Our Team

Finance and Operations

Mark Boisson - Interim Co-Chief Executive Officer and Director of Finance and Resources

Mark BoissonInterim Co-Chief Executive Officer and Director of Finance and Resources

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.

mark@hcvs.org.uk

Berhane Gebrealfa - Senior Finance Officer

Berhane GebrealfaSenior Finance Officer

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.

berhane@hcvs.org.uk

Delia Mattis  - HR and Operations Manager

Delia Mattis HR and Operations Manager

Delia joined Hackney CVS in January 2023 as HR and Operations Manager and leads on all HR matters including policy and procedure, as well as operations.

Delia is an experienced senior manager who is qualified in employment law and has worked in a number of not-for-profit and VCS sector organisations throughout her career.

delia@hcvs.org.uk

Hristina Nikolova  - Operations Officer

Hristina Nikolova Operations Officer

Pat Afrane-Kesey - Receptionist/Administrator

Pat Afrane-KeseyReceptionist/Administrator

Sharon Karikari - Receptionist/Administrator

Sharon KarikariReceptionist/Administrator

Popi Begum - Receptionist

Popi BegumReceptionist

Popi is one of Hackney CVS’ longest serving staff members and supports visitors at front of house as Hackney CVS receptionist.

reception@hcvs.org.uk

Hashley Mayamba - HR and Operations Officer

Hashley MayambaHR and Operations Officer

Communications and VCS Support

Matt Bray - Interim Co-Chief Executive Officer and Director of Communications and VCS Support

Matt BrayInterim Co-Chief Executive Officer and Director of Communications and VCS Support

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.

matt@hcvs.org.uk

Sarah Watson - Development & Programme Manager, Hackney Giving

Sarah WatsonDevelopment & Programme Manager, Hackney Giving

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.

sarah@hackneygiving.org.uk

Zelina - Hackney Giving Finance and administration
(On maternity leave)

ZelinaHackney Giving Finance and administration (On maternity leave)

zelina@hcvs.org.uk

Mark Drinkwater - Communications Coordinator

Mark DrinkwaterCommunications Coordinator

Mark has over 28 years’ experience working for charities, including 20 years working for CVS organisations in London.

markd@hcvs.org.uk

Martyna Glowacka - Hackney Giving Finance and Admin Officer

Martyna GlowackaHackney Giving Finance and Admin Officer

Martyna has worked for charities for over 10 years in different areas – communications, administration and counselling. In her free time, she enjoys learning new things, reading books and spending time in nature.

Tamara Wiltshire - Community Giving and Partnerships Coordinator, Hackney Giving

Tamara WiltshireCommunity Giving and Partnerships Coordinator, Hackney Giving

Health Transformation

Rachel King - Lunch Clubs Development Coordinator

Rachel KingLunch Clubs Development Coordinator

Shamima Aktar  - Networks Coordinator

Shamima Aktar Networks Coordinator

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.

shamima@hcvs.org.uk

 Soraya Akrouche - Hackney Refugee and Migrant Forum coordinator

Soraya AkroucheHackney Refugee and Migrant Forum coordinator

Soraya has been working with migration and humanitarian aid for 8 years in Europe, South America and the Middle East.

She is also the coordinator of Hackney Migrant and Refugee Forum and VCS Outreach worker at Hackney CVS, she supports the borough’s grassroots charities and community groups.

In addition to lots of hands-on experience, Soraya has an MA in Development and poverty alleviation.

In her spare time Soraya enjoys theatre, travelling and anthropological research in the Middle East.

soraya@hcvs.org.uk

Veryan Wilkie-Jones - Programmes Manager, VCS Neighbourhoods

Veryan Wilkie-JonesProgrammes Manager, VCS Neighbourhoods

Veryan has nearly 7 years of experience working in the community in the fantastic borough of Hackney. She previously managed community cooking class programmes at the food justice charity, Made In Hackney, and is now programmes manager for VCS Neighbourhoods.
Veryan runs a Friends community group for a local park in her home area south of the river in Crystal Palace. She enjoys bringing up her two teens, practicing yoga and cooking for friends and family.

Kemar Walford - Neighbourhoods Organisational Development Manager

Kemar WalfordNeighbourhoods Organisational Development Manager

Helen Animashaun - Programme Manager: EPIC Health

Helen AnimashaunProgramme Manager: EPIC Health

Carrie Hirst - Director of Health Transformation

Carrie HirstDirector of Health Transformation

Carrie has managed multiple health-based community projects within the voluntary and community sector, as well as being a commissioner for them.

She has led patient and public engagement for the NHS in West London and was the Covid-19 engagement lead in Tower Hamlets’s Public Health team during the pandemic.

Carrie loves creating spaces to co-produce services with residents and wider stakeholders – developing shared values and joint strategies to align complex workstreams – usually over a good cup of tea!

Ask her about the time she managed volunteer programmes in Uganda, Zambia and India too!

The kettle will always be on when you visit the office, so please do! (We have a fully stocked biscuit tin…)

Jahada Abdul - CYP/Safeguarding Officer

Jahada AbdulCYP/Safeguarding Officer

Jahada joined Hackney CVS as a Community Care Navigator. With over 10 years of experience in the social care sector, she has worked across voluntary, statutory, and private services. Outside of work, Jahada is passionate about trekking for various charities, travelling, swimming, and exploring oriental cuisine.
Contact: jahada@hcvs.org.uk

Youth Programmes Team

Monique Smith - Programme Development Officer

Monique SmithProgramme Development Officer

Fouad Al Kadi - Youth Team Programme Development Manager

Fouad Al KadiYouth Team Programme Development Manager

Fouad@hcvs.org.uk

Amelia Wornell - Youth Leader

Amelia WornellYouth Leader

Cindy Agbonwaneten - Youth Leader

Cindy AgbonwanetenYouth Leader