Meet the Team

Flora joined Reading Refugee Support Group in 2008 as a volunteer and is now very happy to be part of the staff team. The cause of RRSG always has been close to her heart and working at RRSG has given her the opportunity to offer her help to clients on their long-suffering journey, as well as feeling part of a community where hospitality is in their heart.

Kathy joined RSG as Office Manager in Sept 2023 and had knocked us all into shape by October 2023.

Mahmuna qualified as a solicitor in 2009, first working in private client, qualifying in clinical negligence and personal injury law. After being asked to temporarily ‘help out' in a busy asylum law department, Mahmuna quickly realised she felt very passionate about this area of law and advocating human rights. Ten years later she hasn't looked back since. In her spare time Mahmuna enjoys theatre, picnics, travelling, and cake. Any cake.

Samera worked as a Software Engineer for many years before joining RRSG. Samera enjoys her social life with family and friends, reading and listening to music.

Maria is working on our Afghan Resettlement Scheme. She studied English Language and Literature at University and has a love of words. Most of her career has been in social care with people with learning disabilities. However, she started helping out with English classes for Asylum Seekers about a year ago which has led her to this new venture at Refugee Support Group. Her favourite book is 'The Kite Runner' which is set in Afghanistan.

Soha is from Egypt and has been living in Reading for 20 years. Soha has studied science and programming and enjoys volunteering and helping others, especially vulnerable people. She is very passionate about working with refugees.

I am from Zimbabwe and have lived in the UK for the past 22 years. I work for RSSG because I am passionate about human rights and advocating for the rights of Asylum Seekers and Refugees. I am also a sanctuary ambassador for Reading City of Sanctuary. In my spare time I like to read, shop for vintage clothes and eat delicious food. I also have an obsession with Korean Dramas!

Nargus worked in family law after her law degree. She first started helping asylum seekers and refugees in the 1990s, particularly victims fleeing the conflicts in Bosnia and Somalia. Nargus also volunteered at Citizens Advice and Slough Refugee Support before joining RRSG as a caseworker. Her hobbies include painting landscapes and all things Jane Austen.

Bronte began volunteering for RRSG during her Human Right Masters at the University of Reading at the end of 2019 and is excited to join as part of the staff team. She is also currently studying part-time for her doctorate in Law at the University of Reading. Bronte always wished to work in the charity sector in order to support people accessing their human rights, but it was a module course in Refugee law that sparked her interest specifically in asylum seekers and refugee rights. In her spare time, she plays tennis, enjoys dressmaking and painting.

Oscar is passionate humanitarian and community fixer from Zimbabwe who has worked with the Reading borough Council as a Volunteer mentor to the Reading Youth Cabinet. He was co-founder and chair of Always Showing Talent, a social enterprise that provided a platform for young aspiring upcoming individuals to showcase their talents and grow in confidence as they pursue their ambitions, whether it be in business or entertainment. Oscar is a qualified paralegal and has featured in national digital campaigns with ITV news highlighting social issues affecting youth in his community on 2 occasions, he then joined RRSG as a volunteer caseworker before becoming a full-time Resettlement Officer working closely with the Afghan community in Reading.

Alison lived and worked in Jordan and Syria for over 20 years. All she knows about hospitality and generosity she learned from the people there. She would like the same to be true of this country... that those values of welcome and acceptance are embraced. She feels that the Refugee Support Group works towards seeing the achievement of that aim and that is why she is proud to be part of the organisation.

Tatiana is from Ukraine and joined RSG in March 2022. She comes from an entrepreneurial background, but since the war started in Ukraine, Tatiana wanted to get involved and help. Her role involves: helping the Ukrainian families with sharing information; signposting to the right organisations as well as assisting with translation and communication. Tatiana loves spending time with her family and friends, visiting theatre, playing badminton and travelling the world.

Hari coordinates the policy and advocacy work for a number of refugee and asylum organisations in the Thames Valley area. She is passionate about campaigning for refugee rights, and has previously volunteered for a range of refugee support initiatives in the UK, France and Belgium. Hari moved into the sector after completing a PhD at the University of Birmingham, where her research concerned the activist and grassroots voluntary response to the ‘refugee crisis’ in 2015-16.

Hadil is from Palestine and is an Islamic artist by profession. Hadil has been with RRSG in various capacities since 2015. Her work is focused on ensuring that services provided are accessible to sanctuary seekers. She coordinates the client side of the Pop-up language support programme which includes translation and managing cultural matters. Hadil's main aspiration is developing services and bringing communities together.

In a world increasingly divided, I believe it is more important than ever to use arts and culture to connect, write and reclaim our individual and collective narratives to inspire and implement social change. As a theatre maker and educator, I have worked for the last twenty years focusing on marginalised communities. It is my passion to ensure those who are unfairly disadvantaged and suffer multiple exclusions are given equal opportunities to ensure skills development, connection and opportunity.

Mike lives in Reading and has spent most of his career working in or with the voluntary sector here. He was Director of Reading Voluntary Action for 20 years until retiring in 2009, overseeing the organisation’s support for local charities and community groups. Mike was also a Trustee of the National Association for Voluntary and Community Action for 11 years, and was its Chair from 2006-2012. In 2010 Mike was awarded an MBE for services to the community in Reading

Mary Richardson is a Professor of Education at the UCL Institute of Education in London. Mary's research interests have always focused on human rights and she is proud to help lead RRSG and show those who most need it, some kindness, a warm welcome and support that demonstrates the diversity and sanctuary offered by Reading and its population.

Emily brings over 15 years of experience in the charity sector with a focus on fundraising. Emily has lived in Reading for over 8 years with her young family, has recently completed a Masters in psychology and currently works as a Project Manager at the University of Oxford focusing on children’s mental health.

I use the skills and knowledge I have gained over 30 years in sales and marketing to help individuals and businesses perform better. Having worked for both marketing agencies and large global brands at executive levels, I understand how to deliver a marketing function that transforms a business challenging the status quo.

Thabo Makuyana is a Human Rights activist and campaigner from Zimbabwe. Thabo has been in the UK for twenty years and is an activist with the Zimbabwe Human Rights Organisation (ZHRO). Thabo brings lived experience to the board of trustees to support its commitment towards becoming a user informed organisation.

Simon lives in Oxfordshire and is a social housing professional, he has worked in Oxford, Berkshire, been chair of a community housing association and now is interim Head of Housing Services for a local authority. During his career Simon worked with social housing tenants, refugees and the homeless. He hopes to assist Refugee Support Group to meet its aim and objectives and continue its work in assisting and advising refugees and Asylum Seekers.

Sarah has over 18 years experience within the HR function across a broad range of organisations and household names including Nokia UK, NTL, BP, QinetiQ,G4S, CBRE and Avis Budget Group. Sarah has a real passion for organisations going through significant change and transformation, and has extensive experience in change management within HR. Sarah is passionate about making a difference and looks forward to using her skills, experience and contacts at RSG.

Fiona Zeneli has been in the UK for 23 years, arriving as a young refugee with her family from Kosovo during the war in 1999. Fiona is keen to get involved and hopes to use her professional and personal experiences to contribute strategically to the charity. Fiona works within the construction field as a Quantity Surveyor, she hopes her project management and organisational skills will support the organisation