Members
Free From Fear is 30 members strong; each person gives their time for free. From aid workers to former service personnel, linguists, fundraisers, caseworkers and data processors, our members’ varied professional skillsets are what gives us our strength and depth.
Ambassadors
Our Ambassadors focus on specific areas particular to their expertise. The support of ambassadors is vital; their combination of influence and expertise furthers our work with government and business. This is advantageous to the interests of our beneficiaries.
Patrons
Our Patrons represent the organisation more broadly. They share our values and are capable of acting as spokespeople. Our fantastic patrons have helped us with fundraising and raising our voice on the international stage and we are indebted to them.
Patron
Nusrat Ghani MP
Nusrat Ghani is a British Conservative Party politician who has been Member of Parliament for Wealden since 2015. She was instrumental in the cross-party campaign for the introduction of the Genocide Amendment to the 2019-21 Trade Bill.
Patron
Adela Mohseni
Adela Mohseni is an activist who spent her career working to protect the rights of women and children. She received death threats and fled Afghanistan in 2012. She now leads integration projects for refugee women in the UK.
Patron
Malahat Mohammadzai
Malahat is a women’s rights campaigner and advocate for Afghan women and girls, who previously worked for the HALO Trust in Afghanistan. She was evacuated to the United Kingdom in 2021.
Patron
Tracy-Ann Oberman
Tracy-Ann is a successful actress, writer and narrator. She is widely known for roles including Chrissie Watts in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, is often seen on stage in the West End and has written for the Guardian.
Ambassador
General Sir John Chalmers McColl, KCB, CBE, DSO, KStJ
General Sir John McColl spent 38 years in service. He was Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe from 2007 to 2011, the Commander Regional Forces 2004-2007, Commander Joint Services Command College 2003-2004 and the first Commander of ISAF 2001-2002, when the British involvement in Afghanistan began. He was the Chair of COBSEO (the confederation of service charities) from 2017 until 2021.
MANAGING DIRECTOR and FOUNDER
Sarah Magill
Sarah oversees the daily functioning of the charity. Sarah is a practising barrister with a background of experience at management and operational level within UK third sector organisations.
Director
Simon Myerson KC
Simon is a practising senior barrister and part-time Judge. He is Chair of Leeds Jewish Representative Council and a Trustee of his shul.
OPERATIONS MANAGER
Dimitrios Michail Perdikoulis
Dimitrios oversees the daily functioning of the charity. He holds a Master’s in International Conflict, has lived in conflict zones and wrote his Bachelor’s and Master’s dissertation on the Democratic Republic of Congo. Over the last four years, he has managed business operations while working alongside senior leadership teams.
RESETTLEMENT MANAGER
Becky Collins-Smith
Becky joined us in early 2023 at management level and heads our casework and resettlement department. Becky came with a proven track record in operations and logistics management, and has presided over Free From Fear’s shift of focus towards domestic resettlement, enjoying repeated success for our clients. Becky has a background in education and training.
Director
Daniel Berke
Daniel is a director of 3D Solicitors. He holds various roles within the Jewish community and his local community, including as a member of the Jewish Diplomatic Corps of the World Jewish Congress.
FOUNDER
Rosie Shaw
Rosie ran the charity for a year before stepping down. The ethos Rosie created within the charity guides it for the future. With Sarah, Rosie transformed a group of individuals who wanted to help in a crisis into a professional and well organised charity that has changed thousands of peoples’ lives and is a leader in its sphere.