Our Trustees
Felicity Heywood
Felicity is a cultural and social-issues journalist. She became a journalist 10 years ago to enable marginalised and indigenous voices to tell their own stories. Felicity has written on African heritage.
Aboriginal land rights campaigners and museums representation of original cultures. Her articles have appeared in New African magazine, the Guardian newspaper and on the BBC website. She is the Associate Editor on Museums Journal and writes a regular column for them.
Felicity says: “I am passionate about all our young people learning about self – which means learning about the past equally as the present. What the CarAf Centre does, in particular the Mandela School is ensure that African history is given the platform it deserves in the minds and lives of young people, which is vital for our wellbeing.”
John Oke
John Oke has been a founder member in the setting up of CBPTA along with many other concerned parents and community activist back in 1980. He is however the only founder member who is still very much involved with the work of the organisation today, giving way to a legacy of nearly 30 years in supporting the educational attainment of black children in the community.
He is also a founder member of the Odu Dua Housing Association, which was set up in 1985. An association committed in meeting the housing needs of the African & Caribbean community. He led Odu Dua as their Director for many years, until his retirement a few years ago and now sits on their Board of Trustees.
He has been a Management Committee Member of the Camden Race Equality Council in the 90’s, again giving relentless support to issues affecting the black and minority ethnic community.
He is board member of the Camden Community Law Centre since 1986 during which time he has served as the Co-chair and the Chair and has more recently been involved in the setting up of the new Camden BME Alliance (2002), supporting the development needs of the BME voluntary sector community in Camden.
Throughout his life he has been actively involved in community work on a senior level, with a particular emphasis on addressing the disadvantages experienced by the Black and Minority Ethnic communities.
Tayo Matti
EDUCATION: Msc. CENG. Aston University in B’ham.
RECREATION: Maths research, Reading, Critical thinking and Table Tennis.
CAREER: Mathematics Consultant/Educationist.
- Began teaching 1987 till present time.
- London Metropolitan university in London
- Holloway School where I taught for almost 20 years.I was both deputy and Head of Mathematics Faculty for over 10 years.
- Holloway School Governor for 6 years.
- Joseph Chamberlain in Birmingham.
- Worked for Olajide Engineering Co. Ltd in Nigeria.
Jonathan Odetola
I am Jonathan Odetola. I work as accountant for a local authority in London.
The reason why I am a treasurer of the Caraf Centre is because I believe in giving back to the community that has done so much for me.
I am passionate about education. I believe children are our future and the quality of holistic education is vital to their social development and what they become in the future.
The CarAf Centre share all these beliefs. This is the reason why I am a trustee of the CarAf Centre.
Aisha Ashanti
I have one son who use to attend the Mandela Saturday school and the Kuumba holiday play scheme which he loved and I like the vibes here amongst the staff team and felt he was in a safe and enjoyable Afri-centric learning environment. This is important to me as I believe in the philosophy of Marcus Garvey and believe as Afrikan nation we must unite and come together. This will enhance the family and enable our children to become great leaders and entrepreneurs and succeed emotionally, spiritually and economically, hence why I support and give my time to the CarAf Centre as a trustee.
I’m able to bring my knowledge and experience as I currently work full time as a Children Centre Manager. I have worked in child care for 20 years and in a management role for the last 10 years.
Darrell Ennis-Gayle
DOB: 10.05.1975 Occupation: Lawyer
I have been associated with the CarAf Centre for over 20 years.
I first attended the Mandela School in 1988 when it was based at the Camden Black Parents and Teachers Centre on Kentish Town Road. I was thirteen-years-old.
My mother enrolled me at the school because she could see that the local state secondary school I was attending (one of the worst in the country at the time) was not catering to my educational needs.
As a reluctant teenager I attended the school on most Tuesday evenings. It was now based on Bayham Street in Camden. I was studying for my GCSE’s at the time. I particularly remember hating mathematics. I would give the math teacher such a headache. I would moan and winge and he would literally pull his hair out in frustration at my unwillingness to learn. However, he never gave up on me and although I am still not a great fan of mathematics I amazingly passed my math GCSE. Incidentally that teacher was Tayo Mati who to this day still teaches math at the Mandela School and is also a teachers representative on the Board of Trustees.
After success in my GCSE’s I went on to do my A-levels and eventually studied law at university. I never lost contact with the Mandela School and the CarAf Centre has always been there to offer me support even employing me from time to time between my studies.
It was a privilege to be invited on to the Board of Trustees in 2008.
Hyacinth Longmore-Turner
Hi I am Hyacinth Longmore-Turner. I am a mother and wife. I have a long standing link with community voluntary sector and statutory which is a wholesome mix. I have been involved with the CarAf centre for over twenty years, Previously Camden Black Parents and teachers CBPAT, when we demonstrated with sit-in to secure the premises in Kentish Town. My daughter Louise was who was 2years was part of the movement. She later attended the Mandela supplementary school, so did my son Daniel.
I have also been a member or supporter for a number of voluntary groups in Camden. This included The Camden Black Sisters (CBS) and was part of the planning team that designed the centre, which is sadly no more. The Women Bus was my launch into community group which folded with the close of the GLC, I was part of Camden Community HC. St Pancreas community centre, CAST as well as serving on board of School governors etc. I worked alongside some positive black women and also gained extensive experience and support, which helped to launch my career into social work.
I currently work as a social worker for Brent, having acquired a BSc Hon, and a CQSW Diploma in social work. I am proud to say that I am still involved in the CARAF centre. My main objective is to support parents and their children to achieve a purpose and goal in a society of social inequalities. Together we can achieve that goal, ‘Yes we can’ Barack Obama is proof of that, so am I. The struggle goes on but the goal is reachable.
