Mark Wiggin, B.Ed (Hons), M.A was born in Nelson, Lancashire on 13th March 1953. He was educated by the Benedictines at Belmont Abbey, Hereford and later at St. Mary's College, Twickenham before going on to an M.A at the School of Oriental and African Studies. Professional qualifications followed through St. Martin's College, University of Lancaster and the University of Central Lancashire. Early formative experiences included a childhood in West Africa and later in East Africa as a volunteer teacher though Volunteer Missionary Movement with the Archdiocese of Gulu, Uganda.
As Chief Executive of Catholic Care (Diocese of Leeds) he is responsible for the governance, strategic direction and quality of services provided through a workforce of over 150 staff targeting some of the most vulnerable children and adults in the Diocese of Leeds. Ten years of senior management experience developing services in Catholic Social Welfare Organisations and a rich diversity of other professional and life experiences gives confidence to a strong contribution to the development of social welfare policy and practice.
Previous posts included Assistant Director, Catholic Caring Services (Diocese of Lancaster) Ltd where as a member of the Senior Management Team he had lead responsibility for Community Services throughout the Diocese of Lancaster. Previous relevant positions held include the chair of the management group of the Lancashire Workforce Development Partnership - raising care standards in Lancashire through training and HR development working with Lancashire County Council, Skills for Care, private and voluntary sector as well as Chair/trustee of the Volunteer Missionary Movement, a lay Christian organisation for recruiting, training, placing volunteers in development and mission contexts.
Mark is currently the co-chair of Caritas - Social Action Networks Older People Forum promoting Catholic Churches unique role in care of older people and new ways to deliver these services. He is also a trustee of the Lancashire-Gulu Local Agenda 21 Link - a small Preston based charity promoting community and school links with sister organisation in Uganda.
Catholic Care acts to support those in need of its services, especiallly the weak and the vunerable and it acts as an advocate for those unable to represent themselves
The primary purpose of the agency is to foster and influence a vision of how people can live together in Christian charity, love and justice, by taking the "Caring Church into the Community
