Our board and staff
The Octavia Foundation is a registered charity (No.1065817). We have a Board of Trustees that meets four times a year. Their role is to set the overall strategy and policies of the Octavia Foundation. The Foundation's strategy is delivered by our staff team.
You can read full bios of our staff and board members below.
Our Staff
Reena Mukherji
Reena is our Director and has overall responsibility for the Octavia Foundation and charity shops. Reena has over 20 years experience of working with charities. If you are interested in any particular aspect of our work, or wish to work in partnership then please contact Reena
Wray Bennett
Wray is our employment adviser for Westminster Works. He provides advice, information and guidance for unemployed residents living in Westminster who are looking for work. He runs job clubs and surgeries in the Harrow Road ward. If you are a Westminster resident who is looking for work or training opportunities, then please contact Wray
Gabrielle Tierney
Gabrielle manages our youth projects and employment and training programme: Westminster Works and Gateways to Work. Please contact her if you are interested in these areas of work, or in developing partnerships with us
Gillian Van Der Merwe
Gillian is our Volunteer Co-ordinator, who supports all our fantastic volunteers . She runs the volunteer befriending project in Westminster and recruits and supports all our volunteers in the charity shops, as well as supporting volunteer mentors who are helping unemployed residents get back into work or training. If you are interested in volunteering then please contact Gillian
Hayley Tripp
Hayley co-ordinates our youth work activities and our resident involvement events and projects. She works with our team of youth workers to offer twice weekly youth work sessions at our youth centre 'Base' in Pimlico. She also organises our weekly football sessions in Brent with our partner 'Solidarity Sports'. If you are a young person aged 14-25 and are interested in either football, film-making, cooking, music or just hanging out at 'Base', please contact Hayley.
Josie Britt
Sarah Thomas
Sarah is responsible for PR and Marketing at the Octavia Foundation and works to raise awareness of the organisation and our work Please contact Sarah with any press or media enquiries, or for more information about the Foundation.
Maureen Baker
Maureen coordinates all of our youth activities and youth workers and is currently working to develop and broaden our youth services and programmes. Maureen works between our offices at Emily House and at BASE in Pimlico.
Our Board
Debs Bourner
Debs is a Foundation Trustee. She has worked in north Westminster as a community development manager for the past 12 years during which she has raised funds for and delivered a wide range of community projects in response to local issues.
Michael Johnson
Michael is a Trustee of the Foundation. A former chairman of Octavia Housing, Michael has wide business experience across a number of different sectors including venture capital and property development.
Laurie Soden
Laurie is a Foundation Trustee. He is an experienced property developer and consultant, specialising in residential and commercial property development. Laurie is a member of Octavia Housing's Board.
Peter Chapman
Peter was appointed Chair of Octavia Foundation in January 2010 following an open recruitment. He is a resident of Kensington and Chelsea and has worked in social housing for over 20 years. He runs Peter S Chapman Consulting
Isis Amlak
Isis Amlak is a resident of Kensington and Chelsea and is involved in the local community. Her areas of expertise are youth involvement and community engagement.
Sue Caro
Sue is a senior diversity manager at the BBC. She is a local resident and has expertise in youth involvement and diversity issues.
Lara Samuels
Lara is a Trustee of the Octavia Foundation. She is an experienced marketing and communications professional with a strong background in the public, charity and private sectors. Lara grew up in the London Borough of Brent and now runs her own strategic communications consultancy.
Gwen Godfrey
Gwen is a Trustee of the Octavia Foundation and a member of the Octavia Housing board. She is a solicitor specialising in finance law. She has wide experience of working with banks, charities, companies and local authorities.
Our shop staff
Asha Chandragiri
If you want to make a donation or get further information then please contact Asha.
Jenni Heavingham
Jenni is our Head of Shops and has been involved with the charity shops for over 15 years. She is responsible for managing our chain of charity shops througout central and west London
Suneeta Kumar
Suneeta manages the gift aid scheme in our shops - contact her for more information or to sign up to gift aid.
Jim Brooks
Jim is responsible for staffing across all of our shops, including recruitment and staff welfare. He also manages distribution and the maintenance and upkeep of shop premises.