Organisation

Honorary Chair

• Name:  Dr Partha Ganguli (Gangopadhyay)
• Background: Clinical Teaching Fellow, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Aberdeen.
  Honorary Specialty Registrar in Forensic Psychiatry, Royal Cornhill Hospital, Aberdeen.
  MBBS, University of Calcutta, March 2000.
  MRCPsych, Royal  College of Psychiatrists, UK, June 2007.
• How I became involved in 'F of A UK': I have been involved with Antara since 2003 which is the same year I met Tim as a young volunteer in Kolkata. That was my first introduction to Friends of Antara UK. Subsequent to my move to UK  I  have been able to maintain my contact and have really enjoyed the interactive talks that I have delivered in York and Leeds. I hope to build on this association and take the organisation to greater heights.

Chair

• Name: Alice Malzfeldt
• Occupation:  BSc Psychology (Leeds, 2009)
• How I became involved in 'F of A UK': I became involved in Friends of Antara UK after going out to Antara in the summer of 2007. I joined the FoA Leeds University group and also got elected onto the general committee to be the Volunteers Coordinator. This role involves recruiting new volunteers to go to Antara and preparing them for their trip. Although there is lots to do at times, I enjoy the work especially seeing the volunteers-to-be so excited and remembering my own time at the hospital. 

Secretary 

• Name: Victoria Singh
• Occupation:  BSc Psychology (Leeds, 2009)
• How I became involved in 'F of A UK': I was a volunteer with Antara 2007 through F of A UK in Leeds. I am now the co-chair at Leeds University and have been busy organising fund-raising events on campus, such as a sponsored fire-walk.

Treasurer

• Name: TBC 
• Occupation: 
• How I became involved in 'F of A UK':

Policy Coordinator

• Name: Dr. Tim Lawes
• Background: MBBS (Newcastle, 2010), MSc International Health (York, 2010), BSc Environment, Economics and Ecology (York, 2005), 
• How I became involved in 'F of A UK': (Founding member) I first worked with Antara for five months in 2000-2001 and became interested in Antara's role in supporting patients who found it otherwise hard to access mental healthcare. I carried home a collection of photographs and histories of 30 patients and their stories became the catalyst for starting a support group in the UK. Since then I have been to Antara and the region twice conducting community health research. These experiences have affirmed a passionate belief in the need to tackle health inequalities and the cycles of poverty and illness at a root level.
• Other Roles:  Appeals Coordinator, (co) Web-editor, Graduate volunteer coordinator.

University Groups Coordinator

• Name: Kat Rumball 
• Occupation:  BSc Psychology (Leeds, 2009)
  
• How I became involved in 'F of A UK': Volunteer with Antara, 2008.

Financial Support

Appeals Coordinator

• Name: Kat Rumball 

• Occupation:  Psychology Student, Leeds University

• How I became involved in 'F of A UK': Volunteer with Antara, 2008.

Fundraising Coordinator

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Regular Giving Coordinator

• Name: Kate Stansfield (see above)

Products Coordinator

• Name: Jenny Simmons
• Occupation: Final Year BA English and TESOL (Joint Honours) student, Leeds University
                       Qualified English Language teacher
• How I became involved in 'F of A UK': I was organising a sponsored hitch-hike to Morocco and Prague and attended a RAG publicity meeting. My slot to talk came just after FOAUK. I started talking to the committee members...and the rest is history! A few weeks later I was accepted as a volunteer and spent 5 weeks in Antaragram in 2006.       

Raising Awareness

Press Coordinator  

• Name: Alex Valavanis.
• Occupation:  Third Year, PhD Electronic Engineer Student,  Leeds University,
• How I became involved in 'F of A UK':  I first became involved with fund raising for F of A UK in 2002, while studying for my first degree in York.  I helped to set up the Leeds University group of 'F of A UK' in 2005 before taking more of a backstage role to concentrate on my studies.  I became editor of the FoA UK Volunteer Pack in 2006 and converted it to the current illustrated book layout

Web Administrator

• Name: David Green
• Occupation:  Web-designer
• How I became involved in 'F of A UK': (Founding member)

Direct Support

Advocacy Coordinator

• Name: Mandy Lau
• Occupation: Research Assistant in Psychology, MSc Psychology (Reading, 2008), BSc Psychology (York, 2005)
• How I became involved in 'F of A UK': Volunteer with Antara 2005.

Letter Exchange Coordinator

• Name: Jane Dickson-Lowe
• Occupation: Teacher 
• How I became involved in 'F of A UK': Volunteer with Antara 2007.

Volunteer Coordinator

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Research and Cooperation

Research Coordinator

• Name: Mandy Lau (see elsewhere)

Cooperation Coordinator

• Name: Tim Lawes (see elsewhere)

General Committee

• Name: Kate Stansfield
• Background: Project Controller, Andiamo! Language Services, MA in Translation Studies, University of Leeds, BA in French and Spanish, University of Leeds
• How I became involved in 'F of A UK': (Founding member) I went to school with Tim and was around when he returned from Antara in 2001. It wasn’t long before a few of us were inspired by him to form a support group. I have been involved ever since in various roles including Letter Exchange Coordinator, Treasurer and Co-Chair of the Leeds committee between 2005 and 2007. We have seen our capabilities as a support organisation grow over the years and I hope that this will only continue as we move towards Registration. In particular, I hope to develop our Regular Giving scheme to increase contributions to Antara’s Children Fund. I also very much enjoy helping out with various aspects of the Leeds committee and meeting all our wonderful new volunteers.
• Other Roles: Regular Giving Coordinator, Co-press coordinator.

 

 

• Name: Caroline Chapman
• Occupation:  Human Resources
• How I became involved in 'F of A UK':

 

 

• Name: Alexander Chapman
• Background:  Analytical Chemist.
• How I became involved in 'F of A UK': (Founding member)
  

 

 

• Name: Hannah Lyons
• Occupation:  Third Year Medical Student, Leeds University
• How I became involved in 'F of A UK': Volunteer with Antara 2006.

 

 

• Name: Erin Burn
• Occupation: Psychology graduate, Leeds University
• How I became involved in 'F of A UK':  I became involved with Friends of Antara in my second year of university, after attending an introductory meeting with Leeds RAG. I became involved with the Leeds Branch of F of AUK and was given the oppurtunity to volunteer for 7 weeks inthe summer of 2006, which was a remarkable experience. Since my return from India it's been amazing to see how F of AUK has grown from strength to strength. I am currently active on the general committee as fundraising coordinator. 

 

 

• Name: Jenny Howarth
• Occupation:  Psychology student, Leeds University.
• How I became involved in 'F of A UK': Volunteer with Antara 2007. 

 

• Name: Ceri Owen
• Background:  Psychology graduate.
• How I became involved in 'F of A UK': I went running with Tim, & the only way to keep up was to let him talk about Antara. Since then I've been led further astray' into all sorts of odd jobs for FoAUK, currently these are badgering grant-giving organisations for money, and causing headaches for our web designer by trying to upload content. I have both personal and academic interests in mental health, learning and developmental disabilities, and child development, and as a Quaker I am committed to equality for the disadvantaged and oppressed. I can usually be found jumping in muddy puddles and feeding ducks. 

• Name: Dr.Tina Cross
• Background: MBBS (Leeds, 2010)
  
• How I became involved in 'F of A UK': I volunteered at Antara in summer 2006 after becoming involved with the Leeds University branch of 'F of A UK' through the university RAG organisation.

Leeds University Committee

Warwick University Commitee

• Name: Richard Dickson-Lowe
• Occupation: BSc (Hons) Microbiology (Medical) 1st Class (2005; Surrey), 
                       MBChB Medicine Final Year, University of Warwick.
  
  Extracurricular activities during my medical degree: setting up theWarwick limb of Friends of Antara UK through MedSin; publicity and fundraising for the Society of Trauma and Emergency Medicine and Pre-hospital Care; Basic Life Support training for young adults at local schools; Sex Education for young adults at local schools; and an active part of the football and rugby teams.
   
• How I became involved in 'F of A UK': I became involved with Antara through a 'gap year' placement after finishing school (1999). Following my time in Antara, Tim, the current chair of Friends of Antara UK, went out to Antara.  After his trip, Tim put the wheels in motion to create this organisation to support Antara from the UK, which very soon after he invited me to be a part of.  I am grateful he did, as Antara has and always will hold a very special place in my heart.  

 

• Name: Alex Lowe 
• Occupation:  Medical Student, Warwick University.
• How I became involved in 'F of A UK': Volunteeer with Antara 2008.

 

• Name: Duncan McLean 
• Occupation:  Medical Student, Warwick University.
• How I became involved in 'F of A UK': Volunteeer with Antara 2008.