Abtisam Mohamed – with over 12 years' experience of working in the VCF sector in Sheffield, Abtisam Mohamed is a practicing Solicitor and the Programme Director of the Yemeni Community Association (YCA). The YCA is one of the leading BME VCF organisations in Sheffield, delivering key educational, health and support services to young people, adults and older people.
Having lived in Sheffield most of her life, she left school with very few qualifications. Returning to education as an adult, she qualified initially as a teacher before pursuing a career in Law, qualifying as a Solicitor alongside her VCF commitments. She was selected as an Olympic Torchbearer and nominated for a Woman of the Year award as a result of her work in deprived communities; continuous community activism and passion for influencing change and ensuring the needs and rights of the most vulnerable in society are advocated.
She has chaired the Sheffield BME Network, and sat as a board director on Burngreave Community Action Forum (BCAF), the Sheffield Wellbeing Consortium, Citywide childcare forums and Ellesmere Youth Project, to name but a few.
Graham Jones has been resident in Pitsmoor for 28 years.
Retired since 2013, Graham worked for the NHS for 41 years, including more than thirty years as a Registered General Nurse, mainly at the Northern General Hospital Sheffield.
Formerly, as a member of Amnesty International, Graham held national (UK Former Soviet Union/Russia Coordinator) and local (Press and Media Officer) posts. Currently Graham does some volunteer work for the “Rights in Russia” human rights organisation.
Graham is an active member of a number of wildlife and walking groups.
Douglas Johnson works as an adviser at the local law centre, specialising in equality and discrimination work. He won the 2014 Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year in social welfare law.
He has been a member of other local charities and has experience of trustee work. He has been a trustee of the Burngreave Messenger since 2007.
Richard Belbin has worked in several different community development roles over the last fifteen years, supporting organisations to develop their funding strategies, capacity and governance. He has helped write successful projects for various groups and funders, including overseeing the development and monitoring of a £1.6 million Objective 1 programme. He has been a treasurer and a finance officer for a diverse selection of bodies, and is currently a Volunteer Coordinator at a community health charity.
Tim Neal has worked as an independent travel consultant for many years and as a researcher at Sheffield University. He is currently completing a PhD at the Department of Town and Regional Planning. He has wide experience in the voluntary sector and has been responsible for and managed a number of successful funding applications. He is currently Chair of the Friends of Abbeyfield Park, Treasurer of Grimesthorpe Allotment Society and sits on several Quaker committees including the Quaker Asylum and Refugee Network.
Anwar Suliman is a professional photographer who has been involved with projects in Burngreave for the last 10 years. He has worked closely with the Burngreave Messenger as a volunteer and also on projects giving young people and vulnerable adults the opportunity to work with creative media. He has recently launched the Steel City Film and Media Co-operative that aims to share knowledge and bring people of all backgrounds into a co-operative media production team.
Fran Belbin has wide experience of finance, funding, HR management, planning and administration, gained within the higher education sector, local community organisations and the Trade Union movement.
Fran recently completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Cooperative and Social Enterprise management and has undertaken a range of professional development. She is currently Finance and Funding Manager for Pitsmoor Adventure Playground and has been a member of the Messenger management committee since 2008.
Michelle Cook has wide experience in the voluntary and community sector plus local government and the NHS at management level. As a Carer she is Trustee of Sheffield Parent Carer forum, Aspergers Carers and Children Together ( ACCT), Chair of SCC Sheffield Housing Equality Group, Committee Member Sheffield Women’s Hub and Seven Hills WI , VC of Governors at Bents Green School, sits on Youth Justice Reparation panel, Stop Hate Crime Scrutiny panel, also sits on the advisory panels of national organisations including Action For Prisoners Families. She is a Community Mediator, a tour guide at Sheffield Cathedral and Sheffield Manor lodge, also delivers Disability Awareness training and ESOL