Meet
the team
A core focus of support and building the local community.
Meet
The Brasshouse Community Centre is run on behalf of NSDT by a team of dedicated staff, who ensure the smooth running of the centre with a core focus of support and building the local community.
Jenn Harrison BEM
CEO & COMPANY SECRETARY
Jenn’s role is to provide leadership and be overall responsible for the organisation’s operations, administration and financial management. Working closely with the Board of Trustees, she ensures that the charity listens and responds to the needs of the community and develop the organisation’s long-term plan, budget and ensure it complies with the law and regulations.
Acting as ambassador for NSDT, she is the public face for campaigns and building of relationships with customers, and partners and plays a key role in motivating and engaging volunteers, staff, beneficiaries and prospective donors. She is also a qualified Mental Health First Aider and the organisations Designated Safeguarding Lead.
Jennifer was awarded the British Empire Medal in 2018 for voluntary service to Young People and to the community in Birmingham. She is also a charity Trustee of a number of local and regional charities in her spare time.
Pamela
FINANCE & ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER
Pamela works alongside the CEO to ensure the accurate preparation and maintenance of financial records for the organisation in accordance with policies and procedures and in accordance with legislative and statutory requirements.
She also supports the Trust, the Board and the wider staff team and volunteers. She also manages hire and use of facilities on behalf of the Trust.
Liane
COMMUNITY FOOD HUB MANAGER
Liane’s role is to provide leadership and be overall responsible for the organisation’s Community Food Hub Programme including “Your Local Pantry – Brasshouse” which is a membership-based food club that enables people to access food at a small fraction of its usual supermarket price, improving household food security and freeing up more money for other essential household costs such as rent and utilities.
The weekly fee at the Brasshouse Pantry is £5.00, for which members will be able to choose ten items, with a total value in excess of £25.
Liane is a keen volunteer in her spare time, a team player who strives hard to get the right result. She is ambitious with a creative flair and believes that if something doesn’t work out first time, think of different ways to make it work.
Casimir
Community Food Hub Assistant
Cassie’s role is to provide assistance to the “Your Local Pantry – Brasshouse” members doing their weekly shop. She also supports the Community Food Hub manager that enables people to access food at a small fraction of its usual supermarket price, improving household food security and freeing up more money for other essential household costs such as rent and utilities. The post is funded thanks to Action Against Hunger.
Paul
CENTRE CLEANER
Paul ensures the centre halls and office spaces including communal areas are clean and presentable for our team, customers and visiting public.
Nicky
Senior Youth Club Leader
Nicky works hard to ensure that the Brasshouse Youth Club is the number one offer for young people locally. She is responsible for the coordination, leadership, planning and delivery of Brasshouse Youth Club provision for young people aged 8 – 13 years. Working positively, collaboratively and at pace with an enthusiastic and energetic youth work team, she ensures our programme and offer for young people is of high quality and exceeds on the wishes, needs and views of young people.
Haleema
Youth Worker
Haleema works alongside Claudia and under the supervision of Nicky to ensure that the Brasshouse Youth Club is the number one offer for young people locally. She supports the planning and delivery of Brasshouse Youth Club provision for young people aged 8 – 13 years. Working positively, collaboratively and at pace with enthusiasm, she works with our young people to create a fun and safe youth club environment welcomed by families.
Claudia
Youth Worker
Claudia works alongside Haleema and under the supervision of Nicky to ensure that the Brasshouse Youth Club is the number one offer for young people locally. She supports the planning and delivery of Brasshouse Youth Club provision for young people aged 8 – 13 years. Working positively, collaboratively and at pace with enthusiasm, she works with our young people to create a fun and safe youth club environment welcomed by families.
Nicola
MATCH DAY CAR PARK MANAGER
As the Car Park Manager for North Smethwick Development Trust for all home games of West Bromwich Albion FC. Nicola ensures the smooth and efficient running of the car parking operations and of the staff under her supervision.
Harsh
CENTRE CARETAKER & CAR PARK STEWARD
In his role as Caretaker, Harsh ensures the centre is opened and securely closed for out-of-hours bookings during evenings and weekends, providing assistance as required e.g. ensuring hire space including communal areas are clean and presentable for the next booking.
Harsh also provides support to the Car Park Manager in the safe operations of our match day car parking enterprise.
Kassim
MATCH DAY CAR PARK STEWARD
Kassim provides support to the Car Park Manager in the safe operations of our match day car parking enterprise.
Shuhib
MATCH DAY CAR PARK STEWARD
Shuhib provides support to the Car Park Manager in the safe operations of our match day car parking enterprise.
Fahim
MATCH DAY CAR PARK STEWARD
Fahim provides support to the Car Park Manager in the safe operations of our match day car parking enterprise.
Mohammed
MATCH DAY CAR PARK STEWARD
Mohammed provides support to the Car Park Manager in the safe operations of our match day car parking enterprise.
Our board of Trustees
The Board of Trustees is responsible for the governance and strategy of the NSDT. The Board is made up of 11 Trustees. The Trustees have full legal responsibility for the actions of the NSDT. Members are appointed for a renewable term of three years and are the directors of the company for the purposes of the Companies Act 2006.
The Board meets at least four times a year. They delegate the day-to-day responsibility for the running of the NSDT to the Chief Executive Officer. It has approved and adopted a Conflicts of Interest Policy and Code of Conduct.
The Chairman of the Board directly line manages the Chief Executive. The Trust regularly seeks input and engagement from local residents in its work through organising meaningful consultations which also act as an accountability mechanism for feeding back on the achievements of the Trust and to check whether we are making an impact.
Anthony McFarlane
Chairman & Director/Trustee
As Chairman, Anthony holds the Board and Team to account for the Charity’s mission and vision, providing inclusive leadership to the Board of Trustees, ensuring that each trustee fulfils their duties and responsibilities for the effective governance of the charity. As Chair, he also supports the Chief Executive and ensure that the Board functions as a unit and works closely to achieve agreed objectives.
He acts as an ambassador and the public face of the charity in partnership with the Chief Executive.
He is an established photographer – using photography as Artistic Documentary, specialising in evocative images of black and white simplicity in documenting the world we live in and creating bespoke photographic limited-edition books. Born in Yorkshire he first used the camera in the 80’s to begin documenting black British performers in the Birmingham area, capturing some very iconic images over the last decade.
During the last few years he’s developed his own photographic workshops, concentrating on using the camera as a tool for self-awareness and currently runs his own photographic business.
Anthony was awarded the Charity Trustee of the Year 2018 in the Volunteer Centre Sandwell Awards.
Pam Kaur Randhawa
Vice-Chairman & Director/Trustee
Pam is a local resident and currently serves as the Greets Green & Lyng ward Councillor and has been a Board member since 1999 and is former Chair of the Trust and also she is the Chair of Governors at the local primary. She has a passion for local issues and the local environment and believes in moving the area forward through regeneration and consultation.
Matt Trump
Director/Trustee
Matt is the Director of National and International Finance of Hadley Industries Plc, a globally successful business with a long standing head office and manufacturing location in Smethwick and is a Chartered Accountant with experience in the Audit, Corporate Finance and Manufacturing sectors. His background in finance helps the charity to be successful and the sustainable community business and social enterprise it strives to be.
He is enthusiastic about supporting people and organisations in achieving their goals through insightful and pragmatic financial advice.
Ashley Lewis
Director/Trustee
- A Board Member since 2022 and with a passion about community connectivity and development, Ashley is keen to develop services for young people and working with communities to harness their talent to drive change.
- With a background in third sector management and project development, Ashley brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his role as member of the Board of Trustees.
- Ashley is also the Local Elected Member for the Smethwick Ward.
Rakesh Aggarwal
Director/Trustee
Rakesh has been a member of the Board since its inception in 1992. He is a local resident, local businessman and pharmacist and has a local pharmacy and properties in the area. He’s married with a family and very keen on environmental issues. Rakesh was recognised for 25 years service in the charity sector in the Volunteer Centre Sandwell Awards 2018.
Steve Bloomer
Director/Trustee
A Board member since 2017, Steve is a Fellow of both the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants and the Chartered Management Institute with over 20 years experience across a variety of senior positions in finance functions, global business services and business transformation. His career to date includes extensive experience of new systems/procedures implementation, Business Change Management and building new capabilities.
A husband, proud father of two, lifelong Baggies fan, he strives to harness skills to drive and encourage positive outcomes.
