Our Team
We are a diverse and brilliant team of paid and volunteer staff – all playing a vital part in making St. Hilda’s East the fantastic community organisation it is.
Support and Governance
Lucy Bingham, Director
Lucy joined us in May 2023, coming from the Holloway Neighbourhood group where she spent 10 years as Chief Executive and brings more than 30 years’ experience working in the non-profit sector. Lucy has led and developed several successful charities, delivering a wide range of services in multicultural inner-city environments.
She is proud to be part of sustaining an organisation such as St. Hilda’s East which has been running for 135 years. Lucy is inspired by the staff and volunteers and their commitment to providing excellent support to our service users.
In her free time, Lucy enjoys walks in the countryside.
Daniel Charcharos, Head of Operations
Daniel leads all operations and facilities aspects at St. Hilda’s East and has been with us since October 2023, having previously worked at the Holloway Neighbourhood Group. He views St. Hilda’s East as a very special place that brings together people from all walks of life.
Outside of work, Daniel enjoys all things musical.
Alison Wright, Head of Programme Development
Alison joined St. Hilda’s East in February 2024, having spent much of her career working in advocacy and user involvement, ensuring people understand their rights and have a voice and power in their lives.
She loves working with St. Hilda’s East’s family of staff, volunteers, and local people.
In her free time, she enjoys pottering in her garden.
Katie Smith, Marketing Manager
Katie joined St. Hilda’s East in early 2025. As Marketing Manager Katie oversees our web presence, social media, email communications, and branding. Katie loves St. Hilda’s presence as a pillar of the East London charitable community.
Outside of work Katie is a stand-up comedian, and an Aston Villa season ticket holder with her dad.
Jenny Bernard, Administrator
Jenny joined St. Hilda’s East in August 2024. With a long career in finance, administration and charity governance she works within the Operations team to ensure that our administrative systems support our work and our team.
She is a lifelong volunteer, and a Shoreditch resident so is happy to be at St Hilda’s where the team is brilliant, and everyone is friendly and welcoming.
In her free time, Jenny is a Friend of Arnold Circus trustee as well as the Treasurer for her church (St Mark’s in Dalston) and for FutureHistories, an archive celebrating the work of Black and Asian performing artists in the UK.
Dimitri Charcharos, Operations Assistant
Subita Begum, Finance Assistant
Advice Service
India Doris, Adults and Community Programme Manager
India joined us in February 2024 and manages our Food Co-op, Women’s Programme, Creative Space, as well as our Legal Advice drop-ins. She loves that our programmes focus on wellbeing, creative activities, and self-care, ensuring there is something for everyone.
Alaya Begum, Advice Co-ordinator
Alaya has been with the St. Hilda’s East team since 2005 and is highly sought after by our Advice Service users for her expertise in welfare benefits, debt, and housing issues. Alaya started with us as a volunteer, then began her career in advice at the Island Advice Centre before re-joining us as a member of staff. She loves her colleagues at St. Hilda’s East and being able to help people with their problems. In her free time, Alaya enjoys spending time with her family and watching Netflix.
Tina Brown, Legal clinic Supervisor
Tina has been with St. Hilda’s East for over 8 years, starting at Sonali Gardens before also joining the Club Row site. She enjoys the culture of the workplace. In addition to her evenings at the legal clinic, Tina works full-time as a caseworker at Positive East in Stepney Green.
In her spare time, she enjoys bike riding and walks in the park.
Cindy Huen, Food Co-op Facilitator
Cindy leads our weekly community Food Co-op and pop-up events, while also supporting our dedicated team of long-standing Food Co-op volunteers. Cindy has been with us since 2017, starting as a volunteer. She comes to us with a background in local authority housing and community support. In her free time, Cindy enjoys Zumba and walking.
Activities and Programmes
Christine Izobo, Children and Young People Programme Manager
Christine has been working in education for over 16 years. Her desire is to see children and young people reach their full potential. She loves witnessing children grow in confidence and thrive both academically and personally.
With a deep passion for nurturing the whole child, Christine is committed to creating environments where every child feels seen, supported, and empowered to succeed. Her experience spans various roles within education, allowing her to develop a well-rounded understanding of what young people need to flourish.
Outside of work, Christine loves spending time with her son and taking life as it comes, embracing each moment with energy and optimism. She finds joy in the simple things and believes in living life with purpose and heart.
Bella Field, Young People’s Development Worker
Bella started with us as a volunteer and is now running our Brave Girls programme, focusing on empowering our girls.
She finds it very rewarding to watch the girls grow and feel more and more comfortable experimenting with who they want to be.
Bella has a Masters in Positive Psychology and Coaching. She loves clothes and believes fashion is a great way for an adult to express themselves.
Jenny Simmonds, Over 50's Feeling Good Programme Co-ordinator
Jenny joined St Hilda’s in September 2024 and manages our Over 50s Feeling Good Programme. Jenny has a background in social work and the arts and enjoys helping older people to maintain active and fulfilling lives. She enjoys art, the outdoors and cooking in her spare time.
Beverley Rose-Green, Over 50’s Feeling Good Activity Worker
Beverley has been with us since 2009, starting as a volunteer. Over the years, she has built strong relationships with our service users.
Beverley loves meeting new people and has enjoyed witnessing all the changes at St. Hilda’s East throughout the years.
She enjoys being outdoors and socialising in her free time.
Zainab Hasan, Wellbeing Facilitator
Zainab joined us in 2023 and runs our Creative Space, Cooking Club, and Women’s Group. She enjoys being with the wonderful participants who come to our groups and loves seeing their progress and confidence grow. Zainab is also a professional actress and loves to travel.
Rhonda Brandon, Early Years Co-ordinator
Rhonda joined us in October 2010, having previously worked as a nursery manager for Tower Hamlets College. She runs our family learning early years stay and play, and sensory play services, and has a great relationship with our families. Rhonda believes community centres play an important role in bringing people together. When not busy, she enjoys spending time with her cats and gardening, and can often be found sailing on a boat with friends and family.
Minara Begum, Under 5’s worker
Sonali Gardens Day Centre
Anowar Salehin, Day Centre Manager
Anowar has been with us for over 20 years. He started as a volunteer in 1999 while studying Youth, Community, and Social Work at Tower Hamlets College. He joined us in 2008 as the Day Centre Deputy Manager and became our Day Centre Manager in 2018. He believes that our devotion to the community, seven days a week, has remained unchanged. St. Hilda’s East is very much a part of his life, and he loves his job, finding it very rewarding.
Sarwar Hussain, Day Care Supervisor
Sarwar joined us over 25 years ago. Working at St. Hilda’s East, makes him feel part of the local community. When not at St. Hilda’s East, Sarwar’s absolute passion is gardening.
Mohammed Shahjahan, Care Assistant
Shahjahan has been working at St. Hilda’s East for over ten years. He finds it fulfilling and enjoys helping our service users with their daily activities and feels happy seeing them enjoy their time at St. Hilda’s East.
He previously worked in catering. In his free time, he enjoys gardening, cooking new dishes and spending time with his family.
Linkage Plus
Joynul Hoque, LinkAge Plus Coordinator
Joynul started working for St. Hilda’s East back in 2007 as a LinkAge Plus Outreach Worker. His previous role also involved working in the community in Tower Hamlets.
He thinks St. Hilda’s East’s team is brilliant, with everyone being friendly and hardworking. He believes the team’s commitment and passion for helping people is second to none.
In his free time, Joynul enjoys football and loves spending time with his family and friends.
Kate Spicer, LinkAge Plus Outreach and Development Worker
Kate has been with since 2016, bringing a wealth of experience from her previous roles in housing, homelessness, and benefits advice. As part of the LinkAge Plus team at St. Hilda’s East, Kate provides practical help and support for our service users.
She also raises awareness on health issues, safety, and general well-being. In addition to these responsibilities, Kate and the team support our service users in day-to-day social activities, such as coffee mornings and darts, as well as accompanying them on day trips. Kate thinks St. Hilda’s East is a lovely place to work and appreciates the support and camaraderie of the team.
Outside of work, Kate enjoys spending time at her allotment, going to the pub or out for a meal, and visiting galleries and museums.
Helen Dickinson, LinkAge Plus Outreach Worker
Helen joined Linkage Plus in 2006 as a community outreach worker. Prior to this role, she gained experience working with the homeless and in hostels.
In her personal time, Helen enjoys practicing yoga, swimming, and tending to her allotment.
Dilwar Uddin, LinkAge Plus Outreach Worker
Our Trustees
Kate Simpson, Chair
Kate joined SHE in 2021 as a Guild-appointed Trustee, and was elected Chair in 2023.
A career in international hospitality took her to 3 continents over 20+ years in a diverse range of leadership roles where, as an operations specialist, her experience in cross-cultural leadership in a commercial environment was driven by a focus on and passion for service.
Having the opportunity to serve an organisation whose ethos and remarkable history have been familiar to her for over 40 years feels like a great privilege. Kate is a member of the Finance Working Group and the Governance Working Group.
Malini McCauley, Treasurer
Malini joined the Board in 2018, originally as a Guild-appointed Trustee, and is now our Treasurer and chairs the Finance Working Group.
Malini is a finance professional with extensive experience in banking, large corporations, and education, and brings a strategic financial perspective plus expertise in marketing and fundraising.
She has served as a school governor and currently runs her own accounting business.
As a second-generation Bengali and an alumna of Cheltenham Ladies’ College, joining the board felt like a natural step due to the cultural and historical links. In her free time, Malini enjoys travelling.
Jean Locker
Courtney Cesari
Courtney Cesari is a Tower Hamlets resident and joined the board of SHE in 2023. A communications enthusiast, she is a firm believer that marketing can (and should!) be used for good, and loves working with people, voices, and words. She has over 20 years of marketing experience spanning different clients, industries, and countries; she’s been the Managing Director of global teams, CMO for fast-growing start-ups, and the creator of numerous launch, rebrand, and growth strategies.
She holds a BA from Columbia University, an MBA from Stockholm School of Economics, and most recently, a Sustainable Marketing certification from Cambridge’s Institute of Sustainable Leadership (CISL). On top of fractional marketing roles (she is currently Marketing Director for Everybody Agency) and client work, she frequently travels to speak and Chair events and is a Columbia Alumni Association Board Member where she represents European-based alumni in New York City. Courtney lives with her son and partner between Bethnal Green and Victoria Park.
Nafis Kibriya
A Londoner and a second-generation Bengali, Nafis’ background is in strategy development, its implementation and governance from within the Civil Service. He is also a Magistrate with skills around scrutiny and ensuring accountability, and is SHE’s lead Trustee on safeguarding issues.
Joining the Board of SHE has been an opportunity to support a vibrant community organisation and have a direct positive impact on people’s lives.
He is passionate about SHE’s mission to make a positive impact on the community in everything it does, made possible by its inspiring staff and volunteers, whose dedication sparks a deep sense of passion for the work being done. Nafis chairs the Governance Working Group.
Paola Santa Cruz
Paola is an international development consultant with a focus on poverty eradication. She has wide experience in United Nations country level programme management (children and women’s rights), as well as policy analysis, planning, and resource management roles at the national government level (Peru and UK governments) and local level (UK & India).
Her UK Government Regional senior management experience (Greater London) include regeneration policy design & implementation with a focus on demand led skills for young people. Paola is also an education entrepreneur and has designed and delivered education projects for young people in three continents. She holds an MSc in Development Studies (LSE, London), Post graduate course in Environmental Economics (Harvard University) and BA Business (AUP Paris).
Paola is a member of the Finance Working Group and Fundraising Working Group.
Amarr Wright
Amarr is in-house counsel at a top 20 law firm. His practice focuses on commercial contracts, risk and governance. He brings these insights to St Hilda’s East and serves on the governance committee. He joined the board in 2023. Prior to his legal career, Amarr worked as a Community Engagement Coordinator and a community centre in South London.
Outside of work, he volunteers with young people coordinating youth groups and mentoring in South East London. He supports young people to explore their talents and build career opportunities. He also mentors with another charity. Building up a connected and dynamic local community, and the role of community centres in doing this, is close to his heart.
Catarina Sousa
Catarina is a senior manager at one of the UK’s largest mental health and substance misuse charities, with extensive experience overseeing services supporting survivors and perpetrators of domestic abuse, as well as people with complex mental health needs. She has worked in both frontline and strategic roles, developing services for young people, older adults, and families.
Having worked across Europe, the USA, and the UK, she offers a pluralist and humanist perspective, grounded in operational leadership and shaped by international best practice.
Originally from Portugal, Catarina is a resident of Tower Hamlets. Her formal training includes a Master’s in Psychology with a specialisation in systemic clinical and community practice, as well as qualifications in social organisation management and family mediation.
Outside of work, she is passionate about storytelling and social history, and is especially interested in how past decisions continue to shape current social and cultural realities, which is an interest that aligns with St. Hilda’s East’s long-standing commitment to place, people, and legacy.