Celebrating Trustees’ Week 3-7 November
Monday 3rd November 2025 marks the start of Trustees’ week! It’s the time of year when we celebrate the amazing contribution made by Trustees for their charities and recognise the difference they make.
Our LEAH Trustees are an incredibly supportive group. Often their work and commitment go unnoticed. Individually and collectively they are hard-working and add great value to and complement the professional work of the staff team to our support for our beneficiaries.
Each Trustee brings a wealth of experiences, both life and professional, to LEAH and this enriches what we do. Each Trustee will have had their own reasons for volunteering to be a LEAH Trustee.
Read Alan and Sharon's stories below.
Alan
"I live locally to LEAH’s offices in Kingston upon Thames, but grew up on the island of Jersey. My career began as a teacher including time in inner-city London. We had 300 pupils, speaking over 30 different languages, and most lived below the poverty line. Those early experiences shaped my understanding of the challenges faced by individuals and families who arrive in the UK with little or no English.
I moved into the health care technology sector, where I now work as a Commercial Director supporting the NHS. Though my career shifted focus, my passion for learning and supporting others to reach their potential has remained constant. Outside of work, I’ve recently discovered a love of tennis, and I’m always planning my next adventure — my most recent trip took me to Japan and South Korea, which was an incredible experience.
I came across LEAH through Volunteering Kingston. The charity’s mission immediately resonated with me. From my teaching days, I had seen first-hand how learning English could transform a child’s confidence, friendships, and sense of belonging - and how often those same children translated for their parents in day-to-day life. This has given me insights into what it means for adults to gain the language skills needed to engage with their communities, support their families, and navigate everyday situations such as making a GP appointment.
I joined LEAH’s Board of Trustees in March 2024, my first Trustee role, because I wanted to contribute to a charity that makes such a tangible, human-level impact with some of the most marginalised members of society. I’m passionate about helping people learn, access education, and unlock opportunities that allow them to achieve their ambitions.
It is a privilege to work alongside my fellow trustees, LEAH’s CEO, and the wider team to set strategy, ensure good governance, and support our fundraising efforts in a challenging climate. Most of all, it’s inspiring to meet our learners and volunteers, hear their stories, and see how LEAH’s work changes lives every day." - Alan Birch
Sharon
"My commercial career ended in 2016, and when I returned to the UK (from the USA) in 2018, I was keen ’to give back’ and wanted to do so where you can see the impact on people. Prior to LEAH, I volunteered with a charity in Brixton, but that was suspended when the pandemic began in 2020. I looked online for a charity which provided remote support for beneficiaries, and found LEAH. I enjoyed the training and the ‘colleagues’ I was trained with - I thought the support provided was professional and it gave me a good feeling about the charity.
A year later, as I was coming to the end of my 1st year with a client, the LEAH board advertised for Trustees. I had been a Trustee with another charity and was interested to do so again. I thoroughly enjoyed the challenges of the 1:1 mentoring and as a Trustee, I would be able to apply some of the management skills I learnt in my commercial career.
Six months later I became the chair of LEAH. As Chair, I was keen to bring others with LEAH volunteering experience onto the board, and three others joined over the next year. All three have continued to work as a 1:1 or class tutor!
Together with my husband, Clive, I also volunteer with the Hammersmith & Fulham Foodbank - we live in the Borough. We saw the numbers needing support soar through the pandemic and they remain high.
Like all charities, we face challenges. My aim is to keep LEAH as a sustainable charity providing excellent and adaptable services to clients which helps them feel happy, resilient and included.
I recently heard of a client who has started volunteering. Not all our clients could do so, but it made me feel that what we do is so worthwhile." - Sharon Landa
Click here to find out about our other wonderful Trustees.
Bushy Park Gardening Trip
On Thursday 9th October, LEAH students had the opportunity to take part in a gardening trip to Bushy Park, designed to help them explore the world of volunteering.
Savannah, our ESOL and Activities Coordinator, was waiting for the group at the nearest bus stop, ready to guide everyone to the Learning Centre. Many students felt a little nervous at first, but as soon as they met Fiona, the Volunteer Officer at Bushy Park, they were put at ease and quickly got stuck into their tasks.
The day began with clearing out the garden - removing dead vegetables and preparing the soil for replanting. There were even a few butternut squashes left in the beds, which students were delighted to take home! Some learners also picked fresh flowers to bring home as a small token of the lovely day they had shared together.
After all their hard work, everyone enjoyed a well-deserved tea and sandwich break, giving students time to chat, relax, and bond over the activity they had just completed.
In the afternoon, Fiona set out a new set of challenges: hammering posts into the ground, planting garlic, naming seed packets, and sowing fresh seeds in the newly prepared beds. It was a true team effort, and the learners worked together brilliantly to complete all the tasks by 2pm.
By the end of the day, everyone felt proud of what they had achieved, and many are now eager to return once volunteer vacancies open again.
A huge thank you to Volunteer CL for her support and encouragement throughout the day, and to Fiona and the team at Bushy Park for making our learners feel so welcome.
Alice and Caroline Run for the Mayor’s Charitable Trust
On Sunday, 5th October, our amazing coordinator Alice, and lovely Caroline from FANY laced up their trainers and took on the Kingston 10km challenge, in support of the Mayor’s Charitable Trust.
The Mayor of Kingston, Councillor Noel Hadjimichael, the Mayoress, Ms Carol Berliner, and our CEO Sohail were there at the starting line to cheer them on - and then they were off!
The scenic route began in Kingston Market Place, winding through the town’s historic streets, under Kingston Bridge, and along the picturesque riverside path towards Teddington Lock. The course then looped back through Canbury Gardens, following the river again before finishing triumphantly at the Market Place.
The sun was shining, and friends, family, and colleagues lined the route to offer their support. It was a truly uplifting morning.
Huge congratulations to Alice and Caroline for not only completing the race in great time, but also for raising vital funds for LEAH and FANY.
It’s not too late to show your support - donations are still open!
Click here if you would like to make a donation - we are very grateful for your support.
Kingston 10K run - please support us!
We're very proud of our amazing coordinator, Alice, who will be running the Kingston 10K on Sunday 5th October to raise money for the Mayor's Charitable Trust, supporting both LEAH and FANY this year.
Start: Kingston Market Place, KT1 1JQ
Time: 9:10am
Route: Along the High Street, under Kingston Bridge, riverside to Teddington Lock, back through Canbury Gardens, finishing at the Market Place.
A Migrant’s Guide (Praxis)
Praxis is a human rights charity, giving advice, provide support, and campaign so that migrants and refugees in the UK can live with safety, dignity and respect.
They have developed a very useful migrant's guide, to help migrants access services after securing immigration status.
The guide has been co-produced by people who have lived experience of navigating the UK's complex immigration system, and is available in English, Amharic, Arabic, Bengali, Farsi, Pashto and Spanish.
To find out more, and download the guide, click here.
Summer workshops in Kingston
This summer, we hosted a series of workshops in Kingston, offering students a chance to share experiences, practise speaking English, and build their confidence.
The three sessions were met with great enthusiasm, with many learners expressing interest in attending similar events in the future.
Session 1. Healthy eating and family recipes
The first workshop focused on healthy eating, featuring a recipe from the wonderful Voices of Hope Britebox initiative. Students practiced new vocabulary while learning how to prepare nutritious meals with their families. Many took the recipe home, eager to try it out with their children.
Session 2. Feelings and managing stress
The second workshop helped students explore emotions and practical strategies for stress management. Thanks to Colour Your Streets for offering us a discounted rate, each participant received a Kingston-themed colouring book, providing a fun and relaxing activity. Many learners continued working on their designs at home.
Session 3. The UK: countries, flags, flowers, and traditional food
In the final workshop, students explored the UK, identifying its countries, flags, and national flowers. Participants also sampled traditional British foods such as Marmite, jam, scones, and shortbread biscuits!
Thank you and future plans
We would like to thank our wonderful teachers, Jane and Rachel, as well as Narges from the Migrant Advocacy Service, who attended all sessions. Thank you also to Aggie for generously offering the community space.
The workshops were a fantastic success, thanks to the support of our team and enthusiastic learners. We look forward to offering more opportunities like this to help build confidence and skills in our community.
Volunteer summer party at the Guildhall
Our summer party was a truly memorable evening, bringing together 46 attendees to celebrate the incredible dedication of our volunteers and supporters.
We were honoured to be able to hold it at the Guildhall in Kingston, and to be joined by some very distinguished guests, including the Mayor of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, Councillor Noel Hadjimichael, accompanied by the Mayoress, Ms Carol Berliner, as well as Deputy Mayor, Councillor Sue Ansari, and her consort, Mr Jaseem Ansari.
The evening was a delightful mix of stories and laughter as staff, volunteers and the mayoral party spent quality time together.
With humour and warmth, the Mayor gave a speech where he expressed how happy he was to see so many passionate people working together to make Kingston a better place.
A highlight of the evening was an inspiring speech from Deputy Mayor Sue Ansari, who spoke movingly about LEAH's vital work in the community. As a former ESOL teacher herself, she beautifully captured the transformative power of language learning, describing those life-changing moments when learners can finally understand their child's school letter, speak confidently to their GP, or simply greet a neighbour without fear.
Her words perfectly encapsulated what makes our volunteer community so special.
"You, incredible tutors, give so much more than lessons. You give time. You give connection. And you help build a more compassionate, more inclusive Kingston for all of us"
Read her full speech here: In praise of LEAH.
Our new LEAH Volunteer and Training Manager, Anna Ciecko, said about the evening
"I was truly moved to be part of such a wonderful celebration. The evening, complete with delicious refreshments and heartfelt conversations, truly showcased the strong community spirit that defines LEAH. It is imperative to recognise our volunteers for their quiet, patient work that makes such a lasting impact on our learners' lives".
Kingston Dragon Boat Festival – A Celebration of Community Spirit
On Sunday 20th July, we were proud to host a stall in the Community Hub at the vibrant Dragon Boat Festival in Canbury Gardens, Kingston.
Despite the rainy weather, there was a great turnout, and it was a fantastic opportunity for us to raise awareness of our work, connect with local residents, and engage with potential new volunteers.
Throughout the day, we were thrilled to welcome both past and present volunteers who stopped by to say hello, as well as members of the public keen to learn more about what we do.
We were visited by several distinguished guests, all of whom expressed genuine interest in, and support for, our mission:
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- The Mayor of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, Councillor Noel Hadjimichael, accompanied by the Deputy Mayor, Councillor Sue Ansari, her Escort Jaseem Ansari and the Town Crier, Michael Seigel. The Mayor has chosen LEAH as one of the charities he will support this year, and it was lovely to meet him in person.
- John Azah OBE, local race equality champion, joined in the fun by playing our tin can alley game. He told us that he once shared an office with LEAH in the late 1980s!
- Prabha Shetty from MILAAP accompanied Mr Azah and they both won some of our friendship bracelets.
We were delighted to hear that the Town Crier’s wife had previously volunteered with LEAH, and that the Deputy Mayor herself was once an ESOL teacher.
Our Office Manager, Ruth, said:
"It was wonderful to chat to people about what we do, with all the amazing sights and sounds of the dragon boat races in the background. I loved discovering how many people had connections with LEAH and were interested in our work.”
A heartfelt thank you to all our amazing volunteers who came along to support us - we couldn’t have done it without you!
All Aboard! Learners Take to the Thames for a River Adventure
On Monday 21 July, a group of our learners from Merton set off on an exciting journey to experience something new – an Uber boat trip along the River Thames. The idea came from a recent lesson about transport in London, where we realised that none of the learners had ever travelled by riverboat before.
The day began at South Wimbledon station, where the group met with their tutor and took the Underground to London Bridge. After arriving, they walked to London Bridge Pier, enjoying the sights and atmosphere along the way. While waiting for the boat, they looked across the river at the Walkie Talkie building and learned about the Sky Garden – a popular free viewing point in central London.
When the boat arrived, everyone boarded and settled in for the 45-minute journey west to Putney. Along the route, they passed many of London’s most famous landmarks, including St Paul’s Cathedral, the Houses of Parliament, and Battersea Power Station. It was a perfect opportunity for learners to take photos and videos, capturing the impressive views from the water.
At Putney Pier, the group disembarked and took a short walk to a nearby café by the river, where they relaxed with a coffee and chatted about the day. Afterwards, they took the bus back – a peaceful end to a memorable outing.
It was a delightful way to see the city from a different perspective, and a great chance for learners to practise English, explore new parts of London, and enjoy the summer sunshine together.
Exploring history and community: Heston class trip to Boston Manor House
On Wednesday 9th July, our Heston class took learning beyond the classroom with a wonderful trip to the beautifully restored Boston Manor House - a perfect way to wrap up our summer term together.
For many of our learners, the idea of navigating new areas or getting on a bus alone can be a daunting prospect. That’s why we decided to make the journey itself part of the adventure! Armed with the skills from last week’s lesson on directions, our learners and volunteers travelled together on the bus.
Arriving at the grand manor before it opened to the public made us feel like VIPs. We were warmly welcomed by Anna, the Volunteer Manager at Boston Manor House. From the moment we stepped inside, phones were out, cameras clicked, and the beauty of the house sparked genuine awe from our learners.
Our visit began in the orientation room, where Anna gave a short talk about the house’s rich history, using the amazing timeline on the wall as a prompt to support lower-level learners. She then handed out activity worksheets, and students were tasked with exploring and writing about various objects around the house. The response was fantastic: everyone was engaged, asking thoughtful questions, and practicing their English in a truly meaningful context.
After our historical treasure hunt, we gathered outside at the picnic tables to enjoy a well-earned lunch in the stunning green space that surrounds the manor.
Anna offered students the chance to register for summer volunteering opportunities at the manor - a brilliant way to stay connected, build confidence, and feel part of something over the holidays.
A huge thank you to our dedicated volunteers at the Heston class, who continue to go above and beyond to support our learners. Without them, the Heston community class wouldn’t be the vibrant, welcoming place it is today.
