HAZEL WRIGHT

CEO and Project Director

Hazel is a motivated business and marketing professional with extensive management experience with FTSE 100 companies and also with small businesses. Hazel previously worked as Marketing Manager for Sky TV and Head of Residential Marcoms for Cable & Wireless. Hazel set Graft up as a Charity and Company Limited by Guarantee and has been involved with 3rd sector support in Berkshire for 15 years.

Hazel is responsible for setting the strategic direction of Graft Thames Valley, managing staff, business development and fundraising and has grown Graft from a project into small business with national quality standards status. Hazel is a qualified trainer and an experienced facilitator.

MARIA SCOTT

Senior Beneficiary Office

Maria has many years experience working with vulnerable young people and successfully delivered the Families Programme within Reading on behalf of Reading Borough Council.  Maria Scott has 30 years experience of delivering front line support both as a qualified teacher and as a qualified trainer. 

Maria leads our client learning & training activities, working with other training providers to ensure all of our training is appropriate and accessible to our clients.  Maria also oversees and supervises our client delivery activities.   

JOHN FISHER

Data & Information Co-Ordinator

Born and raised in Southern Africa, John moved to the UK in 1978 to work in Pensions and later providing finance assistance to Reading Mental Health Resource Centre.  John joined the Graft team in 2010 as Finance Officer and later progressing to Compliance Officer.  John currently supports the CEO as Data & Information Co-Ordinator. 

SOPHIE DETYNA

Job Club Administrator and Beneficiary Support Officer

Sophie is the beneficiary support officer and Job club administrator. When your clients come to job club, she supports them with online applications, CVs and one-to-one careers support. Sophie was a past client at Graft due to past health issues and she was a part of our Fusion project for a year. Here’s a few words from her: 

"Graft gave me a new opportunity, to be independent and now I like to think that I do the same!  Running the job club is very rewarding, and I really enjoy helping people when they come in. Graft changed a lot for me, I'll always be grateful".

Rev. POLLY  FALCONER

Chair of  Trustees

Polly is an ordained Priest, working from St. George's church in Tilehurst in the Diocese of Oxford, where she also holds an EDI role, focusing on the inclusion of BAME and other minority groups in the Church of England.  Polly is a Health & Social Care and Mental Health expert, whose previous roles include Service Management at Care Management Group in Reading – an organisation specialising in home care and support for people with mental health needs. Prior to that she was the Head of Mental Health & Training for The Afiya Trust, a national charity set up to reduce inequalities in health & social care. Her role included project management, staff development and a representative of the National Joint Commissioning Panel for Mental Health. Polly is also a broadcaster, singer and community spokesperson.  In 2007 Polly was nominated for the Pride of Reading Awards for her work in mental health and her contribution to the community. She is currently Chair of Trustees for Graft Thames Valley. 

HILARY DANELIAN

Trustee

Hilary became a Trustee of Graft in 2010.  She was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2011. Her personal experience of living with a chronic progressive condition, coupled with her involvement with the MS Society and Graft, has strengthened her passion for helping everyone overcome their limitations, reach their potential and find fulfilment at work and in life.

Hilary is an experienced life coach and facilitator. Hilary is a Certified NLP Coach, a Licensed Career Coach, a qualified Myers Briggs and Strong Interest Inventory practitioner. Before starting her own business, Hilary worked full-time for WIG for 5 years. She was Director of Leadership Programmes and a member of the Executive Team.

 

MIKE HODGES

Trustee

As a Trustee, Mike has brought greater clarity of purpose and his vast experience in Governance and Client engagement and support.

Mike is an experienced support worker who leads our specialist programme for clients with severe and enduring mental ill health. Mike’s clients receive specialist support that links their employability support with their condition management programmes. 
Mike liaises with psychiatrists, psychologists an community mental health teams to ensure his clients get a truly holistic support package that really helps them into work. He also sits on the Data and GDPR Working Party. 

ANNA APREA

Data Controller and Communication Working Party Chair Trustee

The latest trustee to join us, Anna has become Graft’s Data Controller and Communication Working Party Chair. She is also currently supporting Graft in the Training for the Fusion Project. 

She has been running a successful VA Company since 2018 and has personal experience of the difficulty of settling into working life after a period of illness. Anna is a firm believer in the importance work has in all our lives and how it is inextricably linked to our own sense of self-worth and identity.