We’ve been extremely lucky to get the help of a wide range of people who have their lent professional skills to the project. This has included software developers, former high level civil servants and benefits advisers, graphic designers and the list goes on. Everyone who has help us has helped make a difference to the people we’re here for. Thank you. We love you to bits!
Duncan Catterall-Mason, Co-Founder & Trustee, 2020 – present
A filmmaker and animator by trade, Duncan is well-known amongst his peers for bringing projects to life by combining his problem-solving skills with cutting edge technology. During the Covid-19 crisis and lockdown, he became aware that people were tragically being missed by aid organisations in Spain.
At the same time, he noticed that the UK’s response was heavily fragmented. He realised a simple-to-use app would be the perfect way to help people in need rapidly reach the organisations that were best placed and most able to help them.
Duncan is responsible for the technology and marketing at the charity, the later really being focused on how we reach people in need with our free service. His other responsibilities include bid writing, data analytics, data mapping and even the odd animation or cartoon to promote the charity. Duncan was the original group leader for a few years until he stepped back to support his family more. He also held the position of treasurer from July 2020 to July 2024.
Anjali Parshotam, Trustee 2023 – present
Anjali is a secondary school teacher, tutor and has been a volunteer with our local delivery group in Ladywood since October 2021 and has also been active in fundraising and volunteer recruitment.
Indi Sidhu, Trustee 2023 – present
Indi has worked in the Birmingham for the last sixteen years as a Chartered Surveyor. As well being a trustee at Help Close By he is also an Honorary Vice President at Birchfield Harriers Athletics Club. Last year he was a volunteer at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. Outside of work and volunteering Indi, follows Leicester City and is a fan of live music.
Rashida Gandhi, Trustee 2024 – present
Rashida is a secondary school teacher of 20 years, tutor, parent governor and volunteer. She has joined HCB in September 2023 and leading the new Bordesley Green food delivery efforts.
App Development:
Penny Bamborough, Co-Founder & Volunteer Full-Stack Developer 2020 – present
Penny’s experience in developing complex location-based software and systems has been crucial in bringing the Help Close By app and software to life.
Her career has spanned a vast array of software applications, and she currently builds systems at the cutting edge of cloud computing, machine learning and virtual reality. Penny is CTO and founder of Streetmap.co.uk. Penny built our app on a voluntary basis, an enormous effort which we are continually grateful for. Penny is only this far down the page out of respect for her privacy and is pivotal to the organisation.
With huge gratitude to the voluntary efforts of:
Our amazing volunteers who help our every week delivering food parcels in Birmingham
Our remote teams.
