Our Team

The Lewisham Speaking Up team is made up of people with different skills and experiences. Find out more about our brilliant staff below.

Core Staff

Sessional Staff

Our Board of Trustees

Michelle Stanistreet

Chair

About Michelle

Being part of Lewisham Speaking Up and chairing its diverse board is a pleasure and privilege, as someone with a longstanding commitment to advocacy and a belief in empowering people with disabilities to have a strong collective voice that is properly heard. As a Lewisham resident, I’m proud to be involved with a local charity that makes a real difference to everyone with learning disabilities in the borough, and hope my skills and experience from a career in journalism and the trade union movement can help LSU’s work continue to thrive.

Hannah Rraven

Co-Chair

About Hannah

My name is Hannah and I’ve been a trustee since 2019. I understand about special needs as I have been helping people since 2009. I like being a Trustee because I get to connect with other people.

Vacant

Treasurer

About Sarah

As Treasurer I look forward to being involved with Lewisham Speaking Up and the wider Lewisham community. My financial experience includes working in small accountancy firms primarily serving charities, non-profits, and small to medium-sized businesses. I also work for a local charity that focuses on social care and community support for isolated elderly people. In my role I really enjoy finding adapted work methods for our volunteers with learning disabilities and providing regular day shifts for adults with autism and developmental differences.

Mark Anderson

About Mark

I’m Mark. I have been a trustee since 2018. I enjoyed going to LSU groups for many years and wanted to become a trustee to give something back. LSU know it is important for people with learning disabilities to get their voice heard and make that happen.

Ashley Thomas

Secretary

About Ashley

Ashley has over a decade’s experience of working as an Independent Mental Health Advocate for a variety of mental health organisations including Mind and Rethink. She has volunteer and project management experience, combined with over 25 years of volunteering, all of which she is able to bring to her Trustee role. She is a disabled person who has an adult child with learning disabilities which is why she is passionate to support Lewisham Speaking Up.

Zelda McCollum

About Zelda

Being a parent of a young woman who has a learning disability, I have been made especially aware of the discrimination disabled people face. I have worked for many years campaigning for greater equality as a parent, teacher, Deputy Head of an inclusive nursery school, and now as a trustee of Lewisham Speaking Up. It is a privilege to be on the board supporting their excellent work furthering the rights of people with learning disabilities.

Robert Garlinge

About Robert

I joined the LSU Board of Trustee’s in 2020. I enjoy helping people and making a difference in my local community. As a person with a learning disability, I know my views and feedback are important to LSU.

Tim Durrant

About Tim

Having moved to Lewisham fairly recently, I’ve been keen to give something back to the local community, and being on the board of Lewisham Speaking Up is a fantastic way to work with the brilliant team here to support people across the borough. I’m keen to bring my experience from working in and around government to help LSU’s work on policy and campaigning.