Meet Our Team
CEO
Alice Dias
Alice has a Master’s degree in Social Work and graduated summa cum laude. She has over 15 years of experience working with children and young people in education and voluntary settings, including 6 years working and volunteering for the NSPCC.
Alice has a background in youth work and international youth mobility having coordinated several mobility projects across Europe. Alice is an experienced leader with expertise in safeguarding and frontline work.
As a former Lambeth resident, Alice has excellent knowledge of the local community and resources available. Alice was a young carer as a young person herself and is a former carer.
Operations Manager (Maternity Cover)
Toby Manning
Having grown up as a young carer for my brother with cerebral palsy, the experience of caring has gone on to inform my life ever since.
Initially studying Law before completing a masters in Medical Ethics in Law at King's, I felt drawn to end of life care, which became a point of focus both personally and professionally. Initially training to become an end of life doula, as well as working as a healthcare assistant for Marie Curie, I went on to become Chair and Director of EOLDUK.
Following this, I worked on a funded carer focused project at St Christopher's hospice, developing a carer led model of support.
Starting at Carers Hub in November '23 has been a great experience so far, getting to understand the wide nature of caring experiences and support that we offer, as well as working closely with the team to ensure we continue to deliver the high quality user experience and practically focused outcomes which make a tangible difference for carers in Lambeth!
Adult Carers Team
Adult Carers Team Leader
James Holdcroft
James has experience in caring, both personally and professionally. During his high school years, he was a young carer for his mother, a role that deeply influenced him. After completing his studies in Psychology and Sociology at QMU in Edinburgh, he delved into care services, working in both care homes and community care settings.
His time as a care worker sparked a realisation: He was getting paid for the same work he did during high school. He was an ex-young carer. This insight fueled his passion to advocate for and support carers. Over the span of eight years, he dedicated himself to various charities aimed at aiding unpaid carers, even volunteering on two Board of Trustees.
In 2019, James moved to London and joined Carers’ Hub as the Service Coordinator - Mental Health Carers. Since then, he has advanced within the organisation, leveraging his wealth of experience to support carers in Lambeth.
James hosts the All Adult Peer Support Group, Emergency Planning for Carers workshop. He is particularly proud of the variety of support provided by the team.
Service Coordinator - Learning Disability and Neurodiverse Carers
Rachel Case
Rachel is a lifelong Lambeth resident and has been a member of the team since 2018 working in both the young carers and adult carers teams. Rachel has frontline statutory, private and the third sector experience across the lifespan inclusive of youth work, early years, education and family safeguarding.
Rachel holds a degree in social work and postgraduate qualifications in special educational needs. She has lived experience of neurodiversity and as an unpaid carer. She is passionate about supporting those most marginalized in the community.
She regularly facilitates peer support groups for Learning Disability and Neurodiversity Carers.
Service Coordinator - Mental Health Carers
Karen Ibrahim
Karen has lived experience of supporting someone living with a Serious Mental Illness(SMI). Karen is the Service Coordinator for Mental Health Carers at Carers Hub Lambeth and a member of South London & Maudsley Involvement Register.
She regularly facilitates peer support groups for Mental Health Carers and leads a weekly Mindfulness session.
Service Coordinator - Dementia Carers
Yvette Trought
Yvette trained as a secondary school teacher and taught Science and Business studies for many years at schools in South London. She has spent over 15 years as a carer. Yvette is part of the Lambeth connectors group which helps to inform people about community groups and the work they do.
As the Service Provider for the Dementia Carers, Yvette maintains contact with the group by providing support and signposting when needed. She holds 1:1 meetings with carers and facilitates both an online Peer support group for the carers and a face to face group.
Yvette finds it very rewarding supporting carers with regular phone calls to discuss their well being and liaising with organisations and community groups which provide activities for dementia carers and their loved-one.
Hospital Carers' Lead
Eleanor Cross
Eleanor holds a degree in Social Work from the University of Leeds and has a broad range of frontline experience working in Adult Social Care, across Hospital and Mental Health social work teams.
Eleanor worked as the “Carers Champion” in her previous statutory work and uses her lived experience as carer to inform professionals about the challenges of being an unpaid carer and embodying a caring role. Eleanor is passionate about supporting all individuals, especially those from seldom-heard groups.
Eleanor now works as the Hospital Carers Lead at Carers Hub, continuing to make the carers’ voice heard in clinical settings. Eleanor is based at both Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital and King’s College Hospital.
Carers' Support Officer
Jen McAlister
Growing up, I was involved in caring for my older brother who has autism and a learning disability. At a young age, I then went on to become a carer for my mother, who lived with alcohol misuse and struggled with her mental health.
Having lived experience of the complexities of the caring role and an understanding of the difficulties many carers face, I am passionate about empowering and transforming the lives of those who face similar challenges.
Transitioning from a corporate career I am excited to now support Carers Hub as a Carers' Support Officer, working to increase awareness and identification of unpaid carers in local hospitals and ensuring they receive the support they need.
Young Carers Team
Young Carers Team Leader
Tabitha Farley
Tabitha has a degree in Musical Theatre from the University of Surrey. Prior to joining the Carer’s Hub, Tabitha worked with children in a variety of settings including teaching musical theatre to children with autism and down syndrome, working as a music and language specialist and was also a primary school teacher.
Tabitha has also previously undergone a variety of volunteer projects, including working to provide food to the elderly and homeless during COVID. Tabitha has a great passion for working with the young carers, not only because she is experienced in teaching and safeguarding but because she became a carer during COVID-19 and strives to improve the lives of the young carers in the future.
Young Carers Project Officer
Sonny Daniels
I worked both manually and as a Project Manager in the construction industry for around 10 years and am now a qualified Humanistic Integrative Counsellor, working with private clients alongside my work here at Carers Hub.
I’m the Schools Project Officer and so go into schools in Lambeth to support young carers both
through 1-1 and group sessions. I also work with schools to raise awareness around young carers and am working on building a larger school network that can recognise and respond to the needs of young carers on a greater level.
I wanted a change of industry and a new challenge; somewhere I felt my efforts would have more meaning and would be helping young people to feel better about themselves, who they are, and who they can be in life. Carers Hub stood out for me first and foremost as I want to help young people to feel good about themselves and to know that their needs are important too.
The team I work with are wonderful and I feel lucky to be a part of this group.
Young Carers Support Worker
Krishtina Amatya
Krishtina lives in South East London and joined Carers' Hub in 2023. Krishtina graduated with a Masters in Neuroscience from University College London in 2021 and specialised in mental health and pain. She has since worked in the education sector as both a tutor and science teacher for young people aged 11-18.
Krishtina has been a carer since the age of 8 to her mother which is what inspired her to study neuroscience and to join Carers' Hub Lambeth.
Krishtina carries out Young Carers Assessments in Lambeth, where she meets and speaks with carers and their families, to help determine their support needs. For new Young Carers, Krishtina will likely be the first person they meet from the team!
Family Support Worker: Alcohol and Substance Misuse
Candice Phillip
Having grown up and worked in Lambeth for over 15 years, I have first-hand knowledge of the local and surrounding areas.
My roles - teaching assistant (17 years), senior youth worker (15 years), residential support worker (ongoing), - have all been centred around children and young people between the ages of 5 -20. Working closely with other professionals to ensure the best possible outcome for each in areas such as education, family life and above all wellbeing.
As a family support worker, I am able to provide care and nurture to young carers, through workshops, signposting, home visits and opportunity to meet other carers, much like themselves, while partaking in fun leisure activities. Liaising with others for an outcome of balance for young carers.
Young Carers Project Officer
Ellie Connell
Ellie holds a BA in Social Work and MSc in Global Health, Social Justice and Public Policy. Her previous work experience covers supporting young adults with learning disabilities, brain injury rehabilitation and working with young carers.
As a Young Carers Project Officer, Ellie visits young carers in primary schools to offer 1:1 support sessions. She works with schools to increase awareness of young carers to improve the support they can provide.
Ellie runs 1:1 educational support sessions on Monday evenings alongside the Homework Club on Tuesday evenings to provide young carers with a space to complete their school work whilst giving them a break from their caring role and an opportunity to meet other young carers.
Ellie is extremely passionate about supporting young carers to meet their full potential in their education, and is proud to be providing this support with Carers Hub Lambeth.
Young Adult Carers Service Coordinator
Birgitte Simone
My ethos working for Carers' Hub and in supporting Young Adults Carers specifically is to help carers to prioritise their own well being, strive for a fair future and to make a meaningful contribution to their lives.
I have experiences of caring both personally and professionally. I was a young carer to my mum who was alcohol dependent and had a mental health illness and have cared for my husband following his diagnosis of a terminal illness.
Following his passing, I decided I wanted to make a change to others' lives and pursued a university degree in Children and Young People's Services. At the same time I worked as a teaching assistant with children who have complex mental and physical needs, which i continue to do so alongside this role!
Other Staff
Gwenyth Withers
Digital Communications Officer
Gwen works behind the scenes. managing social media, monthly bulletins, maintaining the website, and creating graphics.
She studied at the University of Sussex, receiving a Ba(Hons) in English Literature. She then joined the communications team at Leonard Cheshire, via the Change 100 internship project. Her contract was then extended, due to her skill level and efficiency. During this time, Gwen gained national press coverage for research projects.
Gwen is also a keen writer, working on various creative projects in her spare time.
She joined Carers' Hub Lambeth in August 2022. Gwenyth want to join the team as her partner has accessed their local Carers Service, and she saw how impactful this was. She would like to help other carers to access similar support.
Olga Trujillo
Office Administrator
After spending 12 years working in the banking industry, in 2016 I decided to change my professional career to help other people to lead a peaceful and fulfilling life. Since then, I have been teaching mindfulness-based courses as an accredited teacher in Spanish and English.
During the pandemic, when I had the opportunity to volunteer teaching mindfulness to a group of unpaid carers, I felt motivated to be part of a project that truly made a difference and improved people’s lives. That project became a reality when I came to Carers’ Hub first as a Sessional Worker and now the Office Administrator!
I consider myself lucky to be part of a wonderful team where we share the same purpose while working in a friendly and professional atmosphere.