Meet The Team
Former Trustees & Staff
Grace Quansah or 'Akuba'
Founder and Director of WAPPY
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"Having founded WAPPY in 2008 from humble beginnings, it’s been a pleasure to see its impact on young people and adult thinkers, who are empowered to use their written, visual and audio narratives to change the world, while also developing themselves. Professor Benjamin Zephaniah's visit to WAPPY at Ealing Central Library in 2014, and publishing and launching Wonderful World of WAPPY at the University of West London, are two of my proudest moments!"
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Joan Jackson-Callen MBE
Trustee and Casual Workshop Volunteer
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"After a 16 year involvement with Wappy, I became a Trustee in 2022.
I have worked with children and young people throughout my professional life. I enjoy working with Wappy young people in order to enhance their creativity and life chances."
Carolyn Warner
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Trustee, Secretary and Casual Workshop Volunteer
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"I felt privileged to be chosen later on to become a Trustee and be more involved in taking WAPPY forward and seeing other children given opportunities to learn and have fun at the same time. It's been a great opportunity to give something back to the community and to do useful training courses that enhance my own employability."
Anjan Saha
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Trustee and Artistic Collaborator
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"WAPPY is a place for creativity without borders, and gives the next generation of children coming through a wonderful focus. It has been a great honour to serve as both friend and Trustee to WAPPY."
Eric Lindbergh Huntley
Patron of WAPPY
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"One of the greatest pleasures over the years has been to witness the growth in confidence and ability of students from a wide cross section of the community while ‘showcasing’ their skills in the field of Writing and Acting and eventually becoming published authors in their own right."
Sally Baffour
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Patron of WAPPY
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"WAPPY has been a real gift to young people, especially in this digital age, when so many distractions are leading them astray. It has been a privilege for me to be linked with an organisation like WAPPY, that helps to develop and shape young minds, to become the self-confident, responsible and upright."
Regina Ioannou
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Former Trustee
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"I have been Trustee (2014 - June 2023) and Treasurer for WAPPY since 2014. It’s been a great journey, watching WAPPY expand and help young people to open up their creativities."
Manjinder Chijarh
Former Trustee/Current Volunteer
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'I first volunteered with WAPPY in September 2014 as a Workshop Assistant and I have seen a considerable amount of change since that time. My favourite memory remains the Benjamin Zephaniah event at Ealing Central Library - a creative collective of talent, inspiration and possibility! I became a Trustee from early 2018 - 2020 and continue to help out in the workshops and with wider partnership activities.'
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Our Volunteers
Lindsay Warner
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Head of Website Design and Casual Workshop Volunteer
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"My journey with WAPPY has been such a wonderful learning experience. I've transitioned from taking part in WAPPY workshops as a child to helping WAPPY run smoothly in my adulthood. It has been so rewarding to both experience and witness the positive impact that WAPPY has on the children it touches."
Rahwa Gherghish
Casual Workshop Volunteer
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"I first volunteered with WAPPY in 2011 as a workshop assistant, and it’s great to see it expand, and how it over the years, especially the way it has offered young people the chance to open up and have their say about their feelings in poetry.
My role in WAPPY has been to help with organisation in the workshops, accompany the children on visits and as well as assist with catering in community events.
I am very grateful to WAPPY because I have made new friendships and gained a loving family."
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Acquaye McCalman
Casual Events Volunteer
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"Since joining WAPPY in 2008 (age 14) I've seen how much it has inspired me and other children to express themselves in novel ways. It has also helped me with the ability to ‘think outside the box’ and has given me a greater insight with my creative writing. It has helped me improve on my vocabulary and it has made me more use to performing in front of an audience. I have also met some great talented people from WAPPY, some of whom, I occasionally keep in contact with. I believe, I’m also the most published member."
Sandra Obeng
Casual Workshop Volunteer
Chris Ioannou
Student Volunteer
Effie Quansah-George
Student Volunteer/Citizen UK Researcher
Georgiana Jackson-Callen
Casual Volunteer
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“I'm a WAPPY founding member and alumna, and am proud to have edited WAPPY's 2010 video, mentored younger WAPPY members and produced, edited and performed my own poetry and prose under the guidance of the tireless and brilliant Grace. It has been such a pleasure to see WAPPY go from strength to strength, with a particular highlight being the unforgettable trip to Keats House where we were able to perform in front of a live audience. For Black History Month 2019, I helped to deliver West London & Black History’ presentations for Hillingdon Literary Festival (Brunel University) and Ealing Labour Constituency Party Headquarters (Ealing).”
Student Volunteer
Jamie Gabriel
Benjamin Pozi-Quansah
Casual Volunteer
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"I have volunteered with WAPPY on an occasional basis since 2010, and have assisted with community activities and partnership events through filming, media production and organisation."
