We are a small, remote team making a huge impact, thanks to the support of our network of volunteers – including our trustees.
The Core Team
Rachel Ellis, Chief Executive
Taking over from co-founder Paul, Rachel has worked in several European countries, both in managerial positions and on the ground in refugee camps. More recently, she has worked for a UK charity supporting Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children, facilitated the restructure of a Greek NGO and undertaken consultancy for a German peace organisation. Rachel has volunteered with us, managed our Twitter account and worked as our Operations Manager. A human rights and conflict prevention postgraduate, she is pursuing a PhD in Migration Studies, researching the potential of solidarity spaces on the Mediterranean border.
Paula Tamarit, Field Operations
Paula has been working with Refugee Support since 2019, after volunteering with us several times. She has over 20 years of experience as a consultant and auditor in the private sector, developing and improving systems and procedures in large companies. Paula is passionate about real social work and loves to be out in the field, answering needs and working with people. She is currently studying a Master’s in Migration and Social Intervention with Migrants and Displaced People.
Natalie Holmes, Fundraising and Communications
Natalie is a writer, editor and communications specialist with degrees in Social Anthropology and Environment and Development. Passionate about social and economic justice and refugee rights, she loves to tell stories that help people understand how much their contribution matters. She is a regular Refugee Support volunteer, starting back in 2017 and going on to coordinate our on-the-ground operations at Katsikas refugee camp in northern Greece. These days she still likes to emerge from behind her laptop from time to time, to help paint Dignity Centres.
Zoe Keeping, Dignity Centre Coordinator
Zoe joined Refugee Support in June 2024 and took on the full-time role as Coordinator of our first and only UK-based Dignity Centre in August 2024. She has over 25 years experience of working in the charity and nonprofit sector, and a real passion for supporting people and building community. Zoe is also a firm believer in the power of food and music to break down barriers and bring people together. Given the chance, Zoe can be found cooking up a storm for our members or making moves on the dance floor!
Our Trustees
Dina Nayeri, Advocate
Born during the Iranian revolution, Dina lived as a refugee for two years before being granted asylum in the United States. She is the author of the multi-award winning book, The Ungrateful Refugee, which was called by the Observer "a work of astonishing, insistent importance." Dina travelled to Greece to support our work in 2017 and 2018, and has been an advocate for Refugee Support ever since. She recently published another book, Who Gets Believed?, which explores the unspoken social codes that determine how we relate to one another, and why people seeking asylum get dismissed as liars.
Bea Shrewsbury, Treasurer
With a long career helping SMEs to manage their finances and grow in a sustainable way, Bea was involved in the founding of Refugee Support, having volunteered with us back in 2016. Bea's mother arrived in the UK as an unaccompanied minor at eight years old, and this fact was a big part of who she is today. Bea is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), an appointment which represents her extensive experience and long-term commitment to professionalism and ethics.
Alison Behrens, Safeguarding and Volunteers
Passionate about research and its possibilities for improving quality of life and life chances, Alison has decades' of experience supporting organisations, government and businesses communicate better with their customers and users. She brings those transferrable skills to overseeing our volunteer relations and safeguarding, managing our volunteer interview team and ensuring our robust code of conduct and safeguarding policy is consistently implemented and iterated where relevant. Alison also provides invaluable support with our monitoring and evaluation programme.
Meet the rest of our trustees.
Our Advocates
Gulwali Passarlay
Now an author, award-winning campaigner and co-founder of My Bright Kite, Gulwali was forced to leave Afghanistan as a 12-year-old boy and arrived in the UK in 2007, after a harrowing year-long journey. His bestselling book, The Lightless Sky details the struggle, danger and resilience of that journey. He has a Politics degree from the University of Manchester and a MPA from Coventry University, and is a well-respected public speaker and tireless political campaigner for refugee rights, social justice and education.
Paul Hutchings
Paul co-founded Refugee Support Europe in 2016 and led the organisation for seven years. Driven by a deep commitment to justice and dignity, he was instrumental in shaping the Dignity Centre model and expanding our work across Europe. He first volunteered in refugee camps in Greece and brought years of experience in marketing and campaigning to the role. Now serving as an Advocate, Paul continues to support our mission by sharing stories, building awareness and championing the rights of displaced people.
Advocates are part of our Ambassador Programme – find out more.