Meet The Team
Here are our UDB Staff Team. We also have many wonderful volunteers who are a central part of all that we do.
Amy Heyes
CO-DIRECTOR
Amy leads our team alongside Emma and has over 20 years youth work experience. Apart from a year in London, she has lived in Birmingham her whole life. Amy has three children and loves welly walks and getting creative. Her interesting facts are she has always walked on her tip toes and has an irrational dislike of cotton wool.
Emma Winmill
CO-DIRECTOR & SAFEGUARDING LEAD
Emma leads our team alongside Amy. She has three daughters and a dog called Beans, and loves paddle boarding, camping and crazy dancing in the kitchen. Her interesting fact is she was born in Minneapolis, USA.
Liam Llewellyn
COMMUNITY ACTIVITY DEVELOPER
Liam leads all our work in Perry Common, as well as being the go-to for all our maintenance needs. When he’s not at UDB, Liam runs his own bakery ‘Hope Kitchen’. He is a dad of two and loves good coffee, football, rugby, surfing and music. Liam’s interesting fact is he once won a game of Chubby Bunnies with a total of 27 marshmallows.
Sophie Crew
GOSPEL CHAMPION
Sophie leads the team in creating spaces for young people to engage in conversations about faith and explore what it means to follow Jesus! She loves being around people and spends her free time either creating content for her YouTube channel - ‘SophandRach’ or getting creative on her sewing machine. Her interesting fact is she once ate a whole chocolate gateaux in two minutes without her hands.
Steph Porter
PLAY LISTS DEVELOPER & DEPUTY SAFEGUARDING LEAD
Steph leads Play Lists, a project designed to integrate more play into our young people’s lives. She is also our deputy safeguarding lead. In her spare time, she will either be crocheting a blanket in front of the tv or writing her next song! Her interesting fact is she played in a football match at Wembley at the age of 12.
Harriet Spencer
TEAM ENABLER
Harriet does all our behind the scenes administration including finances and supplies. In her spare time, Harriet loves burying into a good novel, heading out into nature, and spending time with her little nephew.
Alice Jelfs
PROJECT CONNECTOR (HEADSPACE)
Alice leads on our Head Space Project, working in primary schools across Erdington. Alongside this, she can be found mentoring or running around at our Kids Clubs across Erdington. Outside of UDB Alice is studying jewellery design and manufacturing. Her Fun Fact is Alice’s Fiancé is Callum.
Callum Hodson
COMMUNITY ACTIVITY DEVELOPER
Callum leads all our work in Erdington Hall and is one of our school mentors. He came to UDB straight from a degree in Mechanical and Materials Engineering and is a big fan of rugby and surfing. Callum’s interesting facts are he once ate a whole loaf of white bread in a few hours and reckons he sneezes about 8 times a day!
Dawn Franks
COMMUNITY CHAMPION
Dawn leads all our work in Wyrley Birch and can often be found inventing crazy new games to play. Outside of work, Dawn is likely to be hanging out with her nephew or riding a voii down the high street. Her interesting fact is she’s been in a submarine 15,000 feet under water.
Gavin Page
OPERATIONS LEAD
Gavin oversees the operational aspects of UDB and loves to get involved in some of the family and children drop-in clubs. He has grown children and a mad Cockapoo called Oscar. When not at UDB, Gavin is training to become a Contemporary Chaplain and loves to play tennis.
Ife Obakin
YOUTH CONNECTOR
Ife helps out at our youth drop-ins and also does mentoring in schools. She loves hanging out with young people and seeing young people released in their gifts and talents. When she's not at UDB, she also works as a doctor and loves doing spoken word and playing music. One thing to know about Ife is that she is a keen Arsenal fan and has even met Thierry Henry!
Ash Porter
DELIVERY LEAD
Ash oversees our external communications and the continuous development of all our community youth work. In his spare time he enjoys reading, quality films, walking in places with lots of trees and watching Tottenham Hotspur play football. If you want any book recommendations, ask him!