Tony joined Hackney CVS in November 2018. He has been in the third sector for over ten years and has worked on a range of issues including refugee and asylum seeking women, domestic abuse, and prostate cancer.
Tony is responsible for leading the Connect Hackney programme which aims to improve the wellbeing of people aged over 50 by preventing loneliness and isolation. Connect Hackney is one of 14 programmes across England funded by Big Lottery Fund’s Fulfilling Lives, Ageing Better programme.
In his spare time, Tony keeps a healthy mind and body by going to gym, and has promised himself to take up tennis.
Mark joined Hackney CVS in December 2014 as its Finance Director and leads on all aspects of finance including that of our trading subsidiary, City and Hackney Together.
Mark is an experienced accountant and has previously worked at a senior level in a number of not-for-profit and other sectors, most recently in education.
Berhane has many years of accounting experience, mainly working in the not-for-profit sector. He had been Finance Officer at Hackney CVS between 2007-12.
He is also a treasurer of a community football club coaching kids between ages 7-18.
Popi is one of Hackney CVS’ longest serving staff members and supports visitors at front of house as Hackney CVS receptionist.
Matt has been producing and directing digital and print media for 15 years and heads up the communications team.
He is also the lead for Hackney Giving, a local giving programme to support the borough’s smaller grassroots charities and community groups.
In addition to lots of hands on experience, Matt has an MA in Global Society and Media Communication.
In his spare time Matt enjoys playing tennis, cycling up mountains and watching dance productions.
Mark has over 28 years’ experience working for charities, including 18 years working for CVS organisations in London.
Sarah joined Hackney CVS in February 2020 to revive and develop the Hackney Giving programme, a local giving programme to support the borough’s grassroots charities and community groups. Sarah has worked in and around the voluntary sector throughout her career and has previously managed several funding programmes offering grants at different scales: from one-off events to multi-year partnership projects.
When she’s not working, Sarah can often be found running in the local parks and green spaces and she enjoys sewing. She was part of the team that saved Homerton’s Chesham Arms from closure and is a founder member of Protect Pubs, a network of campaigners supporting communities nationally to retain their pubs.
Berni is conducting research and evaluation around Hackney Giving’s programme of grants, which aim to improve information around Covid-19 across the borough’s diverse communities and brings over 20 years’ experience of research and evaluation in the not-for-profit sector on top of earlier careers in welfare rights and health.
She runs regular training courses for the Social Research Association (SRA), is joint author of a guide to conducting research and evaluation with children and young people (2018) and the SRA’s Ethics Guide (2021); and is also very active in her local north Hackney community.
May is a nurse and global health Masters student who is interested in migrant health, health equity and ecology. Being born in Hackney and continuing to live there she is passionate about the diversity that makes Hackney so special.
This is her first voluntary sector job after working in the NHS and she is thrilled to be working alongside HCVS and partners to advocate for and support health and wellbeing for our residents and wider community.
Shamima started work at Hackney CVS in March 2011 as an apprentice and was later employed as a receptionist before taking up the role of Network Coordinator – supporting the Health and Social Care Forum and the Children and Young People’s Provider Forum.
She enjoys spicy food and going to the cinema with family and friends.
A refugee from Turkey because of the Military Coup in 1980.
Ali was the Founder of first Turkish speaking Workers Association in Hackney in 1979 and the trade union organizer of textile workers in Hackney. He has organised many Refugee and migrant rights and services groups and campaigns locally and London wide. In Hackney Ali brings refugee groups together with the council departments and service providers to influence policy.
Judy loves working with grassroots community groups who she believes often go above and beyond for the people they support. When she’s in a more bureaucratic mood Judy enjoys translating policy jargon into everyday language.
Saqib is an JNC qualified youth worker/manager with 20 years’ experience on the frontline in different parts of the country. He is responsible for youth leadership and employment programmes at Hackney CVS. Saqib is also a NVQ assessor and has a background of working with young men, arts/heritage and in policy and campaigning work.
Tim started as a volunteer at Hackney CVS in summer 2018, working as a researcher with the Stop and Search Monitoring Group. He is now the project officer for Account, Hackney’s Youth-led Independent Advisory Group.
Outside of his work at CVS, Tim is completing a PhD at the University of Essex in the Department of Government.
Jahada joined Hackney CVS in October 2016 as a Community Care Navigator.