About Us

I have spent my lengthy professional career in various Procurement, Supply Chain and Manufacturing Operations roles at Caterpillar, Finnpave, Courage Brewing, Iveco Ford Truck and London Underground. I have now transitioned to various voluntary roles serving our local community.

Why I Support Safer off the Streets

For years I walked past those sleeping on the street, feeling huge compassion for them, but not feeling confident or knowing how I should respond…so I did not. I wanted to learn more about homelessness and to support those experiencing it, using the skills built up through my career, hence deciding to Chair Safer off the Streets. I have learned a lot!

How I Contribute to the Charity

As Chair, I work to ensure we have a Board of engaged Trustees and Volunteers to support our work. I arrange quarterly in person partnership meetings, meet with our partners, lead on our strategy work and coordinate our various project work.

Fun Fact

I enjoy pulling on my walking boots and setting out for long walks in the countryside. I usually get very muddy!

Across my career I have worked and volunteered within mental health, criminal justice & domestic abuse services. I currently work for drug & alcohol services, delivering projects around housing and homelessness. Through my professional experience I have developed a passion driving change across partnerships, working together to support the vulnerable in our society.

Why I Support Safer off the Streets

In my role as project manager I was engaged with the SoS partnership. I saw the team offering some amazing opportunities to the partnership, to best help us support those experiencing homelessness within Peterborough. Every time I left a partnership meeting, or engaged with Anna, I felt passionate and motivated and knew I wanted to be able to contribute more to the work being delivered.

How I Contribute to the Charity

As a trustee I help advocate and coordinate delivery of opportunities for partners and closer working. I also want to work to raise awareness of homelessness, and the need for a trauma informed approach to support individuals who are experiencing this. There is lots of stigma around homelessness, mental health & substance use, and I hope to be able tackle this through some of our work.

Fun Fact

I love weightlifting and can deadlift 100kg!

I worked in homelessness prevention services for several years, before moving into project management and communications within the social housing sector. I headed up the communications function for a housing provider for over seven years and absolutely loved the breadth of the role, where no two days were the same. I was responsible for stakeholder engagement, PR, internal communications and implemented an accessible and two-way communications strategy that promoted resident voice and tackled the stigma faced by social housing residents.

For the past four years, I've been a freelance communications consultant and copywriter, with a passion for accessible, jargon-free writing. I love working with not-for-profit organisations doing amazing things and bringing their work to life with engaging, human interest content.

Why I Support Safer off the Streets

With the flexibility freelance work affords, I was looking for an opportunity to volunteer with an organisation whose mission was close to my heart. When I saw that Safer Off The Streets needed support with their communications, I literally couldn't wait to get on board. I firmly believe that dealing with the housing crisis and supporting those affected by homelessness should be a national priority - a safe and decent home must be a human right! I've experienced first hand how dedicated and compassionate homelessness professionals and volunteers are, often with limited resources available to them. Having the opportunity to support partners to work in a more coordinated way, with the aim of delivering greater impact is a real privilege.

How I Contribute to the Charity

As a new volunteer, I've been spending time getting to know the organisation and partners, while working to develop our website and starting to share successful outcomes more widely. I look forward to getting involved with all aspects of the charity and working hard to tackle the stigma around homelessness in partnership with the fantastic organisations we work with.

Fun Fact

After many years of being an avid tennis spectator, I finally took the leap and took a beginners' course at the age of 44 and have been playing weekly ever since! Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks?

I trained as a midwife before working at the Care Quality Commission (CQC) as an Acute Inspector, where I gained valuable experience in regulatory compliance and addressing health inequalities within healthcare settings. My work at CQC reinforced my commitment to improving equitable access to safe, high-quality care.

I am currently Head of Safeguarding and Compliance at Mencap (Royal Mencap Society), a leading charity that supports people with a learning disability, their families and their carers. In this role, I am responsible for ensuring our services operate in line with regulatory requirements and best practice standards, while also acting as the charity’s Designated Safeguarding Lead. My focus is on strengthening safeguarding culture, promoting inclusion and driving improvements that enhance the lives of people we support.

Why I Support Safer off the Streets

Throughout my career, I’ve been driven by a passion for advocating for the rights and safety of individuals who face barriers to having their voices heard. I was drawn to the opportunity to contribute – albeit indirectly – to improving the quality of life for people experiencing homelessness, ensuring they have access to the support and opportunities that can help them build the future they want.

How I Contribute to the Charity

As a Trustee, I help to deliver on our projects and support our Partners across the city to strengthen the vital services they provide. I have been particularly involved in our learning opportunities project, which facilitates training and knowledge-sharing events for our Partners. In 2024, we hosted 8 learning sessions, with a personal highlight being our session on women experiencing homelessness. Alongside my fellow Trustees, I ensure that Safer Off the Streets remains aligned with its charitable purpose, while also helping to shape its strategic direction for the future.

Fun Fact

I once did a magic trick with Reese Witherspoon in Hamleys of London!

Having only recently graduated from university, I’m relatively new to the professional world. However, through my role as a graduate management trainee, I've become deeply involved with the work of Peterborough City Council’s Housing Needs department.

Why I Support Safer off the Streets

While I was student, I conducted research into the barriers to healthcare faced by those experiencing homelessness, and the ‘Team Around a Person’ approach. These projects gave me the opportunity to engage with services across the wider homelessness sector and sparked an interest in the complex challenges that exist. More recently, I’ve attended the charity’s partnership meetings and have valued the space to network with homelessness professionals from across the city. The learning events hosted by Safer Off the Streets have also been a great way for me to gain a better appreciation of the vital work carried out by partner organisations. The charity’s role as a core convening body, which enables partners to act as a joined-up system is central to making Peterborough a city where homelessness is rare, brief, and unrepeated; an ambition I strive to support.

How I Contribute to the Charity

Safer Off the Streets currently has a number of projects in progress, each working towards achieving the charity’s strategic ambitions. As a trustee, I support these projects by identifying opportunities and facilitating collaboration across the city.

Fun Fact

I’ve played tiddlywinks against the world champion... and won!

I have spent my professional career progressing through the Finance department of a G15 Housing association in London, my current role is an Associate Project Accountant focusing on finance projects.

Why I Support Safer off the Streets

Through working in social housing, I understand every individual having a place to call home is vital for a functioning society. Safer off the Streets fosters collaboration between service providers, who focus on homelessness in Peterborough, to work together toward a city where homelessness is rare and brief. I’m proud to support this mission.

How I Contribute to the Charity

I am supporting with an initiative to help raise awareness about homelessness, with our target audience being young people. We aim to empower young people to drive change, cultivating a community with a richer understanding of homelessness in Peterborough.

Fun Fact

I enjoy playing badminton and I help plan a yearly badminton tournament at work.

I work in operations and service development, supporting healthcare and technology organisations to design and embed practical, people-centred systems that enable services to run well. My experience includes improving ways of working, supporting governance and compliance, and helping teams scale sustainably, particularly in high-growth and regulated environments.

Why I Support Safer off the Streets

I have seen first-hand the impact that homelessness and housing insecurity can have on individuals and communities, including here in Peterborough. I value organisations that take a compassionate, practical approach, and Safer Off The Streets reflects what matters to me around dignity, fairness and supporting people at risk. Equality and social justice are very much rooted in who I am.

How I Contribute to the Charity

As a trustee and Company Secretary, I’ll be supporting the charity with governance, IT and systems, plus meeting and administrative support. This includes Charity Commission activity and helping to ensure the charity has strong foundations to grow and remain effective.

Fun Fact

I once lost my glasses during a skydive, I guess it could have been much worse!