Meet Our Team
We are The Hummingbird Project
Our interdisciplinary team brings together expertise in youth work, grassroots activism, research, fundraising, casework and education.
What unites us is an unwavering commitment to the rights, dignity and protection of people seeking refuge. We believe hope is nurtured in community, and that true solidarity means showing up, consistently, compassionately and side by side.
At Hummingbird, we strive to be an organisation led by people with lived experience of forced migration across all aspects of our work, from our staff team and volunteers to our trustees.
Migration is woven through many of our stories. Some of us arrived in the UK as refugees or migrants ourselves; for others, the experiences of migration and seeking sanctuary are part of our family histories, carried through parents, grandparents, and generations before us.
Together, we represent a rich range of cultural backgrounds and connections to countries including Afghanistan, China, Myanmar, India, Chile, Japan, Türkiye, Korea, South Africa, Hungary, Egypt, Malta, France, Germany, Italy, and many more. We see this diversity of heritage, language, culture, and tradition as one of Hummingbird's greatest strengths.
Our own experiences, and those of the generations who came before us, shape our understanding of what it means to build a plural, inclusive, and welcoming society. They remind us of the courage it takes to move, to rebuild, and to belong, and they inspire the compassion, solidarity, and welcome that we seek to extend to others.
We are proud to be part of a long history of people who have crossed borders in search of safety, opportunity, and a place to call home.
Amira
Interim Director (she/her)
Hannah
Interim Service Manager (she/her)
Charley
Fundraising Manager (she/her)
Kate
Finance & Administration Officer (she/her)
Sangeeta
Finance & Administration Officer (she/her)
Naqeeb
Youth Ambassador (he/him)
Mel
Young Leaders Lead (Maternity Cover)
Francesca
Specialist Support Worker (she/they)
Hannah
Specialist Support Worker (she/her)
Yeree
Young Leaders Programme Lead (she/her)
(On Maternity Leave)
Glorianne
Clinical Psychologist (she/her)
Rosie
Side by Side Project Coordinator (she/her)
Meet Our Trustees
Neha Patel Hampton
Chair of Trustees (she/her)
With more than 20 years of leadership experience spanning corporate, hospitality, and the charity sector, Neha’s journey has evolved towards purpose driven work. Living and working in the UK, and shaped by her ancestral ties to India, she brings a thoughtful and intentional approach to leadership. Her work is guided by a quiet but steadfast commitment to equity and social justice.
Elisa Sandri
Trustee & Secretary (she/her)
Elisa is a consultant with over 6 years’ experience of working in research, monitoring and evaluation in international development and in the humanitarian sector. She joined the Hummingbird Project in
Calais in 2015 and has published her research on volunteers providing informal humanitarian aid in Northern France in academic journals and in a book.
Alp. M. Iskender
Trustee & Treasurer
With a background in finance and banking in Turkey and the UK retail sector, Alp has spent many years managing financial operations and business improvements. Following several volunteering roles within the Brighton community, he joined the Hummingbird Project board in February 2026. As the designated Trustee for financial oversight, Alp provides the strategic insights required to support the organisation’s long-term resilience – ensuring it remains well placed to deliver its mission with impact.
Damien Robert
Trustee (he/him)
Damien is a digital marketing professional passionate about the internet and the way it connects people and cultures. He is also an advocate for neurodiversity and disability inclusion, alongside being involved in wellbeing practices such as meditation, yoga and mindfulness. As a trustee at the Hummingbird Project, he puts his skills and values in the service of young refugees.
Zac Williams
Trustee (he/him)
Zac comes from a background in politics, having run successful election campaigns for the Green Party and worked in Westminster across five of the party’s MPs. He has worked with refugees and asylum seekers alongside his political work through charities like Bridges for Communities and Student Action for Refugees. The Hummingbird Project is a cause close to Zac’s heart, and he is proud to support its work helping young people build stable and fulfilling lives.
Zar Ti Nwe Nu Aung
Trustee (she/her)
Zar Ti is a human rights worker with deep experience in community work, resilience, and expanding civic space. She supports women survivors of human rights violations, refugees and young people using her lived experience. Her expertise spans psychosocial support, transitional justice, gender justice, migration and survivor empowerment.