Meet The Staff

With a strong commitment to community development, I lead Communities 1st and its associated projects.  Guided by a passion for local voluntary and not-for-profit organisations, I'm dedicated to strengthening the sector's resilience and fostering partnerships. Passionate about supporting our vibrant community, I'm thrilled to collaborate with like-minded organisations for lasting positive change.

#CommunityEmpowerment  #Collaboration  #ResilienceBuilding

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Helen manages the Making a Difference Team who organise volunteers to deliver a wide range of projects including Travel Link, our Community Transport team, shopping and prescription delivery, befriending,  finding buddies and organising trips for international NHS recruits to help them settle in and many more. She is responsible for overseeing practical support for member and associated organisations such as disclosure and barring service checks, bookkeeping and ID badges. She also manages the team looking after the community centres and community bowls green in Borehamwood and Handyperson Service for small repairs, gardening and housekeeping.

In life outside Communities 1st, she enjoys spending time at the allotment, cooking and reading.

Juli is the Head of Employment and Skills for Communities 1st.  Juli joined the team in October 2021, when Volunteer Centre Broxbourne and East Herts merged with Communities 1st. Her role is to manage the engagement and training teams. Juli is our lead for Multiply project. Juli also ensure internal staff and volunteers training needs are met. 

Outside of work, Juli likes cooking and spending time with her family,

Tünde joined Communities 1st in the Making a Difference Team working on the Compassionate Community Connector Programme. She also helped to arrange Pulse Oximeters for clients with COVID-19. Tünde helps in these projects by liaising with clients, volunteers, and different organisations, answering queries and responding to emails.

Tünde is now the Services Manager in the Making a Difference Team supporting her colleagues with projects that involve community transport, community centres and Handyperson service.

In her spare time, she enjoys baking and running. 

Kelvin joined Communities 1st on 25th of February 2025. As a t level student  Reporting to Tunde, he is responsible for Contacting volunteers over the telephone and update their records - Volunteer Retainment calls, contacting beneficiaries over the phone and update their records, assisting the team in promoting communities 1st’s services, researching events and destinations for the Community Transport Scheme, general Data Entry tasks such as completing log sheet etc, checking the stages of volunteer recruitment on CRM Database and complete some stages of the recruitment process. 

In his spare time, he enjoys going to the gym, and going for long walks with his rather energetic Cockerpoo. 
 

Carmen joined Communities 1st in January as the Inclusive Manager and is proud to support a variety of impactful projects, including Befriending, Handy Persons, Para Dance UK, and Beyond Borders. Carmen is deeply passionate about making a difference in her community and is excited to be part of initiatives that promotes connection, accessibility, and wellbeing for all.

Amber joined Communities 1st in April 2023.  Reporting to Tunde, she is responsible for community transport and the management of our community centres.  Liaising directly with clients, volunteers and different organisations to ensure these services run smoothly.

Amber is married with one Daughter and is an avid Arsenal fan.  In her spare time she enjoys going to the gym, gardening and going for long walks with her rather energetic Cockerpoo.

Emily is a part of the Making a Difference Team at Communities 1st. She looks after community centres and is also able to assist with transport queries. 

Outside of Communities 1st, Emily enjoys spending time with friends and family.

Gail is responsible for arranging our Handyperson service which serves to offer Handyperson support to the local community. Gail works as a Covid-19 health and social care worker, where she helps the Covid-19 relief effort by contacting clients to arrange support for our shopping and prescription delivery service, to those that may be self-isolating or clinically vulnerable.

Gail enjoys fly fishing in her spare time and is also the owner of the office mascot sausage dog called Archie

After working for 22 years with a charity in the Welwyn Hatfield area, the Welwyn Hatfield CVS merged with Communities 1st on January 1, 2025. Alison is a Community Transport Facilitator who provides community car scheme transport for those unable to use public transport, get to and from primarily medical appointments, and more. Communities 1st serves the Welwyn Hatfield and Hertsmere areas.

Alison is passionate about helping and supporting the community.

Ann is a member of the Wellbeing Team at Communities 1st. As part of our Beyond Borders project, she supports refugees and asylum seekers in the local area. Ann is dedicated to fostering a welcoming, empowering, and inclusive community for people from all backgrounds. 

Sami has been with Communities 1st for just over a year and has been in a few different roles since then. Starting off in an Engagement role, Sami helped to promote our many services we offer at Communities 1st. Soon after starting, he took over our Able2Enable project – supporting individuals with barriers into suitable volunteering roles. He has also helped to run our coffee cart – Communities Thirst – at the Civic Centre in St Albans, which itself is a supported volunteering project. Sami brings a wealth of experience to Communities 1st – from working with vulnerable children in educational settings, to having over 10 years in health and social care – working as a carer/support worker (mainly with young adults with learning disabilities).

In his spare time, Sami likes to watch, play and coach football, as well as cook and to travel (if and when possible).

Rex is Communities 1st Digital Inclusion Assistant, working on a project that aims to break down the barriers to technology inclusion. More specifically, he runs the Communities 1st Digital Inclusion sessions, liaising with the Digital Champions that run these. During the lockdown he has been calling individuals to help solve their tech problems, checking in with them over a weekly phone call and slowly building their confidence.

Lola joined Communities 1st in March to look after our Creative Cafes. As a Communities Activities Facilitator, she will be further developing our Cafes and delivering a programme of projects and activities. Creating spaces where Residents from various backgrounds can come together and share their skills and experiences.

Outside of work, Lola enjoys spending time with family, days out with her family and being with her dogs.

Amanda is our Community Development Coordinator, where she coordinates our Creative Community Cafes across Hertsmere, two of which she delivers herself at Windsor Hall in Borehamwood and Phillimore Community Centre in Radlett.

Our Creative Community Cafes provide a friendly environment where everyone is welcome - whether they come to create, relax, make new friends, or just simply enjoy a good chat and a cuppa.

Amanda also runs her very own charity in support of people in need of food aid across Hertfordshire. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her grandchildren, practicing Yoga, and Cooking

Jeremy works as part of the Volunteer Centre, working on various projects. One of Jeremy’s main roles is to develop relationships with voluntary organisations and work together with them to recruit volunteers. Jeremy also helps with the volunteer application process where he interviews potential volunteers. He has also helped organisations complete their 6-point promise which is an initiative with aims to raise awareness of the need for good practice in volunteer management. The role also requires Jeremy to manage the email inboxes ensuring all queries or concerns are dealt with.

Outside of the office, Jeremy enjoys playing and watching football.

Aneta works in the Centre for Voluntary Service (CVS) Team and represents Communities 1st at strategic meetings with local groups, partnerships and authorities. Alongside channelling policy sensitive information among C 1st, our member organisations and local governments, and conducting research to keep our members’ policies updated, she facilitates the Stronger Together Networks on transport, children & young people, and culture & environment. Aneta also takes care of the CVS Newsletter and the Funding Newsletter for our member organisations.

Leanda is supporting the development of our  Community Champion Programme. Building on the work of our Covid-19 Information Champions, she is helping to extend the range of health and wellbeing messages that we convey. The project's overall aim is to help build healthier communities and improve the quality of peoples’ lives. Leanda is also helping to develop our networks as part of the Voluntary and Community Sector Emergencies Partnership. This initiative is designed to bring together local and national organisations to deliver a more co-ordinated response to emergencies. Our remit for this project extends across Hertfordshire and some of our neighbouring counties

In her spare time Leanda enjoys being outdoors, exploring the local countryside as well as places far beyond.

As the Partnerships and Membership Officer at Communities1st, Reshu is dedicated to building strong relationships and fostering collaboration with members and partners to support thriving communities. Committed to the mission of empowering individuals and organizations, Reshu plays a key role in facilitating connections that drive meaningful impact across the community.

With a focus on understanding community needs and delivering tailored support, Reshu ensures that partnerships align with the charity's vision for a more inclusive and connected society.

Outside of work, Reshu enjoys traveling and exploring new places, finding inspiration in diverse cultures and environments.

Julie brings her dedication and passion to her role as Assistant Manager at the Volunteer Centre, ensuring the smooth operation of our programs and supporting volunteers in making a positive impact.

When she’s not at work, Julie enjoys spending time with her cockapoo, Hugo, and creating lasting memories with her family.

Nicola joined Communities 1st in January 2025 having worked at another charity.  Nicola is Assistant Manager – Community Development and oversees the Better Days Hubs and Creative Cafes among several other projects.   She brings her experience as a Sales Manager in new homes/care home environment to this role and she still enjoys being out and about at different locations such as libraries, job centres and seniors events and supporting her team to deliver the creative cafes, bowls and badminton sessions.  When not at work Nicola travels regularly to Paris where her daughter lives and works and enjoys spending time with her step-grandchildren.

Rob leads on Communities 1st’s Better Business programme. Better Business creates and encourages partnerships between local businesses and the voluntary sector. This takes several forms including skill-share, employer-supported volunteering, Communities 1st’s Inspire Education programme, partnership opportunities, and projects. Rob also oversees the delivery of our Community Engagement at the Communities 1st Better Day hubs across Hertsmere, St Albans & District, Broxbourne Borough, and East Herts. Rob represents Communities 1st externally on the Abbey Line and New River Line Community Rail Partnerships and the local Employment and Skills Partnerships.

Outside of work, Rob enjoys watching live music, going to record fairs, and following the fortunes of his football team.

Ann is married, has two daughters and a grandson. She enjoys spending time with her family, going for long walks, reading, and going to the cinema and theatre.

Everton joined Communities 1st in January 2023. He has previously worked on community-based projects, including table tennis, street dance, and meditation.

Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his family and playing the ukulele.

Monita is our Training & Skills Facilitator, developing, planning and forecasting a wide range of vocational and educational training targeted for our members, partners, staff and other stakeholders to Communities 1st. Monita develops and delivers training courses as part of the Multiply project, upskilling adults with new numeracy skills. In her past roles in the Volunteer Centre at Communities 1st, her responsibilities have included assisting with the recruitment and training of prospective volunteers. Monita also liaises with organisations that commit to working with volunteers and offers them support and advice to ensure volunteers are appropriately managed and trained.

Her non-work-related interests include a love for gardens, food and travelling.

As the Assistant Manager for Employment Support and Community Learning at Communities 1st, Judit brings a wealth of experience from her background in education and management. Over the course of Judit's career, she has worked as a senior ESOL teacher, a key account manager at a language school in Budapest, and a primary school teacher in both the Netherlands and the UK.

At Communities 1st, Judit manages our inclusive coffee cart at St Albans Civic Centre, run by dedicated volunteer and lead employment support hubs and training programs that empower individuals to overcome barriers and achieve their potential.

Judit's passion lies in fostering growth, inclusion, and community well-being through innovative initiatives and tailored support.

Debbie joined Communities 1st in October 2022 as a Life Skills Tutor. Her role is to deliver Life Skills courses, embedding numeracy to the community, at venues across the district. Debbie comes with a background in personal development courses within community-based organisations.

Outside of work Debbie has a keen interest in upcycling furniture, cookery and spending time with friends and family.

Paola provides support in the organisation of events and administration, and also assists in the creation of the newsletters. She looks after students coming for their working experience weeks and ensures that the Engagement and Skills team have all the materials needed to promote our services and events.

In her spare time, Paola enjoys organising dinners with friends, travelling and spending time with her family. 

Nicola helps people to access local activities, services and support within Hertsmere to improve their health and wellbeing, working primarily from the Community Shop in Leeming Road, Borehamwood. One aim of Nicola's role is to build a more supportive, inclusive and resilient community with strong, collaborative relationships and connections between a range of statutory and voluntary services in the borough.

Isobel acts as an ambassador for Communities 1st at online events and at regional Communities 1st Hubs. She runs three of the six Communities1st Stronger Together Network meetings. She provides a range of support to charities, constituted groups and community interest companies in Hertsmere and St Albans. Isobel also works closely with the St Albans & District council to present information events and to administer their Community Project Fund, advising groups that apply to give them the best chance at success. In the past year, Isobel has hosted eight funding advice surgeries.

Hayley helps create a welcoming and supportive environment at the Community Hub in Borehamwood and each of the other community outreach hubs she visits weekly. She provides user-friendly information and signposting services to members of the public, in person, by phone or by email.

As Finance and Administration Manager, Jalpa leads Communities 1st's Finance and Resources team in accounting and reporting, including the development of financial plans, project and operational budgets, and monitoring and reporting on external projects.

In her spare time Jalpa likes to travel, cook, garden, make new friends and go to the gym.

Linda supports the organisation on volunteers’ shopping expense claims and their payments. She communicates with volunteers for anything missing in their expense claims, so the organisation can reimburse them on time. She is also engaged in chasing customers for late payments on their shopping expenses.  

In her spare time, Linda likes reading and travelling.

Josh joined Communities 1st in February 2025, he is dedicated to helping communities first and supporting the finance and administration team.  Josh is a student at Oaklands College completing the T Level in business management and administration. 

Outside the office, Josh likes to go to the gym, roller skate, and play the piano.

Robyn joined Communities 1st in May 2024 and is responsible for the overseeing the communications and marketing function. 

Outside of work, Robyn enjoys travelling, spending time with family and friends and catching up on sleep!

Lucy is responsible for our social media and content creation, associated websites and promotional materials. She also writes articles for press and engages with Member organisations in promoting their news and updates.

In her spare time, Lucy enjoys architectural photography; two of her photos are displayed in Heathrow Airport's Terminal 3 Gallery.

Luke assists with the ongoing management and development of Communities 1st's digital platforms, ensuring that we iterate and improve the digital experience that we offer for our audiences. Some of Luke's key responsibilities include uploading, maintaining and updating content across the charity's website and 3rd party platforms, gathering and proofing marketing collateral, including newsletter communications and any other marketing initiatives, and monitoring customer experiences in order to drive improvements to user experience.

Luke attends university and enjoys skateboarding and travelling in his spare time.

Keanu joined Communities 1st on 21st February 2025. He is a T Level student studying business management and administration at Oaklands College. Keanu supports the communications and marketing team efforts by assisting with content creation, helping to manage communication channels, and helping with various administrative tasks. 

In his spare time, Keanu enjoys going to the gym, travelling and playing football with friends.