Who We Are

Quicken Trust is a Sussex-based charity which is transforming the lives of people living in poverty in the Ugandan village of Kabubbu. It works in partnership with a range of organisations around the UK and worldwide.

Among those linking up with Quicken have been British Airways, initially through its “Change for Good” programme, as well as Unicef, The British Council, Graze and Mildmay Mission Hospital.

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Small is Beautiful!

Quicken is proof that small can be beautiful! The Trust has just four staff led by its founder, Geoff Booker, and his wife, Geraldine, who is Director of Development. But it has hundreds of supporters and volunteers including nearly 550 who partner in Kabubbu. (Child Partnership or Elderly Partnership or Project Partnership).

1,200 volunteers have travelled there to work on projects or got involved in the UK (Visit us as a volunteer).

And it’s won plaudits from high places. Uganda’s vice-president, Edward Ssekandi, said after a visit in 2010: “This is the finest example of rural development I have ever seen or heard of in Uganda.”

Oxfam emergency food security expert, Jonathan Brass, said after visiting in 2008: “A great experience and quite inspiring – particularly seeing and knowing how you lead much from the heart, common sense and Divine guidance”.

Bill Farmer – an international development consultant with 40 years’ experience — was so impressed he said: “In all my years of working with aid agencies, this is the Rolls Royce of all the projects I have seen or been involved with.”

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Success Stories

In its first decade in Kabubbu, Quicken Trust has helped tackle the destitution, disease and despair endured by villagers who once described themselves as “the Forgotten People” Success stories include:

Kabubbu lies 20 miles north of Uganda’s capital, Kampala. Kabubbu parish spreads over a large area, making it tricky to estimate the population but about 4,200 live within two miles of Kabubbu village centre.

Geoff and Geraldine were inspired to get involved there after a chance visit in 1999. Neither had a background in Third World charity work although Geoff’s career in marketing, sales, publishing, corporate development and administration with companies such as WH Smith, CCLI and Kingsway provided a useful grounding.

Geraldine’s CV included working with disadvantaged young people and counselling where her expertise led her to produce training materials. These were accredited by the Association of Christian Counsellors and recognised by the University of Wales.

But an encounter, during a visit to Uganda, prompted them to action. For, beneath the veneer of lush vegetation and rural peace, they found a community racked by AIDS and malaria, without work and without much hope. They left promising only to return to the UK and tell the story of what they had seen. And with some Divine interventions, things began to develop.

Meet the QT Team

Over the years, as the work has expanded, Quicken has built up a team of staff and volunteers, working from an office at Cowbeech in East Sussex.  (Video: Transforming a Community)

Geoff and Geraldine have visited Kabubbu about 60 times since 1999. They now spend up to three months a year there. This has given them considerable cultural awareness and cross-cultural knowledge which helps the relationship between partners and supporters in the UK and those they are supporting in Uganda.

Michelle Barnett
Michelle BarnettTrustee & Graphic designer
Simon Barnett
Simon BarnettChair of Board of Trustees & MD Advantage Technologies
Geoff Booker
Geoff BookerTrustee & Quicken Trust Founder
Geraldine Booker
Geraldine BookerTrustee & Director of Development
Sue Lade
Sue LadeBanking Administrator