James, CEO

With more than two decades in the voluntary sector, James brings deep expertise in homelessness and community support. Alongside leading AHAG, he is CEO of Wycombe Homeless Connection, helped establish Graih in the Isle of Man, and serves as a trustee at Homeless Oxfordshire. A qualified coach and chair of the Buckinghamshire Homelessness Forum, James combines strategic leadership with a calm, grounded approach that keeps people at the heart of every decision.

Honor, Service Manager

Honor joined AHAG as a Support Worker and has grown into her role as Services Manager through dedication, empathy and a strong commitment to social justice. She has spent her career walking alongside people facing hardship, helping them navigate barriers to stability and opportunity. Her leadership is rooted in compassion and community-building, ensuring that every person who comes to AHAG is met with dignity, respect and practical support.

Colin, Operations Manager

An MBA, Chartered Manager and Leadership Fellow, Colin brings 35 years of senior operational experience across multiple sectors. His career spans high-pressure EMEA environments, from overseeing national examination data capture to launching a global production facility serving four continents. At AHAG, he focuses on strategic delivery, process design and developing strong, capable teams — ensuring the organisation runs smoothly and sustainably behind the scenes.

Michelina, Mental Health Specialist

Michelina is an experienced mental health practitioner whose work spans the charity sector, NHS services and community outreach. She specialises in compassion-focused psychodynamic psychotherapy and trauma-informed support, helping people build resilience through holistic, person-centred care. Her practice recognises the deep connection between emotional wellbeing, physical health and life circumstances, offering clients a safe, thoughtful space to rebuild stability.

Isabela, Homeless Prevention Worker

Isabela first joined AHAG as a volunteer, offering her time and empathy long before stepping into her professional role — a reflection of her genuine commitment to community care. With a master’s degree in criminology and a bachelor’s in sociology, she brings strong insight into the structural and personal challenges surrounding homelessness. Her calm, relational style helps people feel understood and supported as they work toward safer, more secure futures.

Rhian, Homeless Prevention Worker

Rhian has spent around 15 years in the voluntary sector, supporting people facing housing insecurity through both prevention and frontline work. She is driven by a belief in fairness and dignity for all, and brings a steady, reassuring presence to her role. Her focus is on helping people strengthen their stability, navigate complex systems and move toward a future where they feel safer and more confident.

Graham, Homeless Prevention Worker

With over 24 years’ experience across voluntary and statutory social care — including six years as a children’s social worker — Graham brings deep practical knowledge to AHAG. He supports clients to sustain their housing and leads the Financial Inclusion Project, helping people maximise income through benefits, grants and debt management. A lifelong local resident, he understands the community and the pressures people face, offering grounded, knowledgeable support.

Ruth, Fundraising and Marketing

Ruth brings more than a decade of experience in community events and engagement, shaped by her work as a Senior Communities and Events Officer. Time spent travelling in South America strengthened her commitment to supporting people through instability and hardship. She understands the realities of discomfort and resilience, and channels that insight into creating meaningful change. As AHAG’s fundraiser, she works to ensure the town is a place where everyone has the chance to thrive.

Sue Giles: Chair

I have been involved with the charity for over 7 years now and have seen it grow from strength to strength.  I have been chair of the trustees for 4 years and we have a great team committed to supporting people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness and providing the assistance they need to achieve their goals.  My background is in HR but I now work full time with adults with disabilities helping them find and keep paid or unpaid work.  I believe in the importance of being involved in your local community and have been involved with various charities for the past 20 years.

Paul Walter: Treasurer

Paul was appointed as Treasurer of AHAG in 2009 having held similar positions with various charities and voluntary organisations in the local area. In his professional life, with qualifications in Engineering and Business he was a Managing Director for an International Electronics company and spent 28 years dealing with finance and business strategy. He is currently Treasurer and Trustee for two other local charities.

Angel Strachan

I joined AHAG in 2022, because as an Aylesbury resident who had personal experience of insecure housing, and familial ties to rough sleeping and homelessness, I wanted to help make a change. AHAG not only provides direct support but also champions the under-heard of our community.

My professional background is running political campaigns for several leading UK charities. My passion is to help organisations use their data, evidence and personal stories to reshape the social landscape we live in – AHAG has a wealth of all these things. I have a mission to bring decision-makers on side, helping them to understand not only the human impact of injustice, but work together on solutions.

I joined AHAG at a time where people in our town are struggling with rising rents, insecure tenancies and hidden homelessness. As charities, we continue to feel the financial strain while demand increases. As a trustee I wanted to help ensure that this charity keeps providing the vital care that people need, so that homelessness can be rare, brief and non-recurring.

Tim Dixon

I’m a local Aylesbury resident and serve as a councillor, but it’s really my passion for supporting people through welfare services that drives my involvement with AHAG. I’ve worked as a welfare advisor for over 20 years, assisting individuals with a range of issues, from accommodation to financial concerns.

I’ve also had the honour of serving as Mayor of Aylesbury, during which I helped raise £57,000 and 57 tonnes of additional money and food for Aylesbury Foodbank.

Jonny Patel

I’m Jonny, a trustee of Aylesbury Homeless Action Group, as well as a volunteer. I work with the other trustees to ensure that AHAG can continue its vital work in the community—providing support, advocacy, and practical help to those facing homelessness.

My decision to get involved comes from personal experience. Having faced the challenges of homelessness myself, I understand how isolating and overwhelming it can be. I wanted to give back and contribute to the incredible work AHAG does in making a real difference for people in need.

Most of my working life has been in customer service and sales, and I am currently part of a sales team offering outsourced workforce solutions. I’ve also had the opportunity to live overseas, which has given me valuable insight into how different communities and cultures approach support, resilience, and personal growth.

Why did I join AHAG? Simple—I believe everyone, regardless of their background, should have the opportunity to rebuild their lives and feel valued. Homelessness is often misunderstood, and the people affected can be overlooked. The AHAG team is dedicated to offering not just practical help, but also compassion and respect, and I’m proud to be part of that mission.