Society Of Caribbeans And Africans
Working together to unite our cultures
Patsy Spears - SOCA Chairperson
Patsy a founding member of SOCA, was born in Trinidad. She migrated to England in 1969, training as a nurse in 1970 and later as a midwife in 1974. Her midwifery role covers East Herts since 1975 and in Broxbourne since 1986 and since 2004 has been working as a Practice Nurse in local GP surgeries. She took an interest in the voluntary sector in 2000 and presently chairs the Ethnic Minority Association (EMA) Broxbourne, the Society of Caribbean's and Africans (SOCA) and the Waltham Cross and Theobald Safety Forum group. Her other voluntary roles include being a trustee of Hertfordshire Regional College, and the Community Voluntary Services for Broxbourne and East Herts. Within SOCA Patsy currently promotes SOCA activities and projects, through networking and laising with Local Authority, Business and Community Leaders. Patsy is also a governor at Four Swannes School.
Wolé Akinwunmi - SOCA Vice Chairperson (Projects)
Wolé joined SOCA in 2010, whilst still working in Local Authority. Born in Hackney and of Nigerian and West Indian decent, he moved to Nigeria with the rest of his family where he hard most of his education, graduating with a degree in Civil Engineering. Since returning to the UK in 2000 Wolé further obtained an MSc in Housing and Urban Regeneration. His working experience cuts extensively across local authority and the civil service within Performance and Project Management, in the UK and Regeneration in Nigeria. Wolé also has a kneen involvment with volunteering where he has volunteered as a presenter and associate producer with the Voice of Africa Radio London, and youth engagement activites in Christian faith groups. As SOCA vice chairperson Wolé aims to form a SOCA youth group.
Sarah Louis - SOCA Vice Chairperson (Policy)
Sarah joined SOCA in 2012 and has been an active supporter and participant in the running of SOCA's Saturday Tuition primary school group (SOCAST). She also sits on SOCA's event planning committee organising annual projects such as The Big Lunch. As SOCA's Vice Chairperson she assists the Chair on policy matters. Outside of SOCA, Sarah’s area of expertise is in Adult Social Care services. She has attained 33 years and counting experience working and managing in both public sectors. Sarah cherishes her role as a mother which she attests as her most important to date. She hopes to use her role to celebrate and promote the diverse cultures living side by side in Waltham Cross and beyond.
Sacha Kinatli - SOCA Secretary
Sacha began her career in the media, representing writers and directors for film and television. Her role also extended to sourcing for funds for feature films within the industry. After having her children Sacha retrained to become a primary school teacher where she has worked in education since. Her passion for her neighborhood, Waltham Cross, brought her into the SOCA fold to share in its community building spirit amongst its residents and visitors alike. She has since served as SOCA's secretary and also provides advice on education issues to SOCA's Saturday Tuition coordinators and managers. She also sits on SOCA's events planning committee.
Hannah Bailey - SOCA Treasurer
Hannah a mother of one has lived in the Waltham Cross area for ten years. Her career has spanned through retail, entertainment, childcare, finance and administration. Hannah got invited to a SOCA organised event after her family was going through some very testing and difficult times. The support offered by SOCA provided her a welcome distraction. Having found an extension to her family and friends in them, Hannah joined SOCA and became more involved with delivering its mission, as Secretary of the Committee which she did for three years. She has continued to support various SOCA project plans and events along with the other Committee members and more recently changed Committee role to Treasurer.