Meet the team

The Friendship Centre Management Committee

The Management Committee oversees the operation of the company, agreeing policies and making decisions on all matters that might create significant financial or others risks to the company, or which raise material issues of principle.

The committee carries out important functions such as monitoring the company's performance in relation to the business plan, budgets, management controls and decisions. It has to satisfy itself that the company's affairs are conducted lawfully and in accordance with the generally accepted standards of performance and propriety. Members of the Managwement Committee therefore play a major role and have key responsibilities for the company's work.

Marion Dawson – Management Committee Chair

The Chair ensures that the Management Committee delegates sufficient authority to enable the business of the company to be carried out effectively between meetings of the Management Committee and to ensure that the Management Committee monitors the use of these delegated powers. The Chair also ensures that the Management Committee receives professional advice when it is needed.

Having been a committee member since the Friendship Centre opened, Marion is currently Executive Director of the Portsmouth and South Hampshire Partnership (The Partnership) which is a private sector alliance of local councils, voluntary and social organisations committed to improving the social, economic, cultural and environmental well being of the area.

Marion’s responsibilities range from facilitating large projects such as bidding for and building the ‘Sails of the South’ – a 43 metre high sculpture designed to enhance the image of the city of Portsmouth - to getting businesses involved in small community projects. Prior to this Marion worked for Hampshire County Council as a development and policy officer.

Kam Ip – Management Committee Vice Chair

A previous Chair of the Management Committee, Kam has also been closely involved with the Friendship Centre since it opened and deputises for the Chair when necessary.

Originally from Hong Kong, Kam came to the UK in 1961. He studied business management and metallurgy and qualified as a metallurgist in 1968. He then qualified as an osteopath and acupuncturist in 1984 and in Chinese herbal medicine in 1986. Kam has been practising traditional Chinese medicine since 1984 and has a fully equipped surgery at the Friendship Centre.

One of the founding members of the Portsmouth Chinese Association and its current chair, Kam is also vice-chair of the Confederation of UK Chinese Associations, vice-chair of the Confederation of UK Guangdong Chinese, honorary chair of the UK Association for Promotion of Chinese Education and honorary chair of Kung Ho Association UK.

Mai Hoang – Management Committee Member

Mai came to England from Vietnam in 1984 and studied finance, business studies and accountancy. In 1994 Mai started working for Portsmouth City Council Social Services department, as a community development worker. Her role is to support the Portsmouth Vietnamese Association and to promote mainstream services to all members of the community including the elderly, young people, children and families.

Recently Mai was successful in gaining funding from the National Lottery’s Community Fund for three years to set up social and educational projects in the city for the Vietnamese community. Mai also runs a catering business with her husband and has done so since 1986.

Rumal Khan – Management Committee Member

An active member of the local Bangladeshi community, Rumal has run his own successful catering business locally. He subsequently joined Portsmouth Council of Community Services (PCCS) as an Employment Training Development Officer and continued in this role for two years until he joined the South East Hampshire Enterprise Agency as Ethnic Business Advisor. Rumal was in this position for four years until he moved full circle and is currently working at PCCS again, this time as a Project Development Officer.

Irene Jackson – Management Committee Member

Irene Jackson worked as a qualified social worker in Portsmouth for 10 years until the birth of her second child in 2000.

She currently sits on the Portsmouth City Primary Care Trust board as a Non Executive Director, she will be stepping down at the end of April 2008 after serving on the board for five years.

Irene is a qualified family mediator and works on a self employed basis helping couples with separation, divorce and family conflict. She assists families with the resolution of their property and financial matters, as well as issues regarding their children. This is done by agreement outside of the court arena.

Den Barry – Centre Manager

A University of Portsmouth graduate, Den is a professionally qualified housing manager and has community development experience gained within the social housing sector. He is also a published writer.

Den has successfully run his own business in the past and previously worked in the retail sector for many years. Den is currently the elected chair of the Portsmouth Multicultural Link Group (MCLG). The MCLG consists of representatives from all the major service providers in the City of Portsmouth that work with black and minority groups. This is a position he will hold until March 2009.

Ali Yildirim – Multicultural Café Project Coordinator

Originally from Turkey, Ali moved to the UK in 2001 after studying archaeology. As well as working on many archaeological projects, Ali started working as a translator in the local community.

In September 2006 he joined the Friendship Centre as Multicultural Café project coordinator, managing the on site catering as well as providing a buffet delivery service to local organisations and businesses.

Martyn Davis – Project coordinator

Martyn joined the centre in 2005 on a part time basis. Alongside the work he carries out at the centre, Martyn manages his own post-16 education and training consultancy.

Martyn is project coordinator for the ‘Moving on Together’ project which works with volunteers from minority ethnic groups, supporting them and helping them to gain qualifications and work experience with a view to moving into employment or into education.

Ebrahem Osman – Weekend caretaker

Ebrahem, originally from Eritrea, moved to Portsmouth as a refugee in 2004. Initially starting work as a volunteer receptionist at the centre to gain work experience, Ebrahem successfully applied for a vacancy as weekend caretaker in April 2006.

As well as his caretaking role, Ebrahem also supports the Multi Cultural Café by working in the kitchen two days a week. He passed his Citizenship Exam in 2005 and is now a British citizen.