Our board

Hendrika Santer Bream - Chair

Hendrika has been a trustee of Stitches in Time since 2013. She has worked for over thirty years for the NHS, at first in HR and more recently in Organisational Development. Her main focus is on developing an organisational culture that will enable continuous improvement in the quality, efficiency and safety of care, and supporting change initiatives. Hendrika is a school governor at a local secondary school and has in the past been a Trustee of a local Mind organisation, church secretary and church warden. Hendrika and her family have lived in Limehouse for over 20 years.

Teresa Hare Duke - Vice Chair

Teresa has been a trustee of Stitches in Time since 2003. She has worked for over thirty years in east London in arts centres, participatory practice, theatre design and museums. Since 2002 Teresa has been the community development officer at the V&A Museum of Childhood in Bethnal Green where in 2007 she began curating the Front Room Gallery a dedicated community gallery space at the museum which weaves together the work of established and emerging artists with the designers of tomorrow from primary school to higher education students. She was a one time employee and subsequently a trustee of Chats Palace Arts Centre for many years. She lives with her family in Hackney.

Lavell Charlemagne - Treasurer

Lavell has been connected to East London for her whole life and has volunteered with a number of causes in the past. She has been a finance professional for nearly a decade, specialising in the media sector. Lavell currently works as VP of Finance in an international LGBTQ+ focused publishing group. Her main responsibilities are creating strategies to deliver company growth and manage operation frameworks to support this growth. Prior to her career in finance, Lavell worked in the textile arena, working on numerous fashion and film/theatre projects.  She believes in the ability of craft to bring people together, instil confidence and relieve stress.

Annie Gargya - Secretary

Annie Gargya lives in Bow and has been a Trustee of Stitches in Time for 15 years.  She taught in 2 primary schools in Tower Hamlets for 20 years and her schools participated in several SIT projects.  Retirement has allowed her to devote more time to SIT and in particular to work with Chris Sibley, former chair of SIT, in archiving the extensive and unique material relating to the Millennium Tapestries and post Millennium work of SIT.

Katherine Scott

Originally from Perth, Western Australia, Katherine has lived in East London for the past 10 years. Katherine is a qualified solicitor, having over 12 years’ experience working in both private practice and at global financial services firms. Katherine currently works as an in-house lawyer at a global investment manager. In the context of her role, she regularly advises boards and senior management on legal and regulatory issues. Katherine has had a passion for textiles from a young age and believes there is value in people coming together through the arts to enable learning, community interaction and to promote mental wellbeing. She likes to try her hand at new things and regularly participates in creative arts courses including sewing skills, graphic design and upholstery. 

Moymona Begum

Moymona came to the UK at the age of nine in 1993 and has lived in Tower Hamlets ever since. She was a finance professional who then changed career to teaching in 2014.  She has been teaching both primary and secondary maths since. Her voluntary roles includes; trustee at BPCA (Bangladeshi Parents and Carers Association), panel member for Tower Hamlets schools appeals, a member for Tower Hamlets MSLC (Maternity Services Liaison Committee). She loves teaching, seeing the growth in young adults and being a part of their learning journey. She mentors pupils and guides them into further education/courses. Moymona appreciates the tirelessly work of SIT with Tower Hamlets women; teaching them skills and qualifications to enhance confidence and find employment.

Meg Mitchell

Meg has lived in Tower Hamlets for over 30 years. She has been an ESOL teacher for all that time, mostly at the then Tower Hamlets College. Meg has also been on the committee of a local playgroup and on the parish council of a church. She has volunteered with school children activities for many years. Meg enjoys art and sewing and is always impressed with the inclusiveness, energy, friendliness and creativity she witnesses at Stitches in Time.

Jeba Maleque

Jeba was born and raised in Tower Hamlets, and her lifelong commitment to this community has driven her involvement in various volunteering and community development initiatives, particularly focusing on BAME communities in East London.

Over the years, Jeba had the privilege of collaborating with a diverse range of individuals, both professionally and through her volunteer work, including coordinating projects aimed at raising awareness about crucial health and mental health issues within marginalised communities, such as a tenure as a project coordinator at Social Action for Health. In a voluntary capacity, Jeba has provided essential support services, including advice, guidance, and interpretation.

Jeba’s deep-seated passion lies in community development, where she actively seeks to inspire individuals and groups to drive positive change within their communities.

The work of SIT has captured her interest, as it empowers disadvantaged women by nurturing their creativity and imparting essential life skills. Jeba has been deeply impressed by the transformative impact SIT have on the lives of their beneficiaries.