Jon holds a Master’s Degree in Management Studies from Oxford University, a First-Class Honours degree in Electronic Engineering with Computer Science from University College London, and is a graduate of Seth Godin’s altMBA online leadership and management program. He has spent 30 years helping companies across banking, pensions, and consulting grow corporate assets and client relationships to deliver robust services.
Jon improves organizational effectiveness and capacity through enhancing operations and fostering people development. By equipping people to communicate effectively, manage conflict, and foster vitality in teams, he breathes purpose into organizations, large and small.
As Jon notes, "I help people become their best selves by overcoming relational challenges. Seeing relationships crumble when solutions exist breaks my heart. I find joy in bringing understanding and connection back to broken places."
Jeremy Lindley
Chair of Trustees
Jeremy's purpose is to inspire transformation and turn ideas into action. With 30 years of international experience spanning design leadership, lecturing, coaching, and charity work, he loves delivering meaningful change.
Jeremy holds an honours degree in Three Dimensional Design from the University of Plymouth, and a Master’s Degree in Design by research from Curtin University, Australia. He is a Visiting Lecturer at INSEEC University and a speaker at Design and Industry conferences.
Jeremy has led design for two of the UK’s largest FTSE 100 companies. He is currently Chair of the Design Business Association, the UK’s trade body for Design, part of the Design Commission advising the UK government on design policy.
As he notes, "Great relationships don't just happen, they require true understanding between people. I am passionate about equipping people with the skills to build strong interpersonal relationships. I want to inspire people that we all have the capacity to learn, grow and create positive change."
Wendy Grafton
Trustee
Wendy is driven by a passion for making the world a better place for all. She has held senior and board positions across business, government, and nonprofits - accumulating significant experience in business development, general management and strategic consultancy.
With an MBA from Cranfield School of Management and a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics, Wendy has spent the last decade focused on improving health and social services for community wellbeing. By instilling commercial rigor and bringing best practices to these organizations, she has helped optimize their impact.
As Wendy notes, "I achieve success by believing each person has innate value. Throughout my career, I've unlocked potential in others by building up self-confidence and capabilities. When people are empowered, organizations thrive."
Gary Hamilton
Trustee
Gary brings nearly four decades of global IT experience, spanning both hardware and software, with projects delivered across 40 countries for organizations from Fortune 500 companies to family businesses. His work has focused on designing solutions that connect people, processes, and technology to create lasting value.
Across his career, Gary has developed a unique perspective on how relationships underpin both business and society. He believes that organizations thrive only when they recognize their interdependence with the communities they serve, and that genuine care and belonging must be built into their culture.
In 2024, Gary retired from IT and embarked on a new chapter as a published author of crime thriller novels, quickly discovering that, just as in business, success in publishing also depends on strong relationships.
Gary has been happily married for nearly forty years and is the proud parent of two daughters. As Gary reflects, “Strong relationships are the foundation for both thriving communities and meaningful impact. When we choose to care for one another, everyone flourishes.”
Sir Paul Coleridge
Advisor
Chairman of Marriage Foundation and former High Court Judge
Sir Paul Coleridge is acclaimed as a long-time champion of marriage and interpersonal relationships. He currently serves as Chairman of Marriage Foundation - an organization he founded in 2012 to address the societal epidemic of declining marriage rates and skyrocketing divorce.
Armed with over four decades of heavyweight legal expertise as a former High Court Judge and leading barrister in London, Sir Paul left the Bench in 2014 to devote himself full-time to catalyzing positive change through Marriage Foundation's thought leadership.
He frequently writes, speaks at prestigious academic, civic, and political institutions globally, and appears regularly across media to provide critical perspective on strengthening families, communities, workplaces, and broader society by improving how we relate to one another as human beings.
Sir Paul has been happily married for many decades.
Richard Kane
Advisor
Richard Kane, founder of National Marriage Week, has made a profound impact globally by promoting the importance of strong marriages.
This initiative, celebrated currently in 26 nations and reaching many Millions of participants annually, began in 1997 under Richard's leadership while he was the national director of the charity Marriage Resource.
Marriage Week International has grown into a collaborative project that draws on various organizations and networks for its success. It champions the diversity and vibrancy of marriage as the cornerstone of family life, and has garnered support from political, religious, and media figures, including prime ministers and other national leaders.