Introducing the Steering Group for the Trust’s First Steps project!

Over the summer, we issued a call for expressions of interest from local traders, businesses, residents and others with relevant skills and experience to offer to join the Steering Group for the Trust’s First Steps project.

The Trust was happy to receive many applications, enabling the Trustees to appoint a group of 12 people with a wide range of relevant experience and interests to provide overall leadership for the First Steps project. The Steering Group had its first meeting earlier in September and will meet once a month for the duration of the project.

The Steering Group members are:

Abigail Stevenson, a local resident and architectural designer who has played a central role in developing and securing planning permission for the community plan for Wards Corner. Abigail brings her experience and skills to the Steering Group.

Ali Rose Rees, a local resident who moved to Tottenham four years ago. Ali loves Tottenham and wants to see places like Wards Corner restored so that they can realise their potential and re-invigorate the area. She thinks that Tottenham’s strength of community and business-led campaigns and initiatives are a real asset. Ali brings to the Steering Group her skills and experience in PR, social media and radio.

Aurora, a Spanish artist and an aspiring producer and social entrepreneur who feels at home in Seven Sisters market and wishes to play a part in ensuring its future. Aurora brings relevant experience in social entrepreneurship, business planning, networking and funding to the Steering Group.

Jaime Peschiera, local resident actively involved in a campaign to save West Green Tavern from redevelopment into housing. He is keen to contribute to efforts to protect those areas that reflect the diversity of Tottenham for the benefit of its communities. He is of Peruvian heritage and values Wards Corner as a place to feel at home with others from Latin America, the Caribbean and from all over the world. Jaime brings relevant skills and experience from his work as a professor on the BA Film & Television at the London College of Communication and as a filmmaker and photographer.

Martin Ball, a Tottenham resident committed to people and businesses deciding how to improve their community so that the benefits are shared locally. Martin is excited to join the Steering Group in order to improve the West Green Road/Seven Sisters town centre for community benefit and enhancement of the local architectural environment. He is active in several local groups and campaigns and has been Chair of Friends of Down Lane Park since 2010. Martin also brings his skills and experience in professional life from his work for charities in communications.

Mirca Morera, Directora de Latin Corner UK en Seven Sisters Market/Pueblito Paisa, Unidad 56. Latin Corner UK se compromete a capacitar a la comunidad latina proporcionando una gama de asesoramiento de calidad y servicios de información a través de los asesores solidarios y comprometidos, con liderazgo y estándares de excelencia profesional.

(In English: Director of Latin Corner UK in Seven Sisters Market/Pueblito Paisa, Unit 56. Latin Corner UK is committed to empowering the Latin American community by providing a range of quality advice and information services through caring and committed advisers, professional leadership and standards of excellence.)

Mital Patel, a resident of Tottenham whose parents own Cosmos newsagent at 1 West Green Road, on the Wards Corner site. She has played an instrumental role in WCC from the start and wholeheartedly believes in and champions community-led regeneration in Tottenham and London more generally. Mital brings her skills and experience as a strategic analyst in the charities sector to the Steering Group and is keen to continue to play a part in the journey of Wards Corner.

Ricardo Johnson, part of a local bicycle group, Rockstone Foundation, that would like to run a bike workshop, retail outlet and cafe from Seven Sisters market. Rockstone Foundation specialise in providing opportunities for unemployed local people to work in the bike/cycling and sports retail industry.

Rickey Gill, the owner of Tottenham Wine at 1A West Green Road, on the Wards Corner site. His family has owned the shop since 1985 and it was previously owned by his father’s cousins who had been running it since 1975. Rickey started working full time at Tottenham Wine in 2003 after graduating with a degree in Business Information Technology. His hope is that the steering group can provide and implement the community plan for Wards Corner and influence Haringey Council’s plans for Tottenham more broadly.

Shirley Hanazawa, a Canadian who has lived in Tottenham for approximately 24 years. She trained as a dietitian in Canada and took a MSc degree in Public Health Nutrition at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. She then  worked in Africa in Emergency Aid/Development and in the UK for the NHS. She is interested in community empowerment and participatory development, and is an active member of many local groups, including WCC, Bruce Grove Residents Network, Our Tottenham and Back 2 Earth, a charity based in Broadwater Farm.

Susie Finlayson, a local resident and experienced community engagement and social research practitioner. She is committed to development which is done with, and for, the community not to it, or to its exclusion and is excited to have the opportunity to contribute to her own community. Susie has worked with a wide range of organisations and groups devising, delivering and supporting them to enhance their ability to run user involvement and community engagement programmes. She brings to the Steering Group her extensive experience conducting social research and working with groups and organisations to consider their impact as well as other factors which help create strong and sustainable groups and organisations.

Victoria Alvarez, a Trustee of the West Green Road/Seven Sisters Development Trust, Director of El Pueblito Paisa Ltd (the organisation representing Seven Sisters market traders) and owner of a money remittance company based in the market for over 12 years. She is a British citizen of Colombian descent. Since arriving in the UK 20 years ago, Victoria has been very involved in activities and groups relating to the Latin American community, serving as a source of advice, English-language interpretation and fundraiser. She brings her wide range of experience to the Steering Group, as well as ensuring good communication between the Trustees and the Steering Group.

Welcome to all Steering Group members!