MEET THE TEAM

SOPHIE DETYNA

Job Club Administrator and Beneficiary Support Officer

Sophie is the beneficiary support officer and Job club administrator. When your clients come to job club, she supports them with online applications, CVs and one-to-one careers support. Sophie was a past client at Graft due to past health issues and she was a part of our Fusion project for a year. Here’s a few words from her: 

"Graft gave me a new opportunity, to be independent and now I like to think that I do the same!  Running the job club is very rewarding, and I really enjoy helping people when they come in. Graft changed a lot for me, I'll always be grateful".

Rev. POLLY  FALCONER

Chair of  Trustees

Polly is an ordained Priest, working from St. George's church in Tilehurst in the Diocese of Oxford, where she also holds an EDI role, focusing on the inclusion of BAME and other minority groups in the Church of England.  Polly is a Health & Social Care and Mental Health expert, whose previous roles include Service Management at Care Management Group in Reading – an organisation specialising in home care and support for people with mental health needs. Prior to that she was the Head of Mental Health & Training for The Afiya Trust, a national charity set up to reduce inequalities in health & social care. Her role included project management, staff development and a representative of the National Joint Commissioning Panel for Mental Health. Polly is also a broadcaster, singer and community spokesperson.  In 2007 Polly was nominated for the Pride of Reading Awards for her work in mental health and her contribution to the community. She is currently Chair of Trustees for Graft Thames Valley. 

HILARY DANELIAN

Trustee

Hilary is an experienced and qualified career and leadership coach who ran her own coaching practice for over twenty years.  Hilary is also an experienced trainer and facilitator. For many years she designed and delivered leadership and career management courses for The Whitehall & Industry Group (WIG), an organisation that exists to improve cross-sector learning and exchange.  Before starting her own business, Hilary worked full-time for WIG where she was Director of Leadership Programmes.  She previously worked in the civil service, latterly as a senior HR specialist.  Now retired, Hilary volunteers on several Employability courses at the Crescent Centre in Earley and is Honorary Secretary at Reading Bowling Club.

Hilary was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2011.  Her experience of living with a chronic illness, coupled with her involvement with Graft, has strengthened her passion for helping everyone reach their potential and find fulfilment at work and in life, whatever challenges they might face.

KATE GRAEFE

Trustee

A senior level commercial leader, Kate has over 25 years experience in procurement and supply chain management in both the private and public sector, incorporating extensive contract and project management. Kate has also been part of the senior leadership team at London Borough of Ealing and then Reading Council, with her roles including management of council Procure to Pay systems and governance related to council-owned companies, skills and experience which she is able to deploy at Graft in her role as Treasurer.

Outside Graft, Kate now specialises in supporting organisations working on different aspects of sustainability, including social value and measurement of impact.

SUZANNE ROBSON

Trustee

Suzanne is an experienced and qualified HR Director. She had a career of over 30 years in the commercial, charity and public sectors working as an HR professional in Retail, Hospitality, Social care, and Education. Most recently she worked for an organisation that owned and managed a wide range of independent schools all focusing on education and care for those with additional needs. She has also worked at a large independent co-Ed boarding school and for multi academy trust that operated schools for pupils with Autism. Suzanne has lived in the Reading area for the last 40 years. Recently retired Suzanne us a school Governor for a local school for a children with special educational needs, volunteers at local Citizens advice as a debt advisor, and is a volunteer on the Employability courses at the Early Crescent Centre. Suzanne joined Graft as a trustee in 2024.