Meet the team
Reading Family Aid goes back a long way...
The original idea came from a group of people helping young mothers at Katesgrove House in Reading in the 1970s and 1980s. Click here to learn more about our early days. We became a registered charity in 1993.
RFA is staffed entirely by volunteers and run by a small committee. We don't employ any staff or maintain any premises, so we're able to keep our overheads to a minimum. We spend all the money that we raise on our programme of activities for the children and families we support.
RFA is staffed entirely by volunteers and run by a small committee. We don't employ any staff or maintain any premises, so we're able to keep our overheads to a minimum. We spend all the money that we raise on our programme of activities for the children and families we support.
The Reading Family Aid Management Committee
Ruth Perkins, ChairI have lived in Reading since 1976. I worked in IT until my retirement in 2008 and I have been involved with RFA since Christmas 2001 when I volunteered to drive a van for the Toy Project. I was so amazed by what the group did I joined the committee in 2002. Over the years I have been Secretary, Treasurer and, for the last two years, Vice-Chair. I have also managed the Toy Project for the last 10 years or so. I never cease to be amazed that Reading seems such an affluent place to work and live and yet there is also sadly so much deprivation on our doorstep.
Sravanthi Yellapragada, Vice Chair
I live in Reading and joined ReadingFamilyAid to help out with the technology side of Toy project.
The committee members, volunteers, the work we do and the effect it has on the community inspired me to get more involved with ReadingFamilyAid. Laura Windisch, Secretary
I’ve lived in Reading for pretty much all of my adult life, since I became a student here in 1980. When I was about to retire from my 30+ year career in University admissions in 2019, I looked for a volunteering opportunity. Having volunteered for the Toys and Teens appeal in the past, I was very happy to see that the post of Toys and Teens Appeal Project Manager was available. The Appeal encompasses all that I love about living in Reading – people are so enthusiastic, generous and compassionate. I then became Secretary of Reading Family Aid in July 2020 and now fulfil both roles on the Committee. |
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David Berry, TreasurerI am an accountant and retired in 2016, when I joined Reading Family Aid as treasurer. In 2017 I had my first experience of travelling around in the vans during the Toy Project, collecting and delivering toys donated by people across the Reading area. It was great to see such generosity and enthusiasm.
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Committee members
Vivienne Simpson - Fundraising
Tracy Collins - Fundraising
Roz Heinze - Outings
Valerie Sansom - Outings
Charlie McLean - Publicity Manager
Krista Novakova - Publicity
Anna Waite - Publicity
Paul Cooper - Marketing
Maria Simpson - Publicity
Wendy Howell
Harini Parvateneni
May Smith
Sheila Wright
Jill Barker
Sallie Wall
Vera Box
Tracy Collins - Fundraising
Roz Heinze - Outings
Valerie Sansom - Outings
Charlie McLean - Publicity Manager
Krista Novakova - Publicity
Anna Waite - Publicity
Paul Cooper - Marketing
Maria Simpson - Publicity
Wendy Howell
Harini Parvateneni
May Smith
Sheila Wright
Jill Barker
Sallie Wall
Vera Box
