Our experienced and dedicated staff team, which includes a number of Project Trust Returned Volunteers, supports our young people at every stage of their Project Trust experience.
Aminaa Adams
Volunteer & Schools Coordinator
Aminaa is a Returned Volunteer from Malaysia (2017) who volunteered in the secondary school, MRSM Felda Trolak. The highlight of her volunteering journey was planning, delivering, and celebrating World Happiness Day with the entire school! Volunteering abroad really gave Aminaa the travel bug as she has spent the last few years living and working in Switzerland and Japan.
Heloise Allan
Development Director
A qualified secondary English teacher, Heloise has over fifteen years’ experience working in the voluntary and education sectors in the UK and internationally. The inspiration behind this work started on the Isle of Coll when Heloise was selected as a Volunteer to teach in Vietnam (2003/04). She has also been lucky enough to live and work in Senegal as part of her degree programme and Rwanda as a VSO Volunteer working on a national HIV prevention strategy.
Karlijn Bakker
Administrative Assistant
Karlijn has worked in administration for nearly 30 years, 13 years of which have been with Project Trust. She is a Dutch national who spent one year as an au pair in Scotland as a teenager which gave her an understanding of what it is like to engage with a culture different from her own at a young age.
Claudia Bettson-Burdett
Volunteer & Schools Coordinator
Claudia joined Project Trust in 2023 after returning from travelling through parts of Africa, India, Nepal and Europe. It was on this trip that she decided to leave her legal career and work to share her passion to help others explore the world and discover their potential. She is committed to supporting and encouraging Volunteers to make the most of their opportunity and fully immerse themselves in new cultures and communities.
Tom Chambers
Fundraising Support Coordinator
Tom moved to Edinburgh in 2016 for university – he was an event’s organiser for the Classics Society until the pandemic and has worked as a tutor since 2018 (online, for the government NTP scheme, since 2020), which both help him guide our Volunteers through their fundraising. Tom volunteered with us in Xinjiang province (China ’15/16), then as a mentor and Edinburgh Returned Volunteer until starting this role in 2023.
Robert Cooke
Volunteer & Schools Coordinator
Rob is a qualified secondary Languages teacher with five years’ experience in the classroom. After leaving school, he went backpacking through South-East Asia, which developed a love for other cultures. As a result, Rob then completed a degree in Language Studies and moved to Badajoz (Spain) to work as an English teacher. Whilst there, Rob mentored disadvantaged Spanish students looking to study abroad and improve their English skills and explore other cultures.
Niall Edwards
IT & Digital Manager
Niall is a Returned Volunteer (South Africa 2009/10) who volunteered with Outward Bound during his placement year and went on to work for seven years in the outdoor industry across North America and Europe, specialising in non-technical vital skills development. Niall joined Project Trust’s staff team in 2016 as a Country Coordinator and is now responsible for the development and maintenance of the IT systems, and is passionate about developing our digital presence.
Ingrid Emerson MBE
Chief Executive
Ingrid previously worked with Raleigh International, where, after six years, she was awarded an MBE for her outstanding work in a scheme promoting volunteering opportunities for inner-city young people. Following Raleigh, Ingrid worked at Groundwork in North Wales for eight years until joining Project Trust in 2008.
Meg Gower
Fundraising – Time2Shine Leader
Meg is a Returned Volunteer (Ghana 2015/16) and has recently graduated in Linguistics & Social Anthropology. During her time at university, she led several fundraising campaigns targeting Homelessness in Scotland and the Scottish Association for Mental Health, collecting an ‘Edinburgh Award’ for her contribution to charitable fundraising. Meg joined the staff team in 2023 and is our current Time2Shine Leader.
Janice Henderson
Hebridean Centre Manager
Janice has worked with Project Trust for 14 years, starting as Housekeeper and now managing the Hebridean Centre (bunkhouse and office) and Summer Staff. Janice’s role involves maintaining and caring for Project Trust properties, including the Hebridean Centre, as well as the staff and all the young people who travel through it.
Kat Kalatey
Volunteer & Schools Coordinator
Kat volunteered with Project Trust in Ghana 2017/18 and has remained involved with charities active in Ghana since then, returning numerous times to visit projects there. Kat is currently studying for a Social Science (Geography) degree with The Open University. She has enjoyed teaching in both Ghana and the UK – very different experiences – and is very excited to help give young people the opportunity to see the world in a different way.
Jenny Le Masurier
Volunteer & Schools Coordinator
Jenny is a returned Volunteer (Sri Lanka & Myanmar 2018/19) and joined the staff team in 2023. She has recently graduated in Geography with International Study Year abroad in Vancouver. During her degree she focused on sustainability and Indigenous relations and played a key role in Student Action for Refugees. Inspired by her time living overseas in Southeast Asia and North America, she is committed to engaging with Volunteers as they embark on their Project Trust journey.
Fra MacIntyre
International Programme Manager
Fra volunteered with Project Trust in 1993/94 in Sri Lanka and first became a member of staff in 1997, managing several country programmes in Asia and South America. Her current role is to facilitate the administration of the International Programme Department, including arranging the logistics of residential courses, Volunteer travel and health screening. Her experience as Volunteer herself, as a member of staff and also as a parent of a Volunteer, gives her a unique insight into the Project Trust experience.
Sam McDonnell
Country Coordinator
Sam is a Returned Volunteer (South Africa 2016/17) and since then has gone onto study at University Achieving a first class BA(hons) in Community and Youth Work, qualifying as a JNC recognised Level 6 Professional Youth worker. Inspired by his time with Project Trust working with children both in the classroom and a residential care home, Sam has gone onto working with children for a combination of 7 years in a variety of settings including specialist residential care and most recently spent 4 years at Durham area Youth delivering a range of youth services and giving back to the young people in his home community.
Jil McMeekin
HR & Policy Director
Jil is a CIPD qualified international HR professional with extensive experience in generalist and international HR gained in the UK, Europe, and South America. Within Project Trust, Jil is responsible for people policies and compliance. Jil is Project Trust’s Company Secretary.
Sheila McNeil
Finance Director
Sheila joined Project Trust in 2021 and brings over 20 years’ experience in charity accounting as well as a number of years in private sector finance. She has a wealth of knowledge in relation to grant funding and enjoys the challenge of the many facets of accounting for charitable funds.
Alex Page
International Programme Director
Alex has over 25 years’ experience of project and programme management in the charitable sector. His main focus has been international development, especially poverty alleviation, youth engagement and environmental conservation. In his early career he led remote expeditions to conserve coral reefs and rainforests around the world. More recently, he was Raleigh International’s Country Director in Tanzania and Chair of Scotland’s International Development Alliance.
Vicky Royle
Volunteer & Schools Coordinator
Vicky is a qualified English teacher with an MA in Education and International Development. She has a passion for inspiring young people to grow through experiencing life through the lenses of travel and volunteering. In 2010, she spent time in Tanzania as part of her gap year; she was quickly inspired by the impact that volunteering could make and was especially motivated by the role of education in alleviating poverty within rural African communities. She has since continued to work and volunteer in the development sector, returning to Tanzania multiple times whilst also experiencing life in Uganda and South Africa.
Jack Sutherland
Volunteer & Schools Coordinator
Jack is a Returned Volunteer from Zambia (2019/20) who volunteered in Mambwe Boarding Secondary School, teaching Mathematics and Biology. During his time away he also led the football team and created a Maths club. He is currently studying Mathematics at the University of Glasgow.
Zuzi Welo
Finance Assistant
Zuzi has worked for the past ten years in the customer service field. Now taking on her accounting journey with Project Trust. Zuzi joined the staff team in 2023.
Peter Wilson
Volunteer and Schools Engagement Manager
Coming Soon…
Eleanor Wood
Finance Assistant
Eleanor has extensive experience in finance, bookkeeping, and payroll administration. Eleanor provided external support on Project Trust’s bookkeeping and accounts for many years before joining the staff team as an employee in 2017 and feels lucky to have been involved with Project Trust for over 25 years.