Meet The Team
The team of Trustees, Staff and Volunteers at the Havering Volunteer Centre is working to create lasting change in our community. Each member of our team brings unique experiences and skills that contribute to our mission.
Meet the Trustees
Lucie Vera-Sanso - Chair
Lucie joined the board in 2022 and currently works in Learning & Development at a International Law firm. Lucie has a long-standing history in both paid and voluntary roles in the Charity sector, supporting vulnerable people as well as in creative and event sectors.
Lucie is a member of the Young Trustee Movement and looks forward to enabling HVC to continue thriving with her skills and expertise.
Debra Branch - Trustee
Debra joined the board in 2018 and is a current volunteer with Citizen’s Advice Witness Service supporting witnesses who attend court. In Debra’s working life she has a background in HR, recruitment, training and payroll. Debra understands first hand how volunteering benefits both the volunteer and community as a whole and brings this knowledge and passion to HVC’s Board.
Nigel Meyer - Vice Chair
Nigel has held a variety of senior roles in the insurance with companies in London and Romford for around 40 years, before retiring in 2019. Retirement has allowed him to pursue long standing interests and passions for the voluntary and Community sector in Havering. Nigel is a former LBH ward Councillor of 8 years and a cabinet member for community development. He was a founding member of the Rush Green Community Association in 1983, a school governor, crucial in establishing Friends of Cottons Park, a current trustee at Brookside Theatre and Forest Farm Peace Garden.
Jim Cantle - Trustee
Jim Cantle is originally from the West Country, born in Bristol, he and his wife have been living in Essex for 40 years. Jim attended University in London’s Imperial College studying chemical engineering, graduating and then joining Shell Haven Oil Refinery. He has had many roles, worked in, and traveled to many countries but stayed with the one company until retirement in 2020. His career moved from pure engineering to more commercial, strategic roles and diversified into people management with colleagues from many cultures. He hope’s the commercial, strategic and people skills gained will prove useful to HVC. Jim enjoys the arts and can often to be found in a gallery, theatre or museum.
Sue Gill - Treasurer
With nearly 30 years in the banking industry, Sue has a great understanding of finance. Having left banking, Sue has worked for a variety of organisations from local authority to education. In addition to volunteering for HVC, Sue is a front of house volunteer with Wilton’s Music Hall and also volunteers with Guide Dogs as a sighted guide.
Sue has served as a school governor for several years, a role that is, in many ways, similar to that of a trustee. Sue looks forward to using her knowledge and experience as a HVC trustee.
Teresa Parish - Trustee
Teresa joined Havering Volunteer Centre in 2022 and brings with her a broad variety of skills and experiences, including HR, Health and Safety and Finance. Having worked in Local Authority, Voluntary Sector and the Private Sector she has developed a diverse understanding of various industries and has a good strategic understanding of organisational development.
COULD YOU BE OUR NEXT TRUSTEE?
We are looking for the right canditate to join our board of trustees, we are looking for somone who is passionate about the Voluntary Sector and Volunteering to bring fresh and innovative ideas to a small, developing and fast paced Charity.
If you are interested in finding out more please contact us at
Meet the Staff
Shelley Hart - Chief Executive Officer
Shelley has been working in the Voluntary Sector since 2001 when she joined Victim Support Havering as the Senior Service Delivery Manager for Havering and Barking and Dagenham. This is where she first became aware of the outstanding achievements that volunteers bring to an organisation. Shelley has continued to be a volunteer throughout her adult life, starting with PTA’s, Rainbow Girl Guide Leader and more recently assisting the Royal British Legion with their Poppy Collection Appeal.
Shelley joined HAVCO as the Volunteer Centre and Quality Manager in December 2014 but when they closed their doors in October 2015 she could not walk away from helping individuals and organisations with their volunteering needs.
In October 2015 Shelley established the Havering Volunteer Centre as an independent charity based in the heart of Romford. She has driven the Centre from strength to strength, along with the Board of Trustees, Staff and Volunteers.
Shelley’s passion and determination has been a driving factor in the success of the Havering Volunteer Centre and it’s reputation. She has built the organisation to have strong community values with a ‘can do’ attitude and that ethos unpins the service delivery by all at HVC.
Rebecca Mazrreku - Centre Operations Manager
Rebecca joined the Voluntary Sector in 2016 and began her career with HVC as a Volunteer having faced some challenging times in her personal life.
Rebecca expanded her skill set and secured employment with HVC in 2017 and has embedded herself in the heart of Havering’s Voluntary Sector. She has developed a real passion for volunteering, knowing first hand the benefits it has on personal development.
She has supported Shelley and the Board of Trustees to develop and drive the organisation forward, assisting with the recruitment, mentoring and training of HVC’s current staff and volunteer base.
Rebecca is crucial to the effective delivery of the Volunteer Centre, ensuring that the needs of both the community and sector partners are met and that delivery of HVC’s strategic goals are obtained at an operational level.
Rebecca has a love for the borough of Havering having been a resident all her life and this passion is evident in her commitment to assisting with a thriving Volunteer Centre. She is dedicated in supporting Volunteer Involving Organisations and is passionate in ensuring members of the community have equal access to opportunity.
Kerry Taylor - Volunteer Engagement Lead
Joining HVC in 2023, after being in the same industry for 25 years, Kerry was looking for a new challenge outside of her Jewellery & Pawnbrokering background. Kerry has been able to transfer her extensive customer service and people skills and utilise these in her role as Volunteer Engagement Lead.
Kerry had her first taste of volunteering with her local community centre and begun helping with monthly fundraising events and helped to start up a warm hub in 2022 which is still thriving today.
Kerry Says “HVC found me when I needed them more than I knew.”
Jasmine Cheeseman - Admin & Befriending Lead
Jasmine found her way into HVC in 2019 having walked past our building many times. She was really looking for an administrative/Reception volunteering role, ideally with an organisation who could keep her skills current.
Jasmine has an abundance of skills and experience having managed teams in the City, assisted with system changes and communications which she puts to good use as an employee with HVC and is a vital member of the team.
Jasmine supports our Check In & Chat telephone befriending service and looks after around 40 volunteers who place calls to our residents
Meet the Volunteers
Daniel - Joined 2016
Volunteer Admin Support
Daniel joined HVC in June 2016 he is a wizard on the keyboard and keeps our records up to date inputting all our new volunteer registrations onto the database. Daniel’s entry skills are second to none.
Jo - Joined 2016
Volunteer Admin Support
Jo commenced volunteering at Havering Volunteer Centre in June 2016 and joined the staff team in 2020. Jo has shown an incredible amount of dedication and commitment to HVC over many years and none more so than during the crisis in 2020. She has an abundance of skills, as well as a calm approach in sometimes challenging situations. Jo returns to volunteering in 2024 to support our admin needs.
Rachel - Joined 2016
Befriending and Admin Support Volunteer
Rachel joined HVC in 2016 as part of the volunteer brokerage team coming from a HR background she had all the skills and attributes to put people first. Rachel joined the staff team in 2019 as a Pathway Advisor and has supported hundreds of people. Rachel left HVC in 2023 due to caring responsibilities but rejoins us as a volunteer in 2024.
Sherron - Joined 2016
Volunteer Bookkeeper
Sherron joined us in 2016 as a volunteer bookkeeper bringing with her 24 years’ worth of knowledge and experience. She helps to keep us on track with day to day cash flow and ledgering. Sherron is also employed by a finance company but still manages to dedicate time each week to volunteer with HVC.
Kelly - Joined 2017
Volunteer Admin Support
Kelly joined HVC in August 2017 bringing with her a wealth of customer focused experience having worked at some of London’s biggest railway stations. Kelly is broadening her horizons and is now a private counsellor.
Pam - Joined 2018
Volunteer Admin Support
Pam joined HVC in 2018 after attending a Coffee Morning in our offices, she asked if we had any volunteering roles for her and we jumped at the chance of having her as part of our team. She is a real asset to the HVC team and helps us keep on top of all our filing.
Ashok - Joined 2019
Volunteer Admin Support
Ashok has been an ambassador at HVC for many years and joined our office team in 2019. Ashok has an amazing career history having been a colonel for the Indian Army, bringing commitment and dedication to all his volunteering tasks.
Teresa - Joined 2021
Volunteer Receptionist
Teresa previously worked at Havering Sixth Form College for 18 years and before that volunteered in both primary and secondary school settings. Teresa joined HVC as the nation emerged from the Covid-19 pandemic and she has really taken to her role here supporting the team with front of house.
Manish - Joined 2023
Volunteer Admin Support
Manish joined HVC in 2023 as he was looking to keep busy. He has wonderful customer service skills and puts these to great use in the office when speaking to volunteers. Manish also supports HVC’s admin team with sending emails and updating our database.
Venu - Joined 2024
Volunteer Admin Support
Venu is an international student pursuing M.Sc. in Global healthcare management, he has previously volunteered at an orphanage in India and is working part-time at a restaurant in London as a kitchen assistant. Venu joined HVC to develop his general office admin skills and supports us with our data entry.
Pat - Joined 2024
Volunteer Receptionist
Pat worked For Volunteering Matters as a Regional Volunteer Manager for 18 Years, as well as a Chair and School Governor for 14 years. Pat knows all about volunteering and the huge impact it has on society and we welcome her to our Reception Team.