Hanif Bobat, B.A.
Chief Officer
He is an experienced community development worker in health and social care for the past 20 years. His previous roles includes Policy Officer at Race and Health Forum. He was a Non-Exec director of Manchester PCT. He was advocacy worker for mental health service users group at AWAAZ Manchester. He is currently an executive member of BME Network and active participant in various citywide strategic events and forums. He represents EHF at GMCVO, MACC and other forums locally and nationally. He holds editorial board membership for Muslim Mental Health Journal.
A Rauf
FRSPH, MSc., MA, DPH,
Research, Strategy & Innovation Lead
Rauf has qualified to Masters from Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, London and has a postgraduate Diploma in Public Health and a postgraduate award in “Managing People in Health Services” from the University of Warwick. Recently, he has completed his M.A. Religious Studies from the University of Chester.
He kicked off his journey in the third sector by rolling up his sleeves at grassroots level "community halls, countless cups of tea, and more flipcharts". Over time, he climbed the ladder (without stepping on anyone, promise!) and found himself in some pretty influential roles within voluntary organisations. His passion for health promotion and public health did not go unnoticed, he earned himself a Fellowship at the Royal Society of Public Health.
His expertise is in developing innovative programs and adapting unique approaches in their delivery. He is a gifted “idea developer”.
Akhter Ali
Community Engagement & Outreach Officer
I am Akhter Ali, and has worked as a Journalist with the name Akhter Azabany. I am originally from Kurdistan, Iraq and I speak Kurdish (Sorani), Arabic and English languages. In the year 2000, I came to the UK and since then mostly I lived in the city of Manchester. Rusholme is my favourite place in Manchester because I spent my 13 years in this area.
I worked in different community organisations both as a volunteer and paid staff. Currently I am an outreach and advice worker at Ethnic Health Forum helping and supporting the minority ethnic communities in Manchester particularly among women from minority ethnic backgrounds.
Rima Nserat, M.Sc.
Researcher @RCCP
Coordinator Health & Social Care
Rima is an accomplished biomedical scientist and currently promoting global mental health and cultural psychiatry. As the Arab World Coordinator for the Manchester Global Mental Health and Cultural Psychiatry Research Group, she plays a pivotal role in fostering cross-cultural research and capacity-building initiatives across the Arab region. She is also a Coordinator for Health & wellbeing at Ethnic Health Forum to oversee the project delivery in health promotion and social care wellbeing.
John Jidong, MPH
Project Officer
John is a Health 7 Social Care Project Officer at Ethnic Health Forum and an MSc Public Health candidate at the University of Greater Manchester. His research focuses on public mental health and culturally adapted interventions, and he has published and presented widely on these topics. At EHF, John supports programme delivery and evaluation, helping to strengthen impact and address health inequalities across diverse communities.
Radeyah Nooriah Lais
Health & Social Care Project Worker & L6 Public Health Practitioner Apprentice
Radeyah is a Level 6 Public Health Practitioner Apprentice with Ethnic Health Forum, undertaking her degree apprenticeship in partnership with the University of Salford. She is sponsored by NHS England - North West.
She has a strong interest in addressing health inequalities and supporting ethnically diverse communities through community-based initiatives. In her role as Project Worker- Health & Social Care Programmes (Public Health Apprentice), she supports the delivery of community health projects aimed at promoting health, wellbeing and inclusion. Through her apprenticeship, she is developing practical public health skills in community engagement, health promotion, and understanding the wider determinants of health, while contributing to initiatives that seek to reduce inequalities across Greater Manchester.
Syeda Mahrukh Jafri
Project Worker
Syeda Mahrukh Jafari – Project Worker Syeda Mahrukh Jafari works as a Project Worker at the Ethnic Health Forum (EHF), supporting community members to access health, social care and wider support services. She brings experience from community-based support work, including assessing people’s needs, helping individuals access online services, supporting benefit applications and forms, improving digital inclusion, and providing interpretation when required. Mahrukh has strong communication and digital skills, with experience using Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint, and is fluent in English, Urdu and Punjabi. Her background also includes pre-medical and pharmaceutical sciences studies, providing a useful foundation for her work with communities and health-related programmes at EHF.