Peter has been volunteering in the charity sector since he was 16, including mentoring LGBTQ+ clients. He’s since led on HIV and sexual health prevention and wellbeing programmes in Greater Manchester and London and brings his mental health lived experience of anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation and PTSD, to strategic groups and policymakers.

With a background in supporting minoritised communities, he’s passionate about connecting organisations and groups to social and support spaces. Peter believes in equitable access to training, resources and funding for people to shape the services and issues that matter to them and their community.

In his spare time, Peter enjoys reading on Brighton beach, trying new vegan dishes, and looking after dogs.

David is a creative facilitator, Mental Health First Aid trainer and Project Manager. Originally training as an actor, David began to work in a range of community settings from care homes to young offenders centres. This work led him to delivering storytelling workshops within mental health settings. He now works as a Project Manager for an arts and mental health organisation and is passionate about creativities powerful positive impact on our mental health.

I’ve also got an image of me which you can use below:

Nabila's professional background has primarily been in marketing and communication in the third sector. Her campaigning work involves advocating for migrant rights and challenging UK Home Office policies.

She is particularly passionate about addressing the mental health challenges faced by young immigrants and supporting the eldest daughters in immigrant households. Nabila strives to foster a sense of community amongst young migrants tackling adversity through her involvement in organising peer support spaces.

Outside of her professional endeavours, Nabila can be found obsessing over her cats, reading or throwing themed dinner parties for her friends.

The Communities Team exists to celebrate, share power, and advocate for/with community groups, peer support and user/survivor movements. We draw on our own personal experience and see ourselves as proud advocates of community-led groups and people in these movements within and outside of Mind.

We work alongside people to challenge the current systems that marginalise, stigmatise and discriminate against different communities of people. We strongly believe that those who have lived experience, be that of a mental health difficulty or discrimination based on gender, race, sexuality, age or other, know their reality better than us and should be given the power to lead the direction of, and work alongside our team.

Debbie is Director at ZiaBia events consultancy and has been involved in PeerFest since 2016.

Debbie has a passion for events which includes a fanatical attention to detail and a passion and ability to organise things and find solutions for situations. ZiaBia is a celebration of this - We are blessed to work with so many amazing clients and some of these are also now friends including the network at PeerFest.

Laura is junior project manager at ZiaBia events consultancy and has worked in delivering events for almost 10 years. She is passionate about working in the fast-paced varied environment and loves all the people she gets to meet along the way.