Our staff

Harry Naylor

Chief Executive

Harry joined Karis Neighbour Scheme over 20 years ago as a volunteer helping with admin in the office, doing various practical jobs in people's homes, and making occasional appearances to 'croon' at some of the office Christmas parties!

He feels privileged to now lead the brilliant team and see the difference they make day in and day out, helping to build connection and bring hope in a myriad of ways for so many people in our community.

He says 'It's great to continue to work in the community where I've grown up and also to work alongside lots of other wonderful organisations and groups that help make our community the thriving place it is. Outside of work I'm most well-known for my love of board games and badminton!'

Michaela Brookes

Administrator

Michaela is our administrator and office manager. She is married to James and has two beautiful girls. They live in south Birmingham and attend a church in Stirchley.

Michaela has worked for KNS for six years and enjoys the passionate team and amazing work that the charity does in the local community.

Felicité Boro-Gorou

Finance and Operations Officer

Picture of staff member Felicite Boro-Gorou

Felicité Boro Gorou is an AAT level 3 certified finance professional, and a part time BSc student at University College Birmingham.

She was previously Church Central's Pantry Stock Manager and also worked as an Accountant Assistant Traineeship at Netcom before stepping into this role.

Felicité enjoys socialising, singing, jogging and drawing African dresses.

Hannah Eno

Fundraiser

Hannah has been at Karis since 2021, following 16 years as a fundraiser at the University of Birmingham. She has a background in NHS, charity and academic management and fundraising. Her role at Karis is to support the work of the charity through fundraising and she has also been a volunteer here for several years supporting the baby bank.

In 2024-5 she spent a year managing the baby bank to cover maternity leave alongside her fundraising role. She loves working at Karis because it's the kindest, most compassionate group of people who do astonishing work in supporting communities in the wonderful city of Birmingham. She's a trustee for two other charities.

In her spare time, she squeezes in knitting, crochet, oil painting, sewing, swimming, gardening and walking the dog.

Helen Bell

Project Lead: Karis BeFriends

Helen started working for Karis in August 2006, so 2026 sees her reaching her 20th year here!

Helen trained as an Occupational Therapist, mainly working with older adults in mental health. She started volunteering for Karis when she was looking after her preschool boys by visiting two older sisters who lived two doors down the road. This later led to her role with KNS.

Outside of Karis, Helen loves spending time sewing, cycling, swimming and watching cricket and always enjoys time spent with others over coffee and cake!

Tahlia Green

Project Assistant: Karis BeFriends

Tahlia's background of music teaching stands her in good stead in her role as project worker with Karis BeFriends and she can often be found leading singing or playing an instrument with our older clients!

Tahlia joined Karis in August 2024 and enjoys reading, walking and drinking coffee with friends.

Lorrie Blake

Lead Advisor: Ladywood Community Advice

Lorrie enjoys meeting new people and is passionate about giving advice and help so that people can claim what they are entitled to. She has been working in advice and guidance since 2012, primarily for Citizens Advice and Macmillan before joining KNS.

She is a follower of Jesus, is married with three boys and in her spare time she enjoys travelling, acting and dancing and has also been singing in a community gospel choir for 16 years. She has taken part in three TV quiz shows and hopes to do more.

Toni Green

Advisor: Ladywood Community Advice

Toni is a welfare benefits adviser with Lorrie, and has been doing this kind of work since April 2019 when she started in a paid role at Citizens Advice Birmingham (prior to this she was a volunteer for six months providing general telephone advice). Toni is motivated by wanting to give something back as she needed benefits advice when she was a single mom and it was the CAB who helped her to get on track with their benefits advice. She also believes we should all try to leave the world a better place than we found it, so working in advice and helping people is her attempt to do that!

Toni's hobbies include going to see music - that's her Big Thing! She sees as many bands as she can (seeing one band she follows nine times in the last two years - not sure if that counts an interesting fact or if it's just obsessive!). Toni also reads a lot and has recently got into making mosaic coasters!

Zoe Gordon

Advisor: Karis BeFriends Advice

Zoë is trained in Debt and Welfare Benefits advice and has also worked in an Addictions Recovery Project. Prior to Karis she worked for Birmingham Settlement.

Zoë's role at Karis means she meets up with lots of different people, particularly those with mental health needs and physical disabilities, to offer them support in identifying and applying for benefits. Much of this is done through home visits because leaving the house can be a challenge for some of the people she sees.

Zoë is married to Andrew and they have three daughters in their teens and twenties. The family own a campervan so in their spare time Zoë, Andrew and their dog, Rex, like to visit new places for a couple of nights. They also enjoy walking Rex, (particularly in good weather), around Edgbaston Reservoir, and enjoy watching films with the family and playing board games.

David Farrugia

Project Lead: Men's Space

David has been with Karis Neighbour Scheme since September 2024, when he moved up from London with his wife and two boys. Starting with Karis in a voluntary capacity, he officially became the Project Coordinator of Men's Space in early 2025.

David says 'It's been an amazing time getting to know the staff and clients here at Karis. As Men's Space Coordinator, I get to meet lots of interesting men and support them on their journey to wellbeing. Alongside that, I also get to run a range of weekly activities, including a gardening group, a walking group, table tennis, and a weekly drop‑in Coffee and Chat session.

I also host a monthly quiz or bingo night, usually with a food‑themed twist - one of these was a general knowledge quiz with the food theme "build your own hot dog!"

In his spare time, David loves getting out into the countryside for walks and taking photographs along the way. He also really enjoys putting together the posters for the Men's Space monthly events - it's a fun, creative outlet that he looks forward to.

Rach D'Mello

Project Lead: Children & Families

Rach joined the Children and Families team in 2025.

She previously worked in the education sector with children who struggled to access mainstream education.

Rach is passionate about supporting people from all walks of life to access everything life has to offer.

In her spare time she loves being creative, sewing, painting, furniture upcycling, baking- the list goes on! Rach is married to Ethan - who has also worked at Karis previously!

Liz Brown

Project Assistant: Children & Families

Liz is also a Children and Families project worker.

She joined Karis in January 2018. Liz's main role is to visit and befriend families that are lonely and vulnerable in some way, or who are new to the area.

Through these visits, Liz helps people integrate, make friends and build community. Liz is also an English teacher so she runs Karis's classes for those in the area who are keen to learn or improve their language skills.

Liz has been married for 40 years to Tim and they lead a small diverse church in the Highgate area which keeps them busy!

She loves walking in the countryside, travelling to other nations, singing in a rock choir, reading and trying to keep fit doing Pilates. Tim and Liz have also taken up ballroom dancing but spend most of the class treading on each other's toes!

Laura Smith

Baby Bank Coordinator

Laura had volunteered with Karis for two years before joining the team as an employee, and has always been especially passionate about the work that the Baby Bank project does in the community.

She grew up in a Christian home and carries those loving values into her life and work now; going to church every week, living with the hope and joy of Jesus and doing her best to practice His generosity and care for those in need.

Outside of her work she loves to keep fit and explore the outdoors. Laura runs and swims every week and enjoys hiking in the countryside whenever she can, and whenever the weather allows! She is also a keen crafter with a speciality in crochet, which she uses often to make clothes, gifts for her friends and commissioned pieces under her creative title Cinnamon Breeze Crochet.

Anthea Wright, Chaplain for Wellbeing: Listening and Guidance Service

Anthea is a Chaplain for Wellbeing and, since 2024, has been part of the Listening and Guidance team based at Karis Medical Centre. Her background is in Health and Social Care provision; this included working as a Community Occupational Therapist for many years and also as a volunteer chaplain in her spare time.

Anthea's hobbies and interests include animals/wildlife, being in the garden and the allotment, as well as spending time with friends and family. What motivates her in this job role is her love for God, her love for people, her love for a whole person approach to health care and a sense of calling.

Jane Grimshaw, Chaplain for Wellbeing: Listening and Guidance Service

Jane Grimshaw has worked as a Chaplain for Wellbeing in Primary Healthcare since 2023. She is a member of the national committee of the Association of Chaplains in General Practice (ACGP).

Jane worked for over 30 years as an Occupational Therapist specialising in adult brain injury rehabilitation before taking on the role of chaplain for wellbeing at Karis Medical Centre.

She values the opportunity to offer the time and space to walk alongside patients in their journey, allowing them a safe space to share their story and process what is going on inside, so that they can build up strength, confidence and courage to move ahead physically, emotionally and spiritually.

Alison Thomson, Chaplain for Wellbeing: Listening and Guidance Service

Picture of staff member Alison Thompson next to a Barry Manilow poster

Alison has worked as a Primary Care Wellbeing Chaplain since June 2024 and feels very privileged and blessed to be serving others in her dream role.

Alison's listening skills were honed in a long nursing career as a HIV Specialist nurse, Drama and Movement Therapist and manager of a Listening Service. She is passionate about enabling others to find their voice and peace within themselves when dealing with some of the challenges that life can throw up.

An avid music lover and unashamed Barry Manilow fan, Alison loves the thought that God sings over us all with joy.

Ebba Rosier, Chaplain for Wellbeing: Listening and Guidance Service

Ebba joined the team summer 2026, with a background in nursing, health visiting, pastoral care and coaching.

She's always been passionate about caring for people and creating spaces for other's to feel heard, valued and supported.

She feels privileged to listen to people’s stories and to understand what matters most to them. Sometimes, having the space to talk and be truly listened to can help find a little more clarity, hope or strength.

Alongside chaplaincy, Ebba enjoys writing, good food and coffee,

exploring new places and walking in nature.

Kalbinder Masih

Social Prescribing Link Worker (SPLW)

Kalbinder took on our newest role of SPLW in 2025, a role that is shared between Karis Medical Centre and ourselves. This role ensures the holistic care of patients with complex medical and social needs, meeting with them and helping to navigate a range of solutions to their challenges. Kalbinder sees patients referred by GPs and wider teams at Bath Row Medical Practice, Karis Medical Centre, and The Wand Medical Centre.

Her role is to understand with the patient what their priorities are and what support they may need, and then connect them to support that is available and best fits their needs, most often in their community.

Prior to this role, Kalbinder worked in health for 17 years in various roles, starting as a support worker with Health Exchange, a Health Trainer and a Type 2 Diabetes Educator. She has also worked as a chair exercise instructor, working with ladies church groups at Lozells Methodist Church and Bishop Latimer Church in Handsworth.