Our Team | The Princess Project

Emma Tanner is our founder and CEO. She started the Princess Project back in 2011, after being struck by the lack of support available to young mums in her community and prompted by God to do something about it. She lives in Maidstone with her husband Graham and their two teenage daughters. Apart from her family, her faith and the Princess Project, her main loves in life are reading, writing, cooking, country music and cats! She has been totally overwhelmed by what God has done in and through the Princess Project over the last 10 years, and considers it an honour to lead the amazing team He has brought together.

Alison Jackson is our Project Manager, based in Medway. She’s been part of the Princess Project team since 2019. She lives in Gillingham with her husband Tim and their two sons. She loves spending time with her family, spending time with friends and enjoys listening to and playing music and is learning to play the drums! She also loves to cook and bake. She is also involved with the work of The Family Trust. God has opened many doors in Medway and she is excited to see what else He makes possible in the area!

Mary Sangwan is our Pastoral and Prayer Support Co-ordinator. She is married to Ravi and has 2 children and a stepson. She moved to Maidstone in 1984 , and started work in the community in 1993. Before joining the Princess Project Mary worked for The Vine Church, which is also the church she attends with her family.

She enjoys being with people so loves spending her free time with her family and friends. In the winter evenings she enjoys cross stitch and knitting.

She feels privileged to work for the Princess Project and loves being able to support and encourage many wonderful mums .

Helene Spocchia is another of our Community Support Workers, and is also the Mum2Mum Kent Project Co-ordinator. Helene lives on the Isle of Sheppey with her husband Matt and two daughters, Martha and Edie. Helene and her family moved to Sheppey with the purpose of sharing the good news of Jesus and seeing a new church planted. In addition to her faith and family, some of Helene’s passions are people, painting, and hazelnut lattes. She also has a profound love for chunky knitwear and Marvel films. Helene loves getting to know people and bringing people into community. She considers it a real privilege to support others and loves having opportunities to befriend and encourage.

Ceri Parkinson is one of our Community Support Workers, working in Medway and Maidstone. She lives in Sittingbourne with her husband Luke and daughter. Before working for the Princess Project Ceri worked within the nursery sector for over a decade, but since becoming a Mum herself has found a new perspective on the responsibilties of raising a child.

In her free time she enjoys spending time with her family on walks or getting cosy on the sofa to watch a film.

Ceri felt a call from God to provide support system for Mum’s in her local area and is excited about the where this new chapter in her life will take her.

Hannah Sampson is our newest Community Support Worker, working in Maidstone and Tonbridge. She lives in Maidstone with her two sons. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends. In her free time she enjoys keeping fit and being out in nature, as well as watching films and listening to a variety of music. She doesn’t really enjoy cooking, but she does love eating – especially desserts and cake!

She had the privilege of being one of the first Befrienders with the Princess Project and helped to run the parenting courses. She loved volunteering and coming alongside parents and their children, and went off to train as a child and adolescent counsellor. She has had her own practice for 5 years now and her skills and experience compliment this new role perfectly. God has brought her back full circle and she is so excited to be a part of the Princess Project team again and to see what God has in store, as she supports others in this new chapter of her life.

Louise Dunmore is our Administrator. She is married to Marc and has one daughter. Louise enjoys doing all things admin related. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking and baking, reading and watching TV.

Jane Negus is our Chair of Trustees.

Jane has always had a passion to support families and children, knowing first hand that being a parent brings not only joy but challenges along the way. Every parent needs someone to believe in them, come alongside without judgement and be a listening ear.

She worked for many years within a pre-school setting, has been a foster parent as well as a mum and grandma and more recently worked in the Regulatory sector. She counts it a privilege to be part of The Princess Project.

Bobbi Ezeike lives in Maidstone with her young son. She has worked as a healthcare support worker in the community and residential homes both in Ireland and the UK. She moved to the United Kingdom in 2015 after living for nearly a decade in Ireland. She is currently a Health and Social Care Student and hopes to work more in the Social Care Industry. In her leisure time, she loves spending time with her son as he loves cuddling a lot! She also enjoys watching action movies, cooking and playing music. She feels privileged to be part of the Princess Project trustee board.

Jamieleigh Mace is 25 years old and lives in Maidstone.

She is a mum to 2 boys and first came to the Princess Project in 2017 as a regular visitor to our Maidstone Hub. She has so much love for the Princess Project and will forever be thankful.

In the past she has been a 111 health advisor and volunteered for Victim Support.

She enjoys spending time with her family and friends and taking her dog out for walks. Her favourite place is the beach and she loves to cook.

She says she has so much love and kindness to give and is looking forward to her new journey with the Princess Project.

Leon is pastor of Connect Church and also oversees the Church & Ministry Leaders Network in Maidstone. Leon is very passionate about unity and seeing churches and ministries working together with each other and the community, transforming lives and changing the atmosphere.

He is married and has three children and one big dog. He loves Jesus, coffee, Star Wars and all things guitar.

Leon sees the work of the Princess Project as being a vital part of what God is doing in transforming our communities, one life at a time.

Claire Pamberi is a new addition to the trustees. After volunteering at the Princess Project at the Hubs and Shine courses and being the Chairperson at a pre-school, Claire felt that being a trustee would bring all these skills together to be able to contribute to the Princess Project in a meaningful way. Claire has two fun and lively boys, one with Special needs and she is really passionate about supporting vulnerable families and ensuring that everyone is included.

Claire is a Town Planner by profession and loves relaxing with family, meeting with friends and loves watching her boys play football.

Angela Trigg is our Secretary, and also our Safeguarding Co-ordinator. She has been a volunteer with the Princess Project since December 2018, and joined the trustee board in 2019.

Her passion for the Princess Project stems from experiencing, in her role as a Headteacher, how important it is that mothers receive love and practical support in giving the best possible care to their children. She has now seen first hand this help for mothers given by the amazing team of staff the Princess Project employ and the impact on both mothers and their children.

Joy Uba is an energetic and empathic technology professional with decades of corporate experience spanning industries & sectors (regulation, health, government, finance, supply chain). She is currently a technology director at a major global investment bank.

Her hobbies include a love of music (she plays a few instruments – averagely!), writing, driving, and taking long walks.

Joy is drawn to Princess Project in part by the personal experience of being raised by a single mum who she believes would have benefitted from such a community had it been available in her time. Another draw for Joy is an admiration for the passion, dedication and faith that has seen the Princess Project consistently and persistently execute on its vision for well over a decade. She is excited at the opportunity to serve as a Trustee and be part of delivering innovative & life affirming solutions for vulnerable mums in the times in which we live.

Helen Williamson has been a trustee since 2017. She is married to Robin, a wonderful partner for over 25 years, who is now retired but continues in his retirement with his work as a priest.

She is mother to 2 special children who are now both in their 20s, and spent nearly 32 years serving the people of Maidstone as a GP, retiring from practice as a doctor in 2016. She feels privileged to have walked with so many people from all backgrounds through both good and difficult times.

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