Meet the Team Alice Wallace Director Alice has had a leading role with LGBT+ organisations, community development, grants administration, mental health and public health. Alice has worked for voluntary and statutory organisations and freelance, as volunteer through to senior manager. Her role is to develop Opening Doors London to ensure that it is a vibrant organisation meeting the needs of the LGBTQ+ communities. Adrian Beaumont Head of Operations and Communications Adrian (he/they) has operational control for the delivery of a range of services and programmes for members, the befriending and telefriending team, volunteer team and also ODL's comms and marketing team. Their background is in LGBTQ+ campaigning, as director of national and regional operational service delivery programmes within sexual health and HIV and wellbeing services and MSM research projects. They are a qualified counsellor, have run their own businesses and have worked extensively in the public and third sector. Dr Chryssy Hunter Volunteer Coordinator [email protected] Chryssy coordinates our extensive volunteering activities – everything from supporting the team identify new opportunities to recruiting and inducting new volunteers into the organisation. Chryssy is a published author in the LGBTQ+ field and holds a PhD on the Equality Act. She has managed teacher trainings projects in North Korea and Libya, and is a board member of TAGS [a swimming group for trans and gender nonconforming people] and Gendered Intelligence, and is a member of the Bent Bars Collective. Ian McGeough Community Engagement Coordinator [email protected] Ian leads the coordination and delivery of all our member engagement activities and events including our digital and health and wellbeing programmes and specialised services. Ian’s background is stakeholder engagement and he is passionate about improving social inequality, social mobility and sustainability. He’s also a huge music and film fan and enjoys dog walks and gardening. Fleur Finch Community Engagement Officer [email protected] Fleur assists with the running and delivery of our member engagement activities and events. Fleur’s professional background is in the heritage sector and support work. Fleur is passionate about social justice, equality and inclusion. Outside of work, Fleur spends her time renovating furniture, perusing junk shops and volunteering at LGBTQ events. Lucy Whitman Dementia Services Officer Lucy is a writer, editor and activist, working at ODL to support LGBTQ+ people who are living with dementia, and LGBTQ+ carers of people with dementia. Lucy cared for her mother when she had dementia, and has worked in the voluntary sector supporting and advocating on behalf of patients and carers for fifteen years. Her writings have been published widely in magazines, journals and books, and she has edited two anthologies: Telling Tales About Dementia: Experiences of Caring (personal accounts of caring for someone with dementia) and People with Dementia Speak Out (personal accounts by people living with dementia), both published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Harry Taylor Trans and Non-Binary Engagement Officer Harry (he/him) is a LGBT+ history enthusiast and is passionate about providing supportive, inclusive and positive spaces for trans people. Outside of work, Harry enjoys the theatre, outdoor swimming and designing LGBT+ themed greeting cards. Ravi Sharma BAME/PoC Engagement Officer I have worked in the Voluntary Sector for the past twenty years with a Black Minority Ethnic specialism. I have been an Advocate/Advisor for marginalised communities. By using Community Engagement to make changes to peoples lives. I speak Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu and love Bollywood films. In my spare time, I enjoy cooking, the outdoors and visiting friends. Meghan Herring Befriending Coordinator [email protected] Meg leads and coordinates our befriending and telefriending services. They love matching volunteers and members, working hard to make sure it is the right fit for the member. Meg is also ODL's safeguarding lead. They've always worked in the charity sector previously at Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust helping with the running of their support and information services. When they aren't at work they are out on their bike or volunteering for Switchboard. Fabricio Catroppa Befriending Support Officer [email protected] Fabricio is our Befriending Support Officer supporting the LGBTQ+ communities. He has more than 10 years' experience working on a variety of community projects recruiting, supervising, training and managing volunteers working on befriending, mentoring and advice & guidance projects. Fabricio loves gardening and walking his dog in the countryside. Mark Reeves Befriending Support Officer [email protected] Mark is one of our Befriending Support Officers supporting older members of the LGBTQ+ communities. With a background in training and coaching, Mark works in the Befriending team supporting clients and volunteers. Outside of work Mark enjoys watching movies, going to see drag/queer performers and volunteering with Switchboard. Bernadette Latour Administrator [email protected] Bernadette ensures our members, volunteers and staff are kept informed and supported and is responsible for data reporting, liaising with various stakeholders and supporting the operational delivery of services across member engagement and volunteer services. Bernadette is also implementing a new CRM system for ODL. Laura Benin Communications and Marketing Officer [email protected] Laura coordinates and delivers our key messaging through targeted campaigns, liaising with press and media, arranging interviews, ensuring our social media is on trend and promoting the lived experiences of LGBTQ+ people aged over 50. Jonathan Buckerfield Head of Fundraising [email protected] Jonathan (he/him) leads the fundraising for the organization, overseeing income from a wide range of sources including trusts and foundations, individual supporters, corporate partnerships, community and events. Jonathan will develop increased and sustainable income to meet the growing ambitions of Opening Doors London. Jonathan has worked and volunteered in the charity sector for over ten years at both large and small organisations, including Big Lottery Fund, Crisis, Mosaic LGBT Youth Centre, King’s College London and Spitalfields Crypt Trust. Paula Harrowing Community Partnerships and Fundraising Coordinator [email protected] Paula has developed ODL's community fundraising campaigns and has fostered a strong community engagement on social media. Facilitating over 30 fundraisers over the last year, which generated vital funds to maintain our services. Paula has a mixed background working in TV & Film, nightclub promoter liaising with key LGBTQ+ community figures; Co-founder/director of Body & Soul, a support agency for HIV+ women, families and children living with and affected by HIV/Aids. Paula developed campaigns with The Body Shop, MTV, Until There’s A Cure, Elton John Foundation, Children in Need and Comic Relief to help raise HIV awareness. Photographic exhibitions in the UK and the US; working on featuring films, partnership with dance choreographers and recording artists. Rob Hamilton Business Strategy and Fundraising consultant Rob is a Business Strategy and Fundraising consultant with over twenty five years executive experience in the third sector. A fully qualified Body Psychotherapist and Executive Coach and with post-graduate studies in Education, Finance and Management he has a wealth of knowledge of the issues affecting third sector organisations and the behavioural science of organisational development. Having raised in excess of £40m from charitable trusts, foundations and statutory bodies he has an in-depth understanding of voluntary sector funding, supporting ODL to maximise our potential to secure the funding required to deliver our objectives. Jim Glennon Head of Training and Policy [email protected] Jim joins ODL following twenty years’ experience in the development of health and social care training and consultancy at a local, regional and national level, including work with several leading LGBT+ organisations. He has also worked as policy advisor to Volunteer Centre Kensington and Chelsea and chaired Policy Group meetings of the Government funded Community Development Foundation. His role will be to develop the training and consultancy area of ODL, and to support our Ambassadors in representing ODL at external meetings. Louise Carolin Pride in Care Coordinator [email protected] Louise supports organisations during their assessment for our Pride in Care quality standard. She has a background in LGBTQ+ journalism and has worked on well-known titles including Diva and The Pink Paper. Louise also volunteers for ODL as a group facilitator. Emma Underwood Training Officer [email protected] Emma (she/her) is our Training Officer, and is passionate about creating systemic change for the benefit of our communities. Her background is primarily in activism and community organising, and now focuses on creating and delivering training to health, social care, and housing organisations. She often spends her free time writing, reading, and visiting historic attractions. Professor Ben Thomas Research and Policy Officer Ben brings a wealth of experience having worked in the NHS, the Department of Health and several universities over the last thirty years. His research interests include improving the health and well-being of older LGBTQ+ people, particular mental health, reducing loneliness and isolation, and the stress and stigma faced by vulnerable and minor groups. Ben has served on several ministerial reviews and advisory committees to governments across the UK and internationally including Malaysia, South Korea, Australia, and China. He has contributed to a number of national major policy initiatives. Ben is a Professor of Mental Health and Learning Disabilities at London South Bank University; he has published widely including editing three textbooks. He is a director and trustee for several charities concerned with mental health and sheltered housing. Maria Robinson Ambassador Development Officer Maria graduated from St Martins with a Bachelor of Fine Arts. She has 25 years experiences as a Service and Development Manager’s within health and social care settings, including the NHS. Maria is a documentary producer. Her work in support of services promoting positive social change has been screened at Labour Party Conferences, and the Tate Modern.