Ockenden International

[2] Its name derives from Pearce's family home ‘Ockenden’ in Woking, Surrey and its aim was to help children living in displaced persons' camps in post-war Germany by providing vocational training and shelter.

[5] From November 1960 until 1970, the Astor family leased The Abbey at a peppercorn rent to the Ockenden Venture.

Initially, it housed Polish girls, followed by South African, Tibetan and Rumanian students.

[6] In October 1962, the Ockenden Venture decided to support non-European children as well and in 1971 it merged with another refugee charity, Lifeline.

In 1979, when the government decided to accept Vietnamese boat people into the UK, Ockenden, Save the Children and the British Council for Aid to Refugees were given responsibility for reception and resettlement these families.