Meet Our Team
We are The Hummingbird Project
We are a grassroots youth charity, working shoulder to shoulder with young refugees—building trust, sharing power, and creating space for their voices to lead. Our interdisciplinary team brings together experience in youth work, grassroots activism, research, fundraising, casework support, and education.
What unites us is an unwavering commitment to the rights and protections of those seeking refuge. We believe that strength grows through collective action, that hope is nurtured in community, and that true solidarity means showing up—consistently, compassionately, and side by side.
Elaine
Founder & Co-Director (she/her)
Amira
Interim Co-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
Global Social Club Co-Lead
Klara
Global Social Club Co-Lead
Otis
Be Well, Be Heard Team Leader (they/them)
Francesca
Specialist Support Worker (she/they)
Hannah
Specialist Support Worker (she/her)
Yeree
Be Well, Be Heard Team Leader (she/her)
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.