Using her professional experience as an accountant in industry, Alex was initially attracted to the role of a financial trustee for a charity whose aims are to support migrants with English as an Additional Language (EAL) in Richmond Borough. 

Alex now has a Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA) and has been involved in all aspects of the charity for some years.

As Chair, Alex especially enjoys getting to know our beneficiaries and she takes great pleasure in seeing them develop and thrive as they move onto the next stages of their learner journey.  

Alexis has supported Richmond EAL with our website redesign and wider communications since 2023 and became a trustee in 2024. He was appointed as company secretary in 2025. 

Also a trustee of Refugees Welcome in Richmond and a CELTA-qualified teacher with over a decade of experience in the non-profit and voluntary sectors, he thrives on helping the charity and our learners to flourish in all their endeavours.

A native English speaker, Alexis also knows some French, German, Spanish, Indonesian and Malay, plus HTML, CSS, PHP, SQL, etc.

Having migrated to the UK in 2019, Azize initially joined Richmond EAL as a learner, navigating the challenges of adapting to a new language and culture.

Her journey progressed as she became a volunteer, contributing her skills and experiences to support others in similar situations.

Now, as a trustee, Azize has proudly represented the voice of EAL speakers on the board since 2022.

Azize is a native Turkish speaker and has a TESOL qualification.

Denis has over 30 years of lived experience using English as an additional language and understands the challenges of relocating to a new country, adapting to a different language, and building a successful career in a new environment.

Since 1995, he has worked within the UK charity sector, managing and developing a wide range of services for people of all ages across diverse settings. His experience spans operational management through to executive leadership, including CEO-level responsibilities.

Denis's first language is Breton and he also speaks fluent French. 

Matilda joined our charity as a teaching assistant and now co-runs our coffee morning. In 2024, she became a trustee, bringing her passion for education and community engagement to the role.

A philosophy graduate, Matilda has experience teaching philosophy to children with The Philosophy Foundation. She is also CELTA-qualified to teach English as a foreign language.

She is a native English speaker currently learning French and Arabic. She loves connecting with our learners and discovering the diversity of their cultures.

Mehtap has been living in the UK since 2017 and first joined Richmond EAL as a student four years ago. In 2026, she became a Trustee.

She studied Economics and has professional experience as a Business Analyst. Drawing on her own experience of adapting to life in the UK as an immigrant, she joined the Board of Trustees to contribute her insights and help support others facing similar challenges.

Mehtap is a native Turkish and Arabic speaker. Her interests include art history, gardening, and embroidery.

Having moved to the UK in 2017, Feray joined Richmond EAL as a learner in 2022, during a period of adjusting to life in a new country while raising two young children.

Since joining, she has been actively involved in the learner community, building confidence and taking part in the charity’s social and learning activities, which played an important role in her integration journey. She is particularly interested in cultural exchange and connecting with people from different backgrounds and experiences.

From January 2026, Feray becomes a trustee of Richmond EAL, supporting the charity’s work and contributing to its continued development.