Our Trustees
Grace Capel - Chair
Grace (she/her) is a Trustee of Young Roots. She was a trustee from 2011 to 2020 and re-joined the board in 2022.
Grace is a barrister at Garden Court Chambers and specialises in immigration and asylum and related public law. Her expertise includes international protection, unlawful detention and challenges involving the identification and support of trafficking victims.
Grace brings to Young Roots her experience of refugee law and policy.
“Thanks to the skill and dedication of our staff team, our services are now expected to reach over 800 young people this year. I am looking forward to supporting the team as we continue to expand our activities. We will also be working to ensure that the views of young refugees are heard on the issues that matter to them. Now, more than ever, it is vital that the government, policy-makers and the media listen to what they have to say.”
Radhika Ravi - Trustee
Radhika (she/her) joined Young Roots in 2022. She brings extensive volunteering experience with Red Cross and St Mungo’s. With Young Roots, she will be supporting the CEO and staff on a range of matters, with a specific focus on developing internal- and external-facing diversity, equity and inclusion practices and policies.
Radhika is a qualified actuary in the insurance sector. She has over 13 years of corporate experience, with a focus on investment-related matters, governance, strategic project execution and team management.
Radhika’s previous experience of volunteering gave her an insight into the dismal gaps in the support system for vulnerable people and the vital, life-saving and life-changing role charities like Young Roots played in caring for the underserved.
“It is a privilege to be able to support the truly exceptional staff at Young Roots who make such an impact on the lives of displaced young people. I hope to help the team expand and deliver on its mission and vision for supporting even more young people, an unfortunate but urgent requirement in today’s world riddled with turmoil and social injustice.”
Sami Gichki - Trustee
Sami (he/him) joined Young Roots in 2023. He brings lived experience to the board being from an asylum seeking background. With expertise in strategic governance through his roles as a secondary school governor; in addition to being a trustee for Intergenerational England, Euro Youth Mental Health and Manchester City of Sanctuary.
He is also an advocate for youth voice and leadership, currently co-chairing the #iWill Movement, the country's leading youth social action movement.
Additionally, he also has experience with mental health research, being involved in co-production and clinical research at a cross-national level with institutes such as University of Oxford, European Genomic-phenomic Archive and Wolfson Foundation.
“As an asylum seeker, I see and believe in the work done by Young Roots and its staff - taking an approach to humanise the experiences of those myself and provide crucial support to vulnerable people, who need it to rebuild their lives and build a home in Britain. I hope to amplify the voices of the people we support and ensure that the charity remains aligned with its values, values that are aligned with mine.”
Laura Puddefoot-Knaggs - Trustee
Laura has been a trustee of Young Roots since 2017. She is Head of Philanthropy at The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and focuses on supporting the staff team with Fundraising and Development.
Stephen Corker - Treasurer
Steve is the Treasurer for Young Roots and joined the board in 2016. Steve is a Fellow of the Chartered Certified Accountants. He has significant Financial Experience in many areas but particularly in the City of London having worked for firms both small and large. He also has experience of working overseas and as a Board member. His current role is as the Compliance Oversight Officer for a firm in the City of London.
“I was introduced to Young Roots by the Trustee daughter of a family friend and was immediately struck by the difference they were making and could continue to make to the lives of young people. I hoped my financial experience could help the team continue its great work, and was fortunate to be helped in my first year by the previous treasurer, Tim Mawby, so that I could hit the ground running and support the team when he handed over the role.”
Wasig Zaid - Trustee
Wasig has lived experience of seeking asylum in the UK. He joined the Young Roots trustee board in 2023, and contributes to the Young Roots board discussion. Together with fellow trustees, Wasig supports Young Roots to work towards realising its mission, delivering its goals, and progressing into its wider vision.
Alongside this, Wasig volunteers with organisations supporting asylum seekers and refugees in the UK.
Wasig studied Politics and International Relations at university.
‘’I believe there is always a chance to do our best to improve things a little for asylum seekers and refugees in the UK and globally. And this could be done by each of us, individuals and communities doing the very little we can. And when we join everyone’s little it becomes significant. Young Roots started this work two decades ago, continuously moving in the direction of bringing the change very long hoped and waited for. I look forward, as many others do, to witnessing the day when the hostility’s tide against asylum seekers and refugees in the UK is permanently ebbed out’’.
Nazma Raichuri - Trustee
Nazma currently works as an Sr VP Technology a DNEG, an award-winning visual effects and animation company. She has a career spanning nearly 20 years in technology. In her current role, she manages complex technology portfolios and leads critical digital initiatives as part of the CTO Office.
An advocate for education, especially for adolescent girls, Nazma co-founded a grassroots charity in India in 2018, providing school supplies and sponsoring scholarships for further education for underprivileged children. Since June 2023, she has been a trustee at Young Roots, focusing on modernizing business processes and supporting young refugees and asylum seekers in adapting to digital-era challenges.