Lal knows from her own experience the importance of group and one-to-one support.  She has first-hand experience of some of the difficulties of those who are supported by the charity. 

Lal has previously worked as a psychotherapist in the NHS and has a Masters in the field, as well as working with vulnerable children and adolescents in various settings. Alongside her work with Bridging the Gap Mentoring, Lal volunteers as a peer mentor in other charitable organisations.  

She believes those who are struggling with mental health, addiction and/or adjusting to life after prison need support to guide them towards the future they want, and is determined to use her voice and experience to advocate on their behalf.

BA (Hons) Criminology

Jasmine has worked in homelessness services for several years and is currently the Volunteer Coordinator at a centre for people experiencing homelessness. Prior to this Jasmine worked in a hostel, for a Housing First project and in child protection. Alongside her paid role Jasmine volunteers for a few charities including The Hygiene Bank and is studying to be a Psychotherapist. Jasmine enjoys reading, walking, cooking and spending time with her cat in her spare time.

BA Hons Engineering; MSc Development Studies

Robin has set up and run development projects in Africa. Returning to England, he managed services for people with drink problems and worked on national drug and alcohol policy. He worked as Drug and Alcohol Development manager with London Probation for 10 years establishing new drug treatment programmes until he took voluntary redundancy in 2011.

Stanley brings a wealth of expertise from his work in software engineering, operations and customer service. He has previously worked in in various tech startups, established organisations and freelance collectives. He brings this expertise to Bridging The Gap and believes in the power of tech for social good.

Greg is a freelance criminal defence lawyer and Crown Court Advocate.  He specialises in civil liberties and protest cases. He was an Islington Councillor from 2006 until May 2014. He has been mentoring ex-offenders for fifteen years. One of his mentoring projects was the subject of an acclaimed BBC2 fly-on-the-wall documentary called “Make me honest”.

Niki is a Lecturer in Criminology. Her research focusses on the intersection between gender, drugs and incarceration. She has a particular interest in harm reduction and trauma-informed approaches to criminal justice policy and practice. Prior to starting her PhD, Niki has worked in diverse advocacy and leadership roles. She has experience supporting women in prison, children from marginalised communities and people with disabilities.