Marg Oaten MBE
Is an ordinary Mum first and foremost, who is a co-founder and secretary of SEED and been recognised for Services to Eating Disorders in the New Years Honours List 2009. I am married to my wonderful husband Dennis who is my rock and supports me in everything I do. Without his support there would not be a SEED. We have 4 children and 7 grandchildren will never be rich but rich in many other things.
Dennis Oaten
Co-founder, Trustee and Treasurer of SEED. Keeps the money in order and the bills paid. A wonderful father and grandfather to his 7 grandchildren. His family are his world. He is kept busy supporting Marg putting others before himself always. Having been married to Marg for 30 years he is sure he has shrunk a good 2” since first meeting as he continues to continue running around after everyone.
Gemma Oaten
Chief Executive Officer / Patron of SEED, Gemma Oaten was born and bred in Hull, she grew up with her wonderful parents, 2 sisters a brother and 2 dogs. Having attended Malet Lambert High School, and working in various jobs growing up, from cleaning to retail, she always dreamed of becoming an actress. The road to success wasn’t an easy one, having been blighted with an Eating Disorder for 13 years. But, thanks to her supportive and loving family she overcame the odds and at 24 years old auditioned for Drama school in London and was thrilled to be accepted before going onto making her name as Rachel Breckle in ITV’S Emmerdale and more recently Coronation Street. Now living in London, she is still pursuing and filming future roles, as well as her public speaking engagements on mental health and eating disorders in schools and corporates around the country and is delighted to be taken on the role of Chief Executive Officer along with her position as patron of SEED. SEED was inspired by her own struggles and triumph, down, she says, to her inspiring parents Marg & Dennis Oaten. “It’s a real full circle journey for me to be the Manager of SEED and one I am incredibly proud of in continuing my parents legacy and helping the thousands of sufferers and carers who need us”
Lesley Bradley
Lesley is Gemma’s PA, Charity Manager/Patron. She joined SEED in Feb 2021 to support Gemma in her forever increasing workload and demanding diary.
Previously she worked in the Corporate world for almost 10 years as an Executive Assistant supporting C-Suite Executives so brings extensive experience with her. Other career highlights are working as a Customer Service Supervisor at Heathrow for BA (and was lucky to make sue of her staff travel!) and Marketing Executive at Royal Caribbean Cruises. She enjoys organising and prides herself on being efficient, reliable, and trustworthy. She is enjoying being part of the team at Seed and doing everything she can to help.
Elena Prosser
Elena joined SEED in January 2021 as our first ‘Recovery After The Recovery Practitioner’.
Elena started working in healthcare at the age of 19 as a clinical apprentice and, after becoming Clinical Apprentice Of The Year for the north of England, gained full time employment as a clinical support worker. She has continued to work in healthcare for the last decade, barring a life-changing 2 year solo trip to Australia, New Zealand and South East Asia. Most recently, Elle has completed a 2 year stint at St Thomas’ Hospital, London, but has now returned back home to East Yorkshire.
Elena is so excited to support the invaluable work that SEED provides, and feels honoured to be welcomed into the SEED family!
Kat Arksey
Kat joined SEED in 2021 as Team Administrator and is now the SEED Service Coordinator. Kat works alongside our wonderful SEED volunteers and contributes towards the development of our groups and services here at SEED.
After studying Sociology in Hull, Kat went on to achieve a Masters in Social Work at the University of Central Lancashire. Kat is a registered social worker and has worked with children and families since 2010 in social work and family support roles for the local authority. She enjoys being creative and loves drawing, writing and crafts. She is a mum to two beautiful boys and a fabulous cat called Rufus.
Rebecca Pay
Rebecca is a Trustee of SEED and is a Kick-Ass CV Writer and LinkedIn Advisor, with a passion for helping executives achieve the kick-ass career they deserve. With over a decade of experience in the field, Rebecca has a strong track record and a wealth of knowledge, with a background in recruitment, advertising and editorial skills. She is also an accomplished speaker and a published author.
Outside of being a professional goddess, Rebecca is a neurodivergent mother to two neurodivergent children, and enjoys pole fitness in her spare time (I know, how does she fit it all in, right?).
Henrietta MacEwen
Hen (as she is known), started her career as a Personal Assistant in 1995 and ended her PA career in 2007 working as PA to the MD of Metro Newspaper and helping to run the PR department within Metro. She then launched her own company in 2008 helping other PA’s get the best deals in London for hotels, restaurants, and venues. In 2014 Hen set up her own bespoke PR / Virtual PA company and represented and worked for some great brands and people.
Hen started working in the Homeless Sector with Buses4Homeless in 2019 and then in October 2021 she was asked to become the Head of Driving for Change at the Change Please Foundation. Driving for Change is backed by sponsors HSBC UK, Colgate, and sub-sponsor Mastercard. Driving for Change is an all-in-one direct intervention service providing those experiencing homelessness access to free GP consultations, haircuts, dental care, digital and financial literacy training, support opening a bank account where appropriate, employment support, shower facilities, therapy assessments, and essential everyday items.
When she is not working Hen also likes a bit of a challenge, if she is not climbing Kilimanjaro, rowing the English Channel, or running the London Marathon you will find Hen looking to to get the best out of life and people. She will always take the time to help whoever she can. At the end of the day Hen’s motto for life is ‘Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained’.
Hugo Rifkind
SEED Ambassador, Hugo Rifkind is a columnist and leader writer for The Times and a presenter on Times Radio. He is also a frequent panellist on BBC Radio 4’s The News Quiz. Born in Edinburgh in 1977, he now lives in London with a wife, two daughters and a dog.
Hugo says “I was delighted when Gemma asked me to become an ambassador for SEED after she came on my radio show in late 2020. Why would I not? I’d like to live in a world where the conversation around mental health and eating disorders is open, accessible to all and free from shame, and I completely support SEED’s efforts to bring that about.”
Rachael Downie
SEED Ambassador, Rachael Downie is a sports presenter specialising mainly in football and motorsport. I cover the TitansRX series for Eurosport, travelling Europe and presenting live most weekends. I’m also a motorsport expert for global news channel TRT World, covering Formula One every race weekend.
One of her other passions is the work she has done for United Nations Women, campaigning for gender equality through their HeForShe campaign.
Rachael says “I’m so proud to be Seeds first ambassador and really hope to make a difference with the work we do. To be part of something so personal is something I’ve wanted to do for a while and now feel that Seed is the perfect charity to start this new and exciting journey.“
Evie Waxman
SEED Ambassador, Evie Waxman, founder of D*mn Good & ambassador for raising awareness of mental health around food. Evie founded D*mn Good on the back of her own troubled relationship with food in earlier life and is now on a mission to empower people to feel D*mn Good in their own skin.
Loves yoga, keeping active, dancing, love for life, positive energy, cheerleading friends & family, been on dragons den, painting.
Amelia Goldsmith
SEED Ambassador, Amelia (Milly) Goldsmith is a Mind Health and Physical Wellness Influencer who has grown her online community by being two simple things: honest and vulnerable. For the majority of Amelia’s life, she was secretly battling an undiagnosed eating disorder which hit its peak during lockdown – shortly after she graduated from University with a first class honours degree in Psychology.
Amelia says: “I was delighted when SEED asked me to become an ambassador for them. I found it very hard to accept my unhealthy relationship with food and exercise, let alone seeking help. It’s a scary thing to come to terms with, so I’m thankful that I can be a part of the SEED family to help open up the conversation around eating disorders.”
Matt Dawson
SEED Ambassador and Trustee, Matt is a Yorkshireman – born in Wakefield and a former pupil of Knottingley High School and Pontefract New College. His background is a fully qualified Mechanical Engineer who has over 20 years experience in risk management, commercial and strategic partnership development largely with non-profit organisations.
Matt was formerly the Manager of the UK Science and Engineering Ambassadors Scheme (SEAs) helping to place over 11,000 volunteer scientists and engineers into around 3,000 primary and secondary schools across the UK, delivered through 36 managing agencies.
Matt was also Head of Corporate and Business Development for the Association for Consultancy and Engineering, responsible for member engagement and strategic commercial partnerships including leading a project which educated members to understand the risks associated with their business as well as developing an insurance solution which better aligned to members needs and reduced the overall sector professional indemnity premiums significantly.
In addition, Matt has worked for Heath Lambert (now Gallagher Heath), Towergate Insurance and Kerry London insurance brokers developing a series of complex and successful insurance schemes across a wide range of industries and clients including asbestos contractors, tradesman and manufacturing to name a few. Matt understands how to align clients risk management activities to their insurance solution ensuring connectivity between the two.
Matt also headed up the Institute of Recruitment Professionals (IRP) helping to increase professional standards across the recruitment industry. Currently Matt heads up RoofCERT industry accreditation for roofers helping to raise standards and quality across the roofing industry.
He is passionate about helping young people achieve their full potential and positive about the future and maximising opportunity.
A graduate of the University of Nottingham, Matt is a fully qualified Mechanical Engineer registered as Incorporated with the Engineering Council UK. Matt is a member of the Society of Operations Engineers and Institute of Plant Engineers.
David Reay-Scott
SEED Trustee, David started his hospitality management career working for some of the world’s leading luxury hotels. Travelling throughout the UK, France, Italy, Sicily, Sardinia, Malta, Spain, Saudi Arabia, Australia and Thailand. He has held many senior positions managing prestigious hotels and venues including running the catering at the National Theatre and The Institute of Chartered Accounts England and Wales in London. He opened a fine dining Michelin stared restaurant in Scotland and then moved back to London to open the K-West Hotel and the Generator Hotel as Group Operations Director and then owned and managed two of London’s prestigious private members clubs. He has worked with the likes of Ken Hom, Richard Corrigan and Pierre Koffmann.
He then launched his own business – Blue Ice Enterprises, predominantly specialising in international event management, luxury travel and concierge services within the corporate and private sectors. Working with major international blue-chip organisations and UHNW individuals, including LVMH, Maserati, Columbia Tri-Star, Disney (Buena Vista), Conde Naste, Christian Dior and Charitable organisations – NSPCC, Teenage Cancer Trust, Lord’s Taverners, Naked Heart Foundation, Elton John Foundation, international royalty, heads of state and a-list celebrities.
He holds membership in many leading institutions and has been awarded many times for his services to the hospitality industry and charitable work.
Joff Hatfield-Powell
We are delighted to have Joff as part of our SEED family.
Joff is an award-winning TV executive who has been producing a broad range of television programmes for over 2 decades. As an Exec Producer he has created and delivered shows across multiple genres including, The Food Hospital for Channel 4, Playing it Straight for E4, BBC Three comedy World Series of Dating, AOL’s first UK digital series, Powershift with Hollywood actor Sophie Turner and Katie Piper’s Extraordinary Births for Channel 4.
Joff has also been a commissioner at UKTV and the BBC, commissioning hit shows such as Astronauts: Do you Have what it takes? (BBC2) Red Bull X-fighters for Dave and Watch quiz, Scream if You know the Answer.
Joff is currently the Chief Creative Officer of Spark Media. Joff joined Spark in 2019 and in 2020 he set up their regional sister company, Spark Media North, in Sheffield to help deliver opportunities for people to get into television without the need to be in London. Whilst at Spark, Joff has served as the Executive Producer for over 100 episodes of Channel’s 4’s huge daytime hit, Chateau DIY, as well as creating spin off series, Chateau DIY at Christmas & Chateau DIY, Living The Dream for More4 and brand new Channel 4 series, Tool Club. Joff has also delivered two short films for The Princes Trust.
Joff also supports other organisations and charities where he can. He has served as a mentor for the Women In Tv & Film, supported The Albert Kennedy Trust and Terrance Higgins Trust.
Joff has just co-authored a book, Money Maker with his Husband Dan, published by Catalyst Hodder an imprint of Hachette.