About
Diversity Voice is a registered charity in Somerset. We champion intercultural understanding and provide support and services to prevent marginalisation and work towards equality for all.
The charity was established in 2015 but draws on experience from 2008, when it was formed as an experience-led community group. Almost all of our team are multilingual and have experience of living and working in the UK as migrants.
Diversity Voice does not receive core funding and relies on income from project-led initiatives. We greatly appreciate all those who support our work.
A few (thousand) things we did in 2019/20
Our Team
Natalie Dyson
CEO: M-Th 9:00-17:00
As a qualified solicitor Natalie has had a wide range of experience of working with charity clients advising them on all aspects of governance and charity law and has experience of the operational side of running a charity through her work as Operations Manager at Spark Somerset. She also brings with her an extensive experience of high-level management of large and diverse volunteer groups, most notably as Chair of Coronavirus Community Help Taunton (for which she received a British Empire Medal), and founder of Homes for Ukraine Taunton.
Anita Mosedale
Operations Manager: M-F 8:00-13:30
Anita brings 30 years’ experience to the role, with experience in the statutory and voluntary sectors. She leads on partnerships with other voluntary sector groups.
Anita is our mental health awareness champion, and has also completed CPD training in dementia awareness. Anita also has responsibility for safeguarding.
Operations
Suzanne Todd
Welcome Hub Co-ordinator / Community Support Worker
M- T -Th 9:00-15:00 W – 9:00 16:30
Suzanne is one of our newest members to the team and has worked with individuals and many nationalities during her 22 years working in the travel sector, where she has travelled to many parts of the world.
She has worked alongside the charity ‘Singing children of Africa / Educate the Kids’ and been a host mum to the children while they have been in the UK performing for the charity and raising money to build more schools / educational facilities when they return home to Kenya and their families.
Her travel and life experiences bring attributes to Diversity Voice and the team, and she is happy to learn new projects.
Olubunmi Ajetunmobi
Office Reception and Administrator
M-Th 8:30-13:00
Olubunmi brings 10 years of experience to her role, focusing on customer service and complaint resolution/management. She excels in providing support through different channels, analysing data to improve customer satisfaction, and enhancing service delivery. She is fluent in English, holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial chemistry and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in marketing management.
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Team
Lucy Grist
Open Mental Health Project Co-Ordinator
Lucy’s mission is to integrate the wealth of shared experiences and professional insights within the Open Mental Health alliance.
She is particularly focused on engaging with the D/deaf and hard of hearing community, carers and people who matter, the LGBTQIA+ community, trans and gender-diverse individuals, those with invisible disabilities or chronic illnesses, the neurodiverse community, and those who are blind or partially sighted.
Her commitment to trauma-informed care and coproduction is the driving force behind her work. This passion originates from her own mental health journey, during which she has been supported by both community services and inpatient care. She has been heavily involved in the coproduction element of the Clinical Model alongside Somerset Foundation Trust and is also participating in a research project to understand iatrogenic harm to those with complex emotional needs in inpatient settings.
Olga Rybak
Translator and Interpreter Ukrainian/Russian
M 9:30-15:00, T 9:30-15:00, W 10:00-15:00, Th12:30-15:00
Olga is a qualified teacher from Ukraine who has worked in the education field for 16 years, teaching children of all ages, as well as adults. Has recently obtained Level 5 TEFL Certificate.
She is an experienced interpreter and translator fluent in Ukrainian, Russian, English and German . She is very keen to provide support to people who came to England under the Homes for Ukraine scheme and is always happy to act with empathy, compassion and to be a welcoming, friendly single point of contact for everyone.
Kateryna Kulomza
Interpreter Ukrainian/Russian
T:10:00-5:00
Kateryna is a qualified teacher, with experience in teaching and supporting students from diverse backgrounds or varying degrees of ability. She has worked in childcare and in social media and marketing. She uses her skills to help individuals who came to England under the Homes for Ukraine program.
She has got her Master’s Degree in English Language and Literature. Kateryna is fluent in Ukrainian, Russian, English, and also knows German.
Iryna Biliurko
Interpreter Ukrainian/Russian
M: 9:30 – 12:00
Iryna has a master’s degree in psychology, which she achieved from the Ukrainian Engineering and Pedagogical Academy in Ukraine. With her experience, she has developed a deep understanding of career counseling, and has helped numerous individuals to find their career paths. She specializes in providing career guidance, where she advises clients on various aspects such as training and motivation. Iryna also has experience in counseling the unemployed, helping them to manage their emotional and psychological state during the job search process.
Wellbeing practitioners
Olga Kopa
Wellbeing Practitioner
Olga Kopa graduated with a bachelor’s in Practical Psychology from IAPM in 2006. At the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kiev, she earned a Master’s degree in psychology in 2007. Olga is also a Certified Life Coach and has Certification in Art-Coaching and Art-Therapy.
Iryna Biliurko
Wellbeing Practitioner
Iryna has a master’s degree in psychology, which she achieved from the Ukrainian Engineering and Pedagogical Academy in Ukraine. With her experience, she has developed a deep understanding of career counseling, and has helped numerous individuals to find their career paths. She specializes in providing career guidance, where she advises clients on various aspects such as training and motivation. Iryna also has experience in counseling the unemployed, helping them to manage their emotional and psychological state during the job search process.
Monika Jurgiel
Wellbeing Practitioner
Monika holds a master’s degree in the subject of career advising. She has 14 years of experience working at the school as an EAL Coordinator and Teaching Assistant. In 2020, Monika received a Life Coach accreditation. She published the book “Thank you for my childhood” in 2022. Monika completed her accreditation as an addiction therapist in June 2023 and enrolled in an MSc psychology program.
Monika provides essential mental health support to displaced people of all ages on Thursday from 12.30 to 15.00 at our Welcome Hub.
EAL Team
Alison Legg
Support Worker, EAL
Alison is a certified TEFL teacher who specializes in teaching young learners.
She’s also bilingual, with qualifications in secretarial work in both French and German. Having lived in Germany and Jakarta, Indonesia, Alison spent her spare time volunteering at an international school.
She enjoys participating in local community organizations and is a regular volunteer at a children’s playgroup.
Joanna Mason
EAL Co-ordinator
Joanna has gained a wealth of experience from living and working in Poland, America and England.
She has worked with many different people of various ages, nationalities and cultural backgrounds, as well as having a degree in Sociology and 9 years’ experience working in an educational setting. She is also fluent in Polish and English.
Joanna’s passion, range of experience and dynamic character will ensure that she has a positive influence at Diversity Voice
English Team
Elizabeth Conlon
English Teacher
M,F 9:00 – 13:00
Lisa is a dual national British American and has taught ESOL in New York, Milan, London, and the Southwest. She facilitates language learning through real life scenarios, using role play, and theatre games for an element of fun.
Kirsty Jones
English Teacher
W 9:00 – 17:00
Kirsty is a CELTA-qualified teacher with extensive experience teaching both children and adults since 2012. Having lived and worked in Spain for eight years, she brings a deep understanding of the challenges of adapting to a new country, having once faced these challenges herself. Passionate about creating engaging and personalized lessons, Kirsty enjoys incorporating games and movement to enhance the learning experience.
Meet our trustees!
Our Trustees play an essential role in guiding Diversity Voice, ensuring that all we do aligns with our mission, and championing the charge as we strive to ensure that everyone is treated equally.
Our Trustees boast a diverse range of backgrounds and bring with them a wealth of knowledge, experience, and wisdom. Get to know them below.
![Adrian Fowden Headshot[1]](https://diversityvoice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Adrian_Fowden_Headshot1.png)
Adrian Fawden
![Liz Leavy Headshot[1]](https://diversityvoice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Liz_Leavy_Headshot1.png)
Liz Leavy
![Andrew Ballard[1]](https://diversityvoice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Andrew_Ballard1.png)
Andy Ballard
![Sarah Payne Headshot[1]](https://diversityvoice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Sarah_Payne_Headshot1.png)
Sarah Payne
Treasurer
![Mick Lerry Headshot[1]](https://diversityvoice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Mick_Lerry_Headshot1.png)
Mick Lerry
Adrian Fawden
Coming soon.
Liz Leavy
Liz Leavy made history as the eighth female first citizen in Bridgwater, she was Mayor 22/23. Liz taught at several schools in Somerset, including Haygrove, Chilton, and Sydenham, before joining Bishop Fox’s in Taunton. She later worked at Bridgwater Library and successfully ran for town council in 2015. Liz represented the area and was re-elected in 2019 to both the town and Sedgemoor District Councils for the Hamp area. In 2022, she was elected again. Liz is fluent in French and German and has a special interest in the arts. She is Chair of the Somerset Community Credit Union.
Andy Ballard
Andy became a Trustee in 2023. Prior to this he worked for 24 years as a teacher in State secondary schools specialising in Biology. He continued to work in Education but as an elected Trade union official for one of the teacher unions. He spent 12 years representing teachers at local, regional and national level.
His last 8 years in work were spent as a Senior Trade union officer for a Health sector union. He has significant experience of negotiation and policy development, governance and member representation, having spent much of my time working and campaigning on a range of equalities and inclusion issues.
He is married with two grown up daughters and two (soon to be three) grandchildren. Amongst his interests are that a love of walking with his dogs, gardening, coarse fishing and motorcycling.
Sarah Payne
Sarah lives on the edge of Exmoor, just outside of Wiveliscombe in West Somerset. She became a trustee for Diversity Voice in 2017 after working with them as an English teacher for a couple of years. She first had contact with the organisation around 2008 when she was working for Somerset County Council’s (SCC) Children and Young Peoples Department in the area of Extended Schools Services and Out of School Hours learning and was overseeing the allocation of small grants to community organisations.
Sarah worked for SCC for over 30 years in a variety of departments working predominantly in finance, administration and education. She is now retired and is a Parish Councillor, trustee on her local village hall, trustee and Secretary respectively to a couple of sports clubs, and Treasurer for Diversity Voice. She enjoys tending her large garden, skiing, golf and Pilates.
Mick Lerry
Cllr Mick Lerry started off his career in engineering before going to university and eventually training as a teacher. Mick moved to Bridgwater in 1976 to work at the then Blake Community School till 1997. As a member of the National Union of Teachers, Mick was then involved in employee relations throughout Somerset. Mick was elected to the Executive of the National Union of Teachers from 1997 until 2010, when he then retired.
Mick was elected on to Bridgwater Town Council and Sedgemoor District Council in 2011. Mick is the Chair of the Trustees at Victoria Park Community Centre, and he is also a Trustee on Diversity Voice and Sedgemoor SEED.
