Meet the Trust’s Equity Scrutiny Group

The Equity Scrutiny Group (ESG) volunteers at the National Emergencies Trust help to ensure equitable and inclusive practice across everything we do.

They offer guidance on how we fund and fundraise, how we recruit, and how we create a caring and inclusive culture for everyone.

During emergency appeals, the Equity Scrutiny Group works collaboratively with the Allocations Committee to scrutinise allocation decisions and add valuable perspectives from their lived and learned experience.

We wanted to introduce our current ESG members so you can get to know a bit more about them and the brilliant and diverse set of skills and experiences they bring to this group.

Edie

I was really excited to hear that I'd been selected to join the Equity Scrutiny Group in April 2024! I spend most of the working week at the Lloyds Bank Foundation where I look after charity partnerships in the South West. On Fridays I run around after my youngest child! I previously worked as a volunteer, trustee and in management positions in numerous charities ranging from micro to multi-national.

My proudest achievements include founding a small grant-giving music education and therapy charity, and producing a graphic novel about my experience of the 2004 Indian ocean tsunami. This lived experience of disasters, coupled with my professional grant-giving background, prompted me to apply to the National Emergencies Trust’s Equity Scrutiny Group. I am committed to equitable grant making and improving the lives of everyone affected by the complex web of financial, psycho-social and other challenges which present in the aftermath of emergencies.

Emily

I am a fundraising and partnerships specialist currently leading income generation for The Climate Coalition, the UK's largest group of organisations working to tackle the climate and nature crises. I have a Master's degree in Sustainable Development from the University of Sussex and use my experience to develop philanthropic relationships with trusts, foundations, high net worth individuals and corporates.

My commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion is realised through our work with the National Emergencies Trust and as Chair of the EDI Working Group for The Climate Coalition.

Hannan

I am a Lutonian and have lived and worked in China, Colombia, Kenya, Pakistan, and the UK. I currently work as Funding Manager at City Bridge Foundation on various grantmaking programmes; I was previously a Grants and Programmes Manager at the Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation. I studied Business Management at the University of Greenwich in 2014 and have since gained experience across community and international development, business, philanthropy, and grantmaking.

I’m involved with a wide range of Governing Boards, continue to volunteer with local grassroots organisations, and I joined the Equity Scrutiny Group to support the Trust in ensuring lived experience is at the centre of all its work. I hope to inform policies, scrutinise allocations, and help develop distribution strategies.

Joanna

I joined the National Emergencies Trust’s Equity Scrutiny Group back in 2021. I have over 15 years’ experience working in the nonprofit sector, focusing on strategy, innovation and delivery, and have just finished 10 years working at Mind.

I try to think specifically about disability (I have an invisible neurological condition) and mental health, as well as broader experiences of EDI work.

Nazreen

It is an absolute privilege to be joining the Equity Scrutiny Group. As someone who identifies as female of South Asian heritage, from a low socioeconomic background, Muslim and mum to a 16-year-old, I have been on the receiving end of both equitable and inequitable decisions, and I am committed to bringing both my lived and professional experiences to ensure that in the event of a disaster, equity and efficiency are at the heart of our decision making.

I have worked in financial services for over 20 years, where I have also led on a number of EDI initiatives. Along with diversity of thought, I will bring curiosity and creativity.

Saba

Social justice is my passion. Humanity, fairness and kindness is what makes me happy and sitting on the Equity Scrutiny Group for National Emergencies Trust is another way for me to make a difference, supporting people at some of the hardest times in their lives but ensuring this is done in an equitable and responsive way. I’m currently leading work around EDI at the London Ambulance Service, I have 20+ years of experience in local government, and over the last 3 years distributed over £30million supporting some of the most vulnerable communities.

I’m a psychologist by training, a volunteer befriender and Independent Custody Visitor for Surrey Police. At the centre of my world are my family and friends, and I live in Kingston with my husband and two wonderful teenage boys.

Saher

I have 20 years’ experience of working in the field of EDI and experience of developing and implementing EDI strategy and policy; providing advice, guidance, counsel and mentorship at all levels and building and maintaining links and networks across varied sectors and organisations.

Building an EDI strategy is not the difficult part; the key is making it come to life and this requires collective ownership and accountability at all levels across an organisation. The key aspects of my role, skills which I also bring to the Trust’s Equity Scrutiny Group, include relationship-building, empowering, mentoring/coaching and building knowledge and capability across teams and functions.

We’d like to send a huge thanks to the lovely Equity Scrutiny Group members for dedicating their time and skills to the Trust in order to help us reaching our aim of embedding equitable and inclusive practice across everything we do.