The Team

Esmond was born and educated in Birmingham graduating from Loughborough Colleges in 1974 as a PE teacher. He commenced his career at Hendon School Barnet until 1977 when he travelled with wife Hilary, on public transport through Europe, Asia to India and Nepal. He then returned to Birmingham as the first Sports Action Community Organiser in the UK, a role which has become a model for inner City sports developments. Es was then appointed as the original Birmingham Jewish Youth and Community Worker, moving to Richmond upon Thames as Principal Youth and Community Officer in 1984. Appointed Director of the Liverpool Jewish Youth & Community Centre in 1986 and for the next 18 years, amongst other responsibilities was elected Chair of the Liverpool Faith Network. This played a significant grass roots role in enabling Liverpool, to achieve the Award of European Capital of Culture.

On his return to London in 2004 to take up an appointment at the Board of Deputies of British Jews as Director of Community Issues where he was involved in many educational and interfaith related issues. Es was then employed as Community Development Manager of Borehamwoood Synagogue the fastest growing Jewish community in London where amongst other roles he initiated and was elected vice chair of the Hertsmere Faith Leaders Forum. He has only recently retired (December 2016) as the Regional Development Manager for Jewish Volunteering Network (JVN) a volunteering agency he helped to create whilst at the Board. He now chairs the Barnet Multi Faith Forum

Es is the editor of The Role of Righteous Muslims an educational booklet retelling “lost stories” of Muslims who saved Jews during the Holocaust – A Faith Matters Production;

Married to Hilary, with two children and 6 Grandchildren.

A lover of all sports and a lifelong Aston Villa sufferer and supporter!)

Rumela Kundu is a Nichiren Buddhist, who believes in her own unique potentials, which helps her to transform challenges into opportunities.

Rumela works for a think tank called Centre for London as Development Officer. Prior to this she worked with people with special needs for 6 years and delivered projects for their social inclusion. She volunteers for Barnet Multi Faith Forum as their Environmental Sub Group Chair, tackling local environmental issues and she is a representative of Nichiren Buddhism in this forum. Various illness at an young age made her differently able, but she finds that to be her badge of honour, as she cant be lost in the crowd.