DIRECTOR

Maṇiprabhā, aka Esther Cann, has worked in the third sector for 20 years. She joined GCP initially for a 6-month consultancy in 2018, moving into her current role in 2020. She is qualified as a PRINCE 2 practitioner in project management, and has worked on human rights, gender justice and a wide range of community projects, including refugee befriending. Maṇiprabhā lived in Globe Town for five years, has been practicing meditation for 15 years and was ordained into the Triratna Buddhist Order in 2023.

PROJECTS & OPERATIONS OFFICER

Mohammed currently serves as a Projects & Operations Officer at Globe Community Project, ensuring the smooth running of projects and supporting organisational growth. With six years of experience at Save the Children International, he managed operations in several projects supporting the African refugees in the Middle East, providing technical support and ensuring compliance within international development projects. Mohammed holds an Engineering degree from Egypt, which equips him with a strong foundation for strategic problem-solving and operational excellence.

FINANCE OFFICER

Tom is certified in accounts (Level 1, Certified Institute of Management Accountants) and has over seven years experience helping charities with all aspects of their finance and admin needs, from bookkeeping and paying invoices to organising the year end process. He works round the corner from Globe Road in The Green House, helping the NGO Earthsight report on illegal timber coming into the EU and US. When he’s not doing spreadsheets, Tom is a keen reader and fan of pretentious cinema.

COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER

Juwairiah is a writer, published poet, and educator. With an MA in Creative Writing & Education and over six years of experience in communications, she uses storytelling to connect communities, inspire change, and uplift underrepresented voices. With links to East London, she’s passionate about inclusion, identity, and the power of words. When she’s not writing, she enjoys long walks, sipping chai, and spending time in nature, drawing inspiration from the everyday beauty of the world around her.

WELLBEING FOR OVER 60s FACILITATOR

Karen is a coach, mindfulness teacher and restorative facilitator for conflict resolution. She originally designed GCP’s six-week wellbeing courses for over 60s (Level 1 & 2), and is delighted to see her work making a difference in Tower Hamlets, where she has lived and worked for 14 years. Karen brings a mindful, creative and personable approach to her work with corporate, public and charitable organisations across London. Ordained into the Triratna Buddhist Order in 2018, her Buddhist name is Vimokshini. She teaches at the London Buddhist Centre.

WELLBEING FOR OVER 60s FACILITATOR

Rebecca worked with and managed projects for marginalised young people (including teenage parents, new arrivals to the country and young offenders) in Newham.  She has also worked extensively on European social projects, working with partner organisations in Europe to develop training programmes for a variety of client groups including refugees, women entrepreneurs and young adults.  She is a practising ordained Buddhist and lived for six years in a Buddhist community in the lock keeper’s house by the canal in Bow.

WELLBEING FOR OVER 60s FACILITATOR

Miia is an accomplished mental health practitioner with extensive experience in developing impactful, evidence-based services. She is qualified in several Mindfulness and Compassion based approaches including MBCT, MBSR, MSC, ACT, and as a high performance coach in sports and workplaces. Miia has worked with Mind for the past decade, and previously as a founding Director of Rainbow Mind, an LGBTQ+ service, as well as having been Co-Chair of City & Hackney LGBTQ+ Group, Co-Chair at British Association of Mindfulness Based Approaches and EDI lead. 

OUTREACH & ENGAGEMENT LEAD

Ahmed has lived in Tower Hamlets for over 30 years, and has worked with third sector organisations in East London for 20 years. He lives locally in Bow, and is an active member of the local community. Previous roles have involved monitoring and evaluation, a highly successful DfWP-funded employability programme, and various other grant-funded projects. He is passionate about community work and likes helping people, which means he often goes the extra mile. He is committed to family life and likes spending time with his family.

PROJECT LEAD - TOUCHING SAFE GROUND

Vimalamani (aka Sally Ramsden) specialises in mindful yoga, nature connection and therapeutic wellbeing services. Working in partnership with GCP and Praxis she developed an innovative method for teaching English through yoga for refugee and migrant women. She spent many years working with Palestinians in the Middle East in education and communications, and loves developing learning methodologies. Vimalamani is part of the London Buddhist Centre community and lives in Bethnal Green. She runs Natural Connection offering yoga foreveryone, outdoors, online and in the workplace.

OUTREACH LEAD - TOUCHING SAFE GROUND

Lucy Rix has over 25 years experience working in London’s migration sector in a variety of roles, including casework, outreach, community-building, project coordination, volunteer management, partnership working and policy work. She has also worked in second-tier organisations delivering training in fundraising, finance and project management. She has worked at Praxis, Love to Learn (Katherine Low Settlement), Kalayaan, and as a researcher with COMPAS (Oxford University). She also works part-time with our friends at Together with Migrant Children.