About Us

Solette is the CEO of Voluntary Support North Surrey. She has worked in the third sector for 20 years and has focused her efforts on capacity building charities and voluntary organisations in North Surrey for many years.  Her skills and background in business planning and marketing have contributed to the growth of VSNS.

Alison has been involved in the charity sector for over 20 years and uses this experience to give one to one funding advice and run a variety of training courses. She supports voluntary organisations to find and develop different funding streams specific to their needs and reviews funding applications.

Jo supports voluntary groups and volunteers in Runnymede. She also works with businesses across North Surrey who are looking to build relationships with local charities through volunteering days, skill sharing, seasonal gifting schemes and everything in between. Having spent over 20 years working in the corporate space, Jo enjoys seeing the incredible benefits of businesses, charities and community groups collaborating in meaningful and long-term ways.

Elaine supports both voluntary groups and volunteers in Spelthorne. She also oversees both the Surrey Heath and Runnymede Time to Talk befriending projects, having previously run Time to Talk Surrey Heath. As a former social worker, Elaine has experience of working with vulnerable groups and a passion for empowering people to support others.

Jenny supports community groups and charities to promote their opportunities and find suitable volunteers. She has worked for VSNS for over 20 years working with volunteers and organisations and has seen many changes within the sector.

Mark Burton is our Volunteer Development Manager, leading on volunteer development to help residents find the right volunteering opportunities and to help charities to improve their volunteer processes, recruitment and retention.

Irina Mushtina is our Marketing Support. She is responsible for developing and implementing our marketing strategy, managing the organisation’s image and identity, overseeing our website, and handling digital promotion. She also provides support to other volunteer organisations with similar marketing challenges. With over 20 years of experience in marketing, Irina offers valuable assistance and expertise.

Ramon is our web designer, supporting charities and community groups with creating and developing their websites. He has experience with WordPress Content Management System. He is available at VSNS on  Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays between 12.30-15.00.

Oksana came to VSNS as a volunteer to help with translation for refugees arriving from Ukraine when the war started. She now runs our Ukrainian support project. Born and raised in Ukraine, Oksana has a deep understanding of the cultural nuances and specific needs of Ukrainian guests. With fluency in Ukrainian, Russian, and English, Oksana possesses excellent communication skills that enable her to effectively interact with people from diverse backgrounds.

Tetiana Karpechenkova is our STEP Employment Adviser. She supports Ukrainian displaced people by providing employment advice and guidance throughout their job search journey. Her role includes helping clients identify suitable employment opportunities, improving their CVs and interview skills, understanding the UK labour market, and navigating the recruitment process. Tetiana is committed to empowering individuals to build confidence, develop their employability, and successfully access work and training opportunities.

Karen is Befriending Managing for our Surrey Heath Time to Talk Project.  Time to Talk matches volunteer befrienders to people with similar interests, helping people of all ages who have become lonely or socially isolated by offering them companionship and a way to reconnect with their community.

Clair is Befriending Managing for our Runnymede Time to Talk Project.  Time to Talk matches volunteer befrienders to people with similar interests, helping people of all ages who have become lonely or socially isolated by offering them companionship and a way to reconnect with their community.

Sarah is our Finance and Office Manager, responsible for day-to-day financial administration and ensuring the smooth running of our offices. She also supports the team with essential administrative functions, and takes pride in supporting the charity’s meaningful work within the community.