Founded in March 2020 under the guidance of a NW London CVS organisation, the Hub was established to help capacity build the large and emerging Romanian communities in the UK and help them navigate the challenges faced due to Brexit, COVID-19 pandemic, and other barriers, The Hub thriving since its inception. In 2022, The Hub has transitioned to an independent organisation with the support of Community Barnet, the CVS organisation that set up the Hub. Since then, the Hub has extended its work to the Ukrainian community, being from 2022 to present the first point of contact for all Ukrainian refugees in the London Borough of Harrow. In 2023, The Hub has become a registered charity. The Hub is currently providing advice and support, training and advocacy, as well as running social activities, events and research in support of the Romanian and Eastern European nationals in London and more widely in the UK.
About Us
Our Mission
To prevent and alleviate poverty and social isolation for the public benefit. We empower vulnerable individuals, particularly within Eastern European communities, by offering independent advice and domestic abuse support. We also champion racial equity through research and advocacy, and strengthen Eastern European communities in the UK through training, mentoring, and fostering participation.
Team
Cecilia’s journey with The Hub began in April 2020 as a volunteer, driven by a desire to help vulnerable people in the Romanian community overcome barriers to settling in the UK. Her dedication led her to coordinate and then manage The Hub, playing an integral role in its development under CB Plus, a NW London charity that initially established The Hub as one of its projects. At the beginning of 2022, together with the other co-founders, she has transitioned The Hub to an independent organisation and is continuing to support and advocate for the most vulnerable in our communities through her executive work at The Hub.
Nadia Mihai is Co-CEO and Co-founder of The Romanian and Eastern European Hub. Nadia joined the Ro-EE Hub in October 2020 as a volunteer, driven by her desire to help others and support the most vulnerable members of the Eastern European community to have a better life. Nadia started a paid role as a Volunteer and Befriending Coordinator in 2021 with the Ro-EE Hub and she was part of the team that contributed to the development of The Hub and its transition into an independent organization in 2022. Through her executive work, Nadia is continuing to contribute to the strengthening of the organization and support those in need.
Yana Dzyhovska is a Community Officer at the Ro-EE Hub, supporting Ukrainians and other Eastern European nationals in London. She joined our team in August 2022 with a genuine desire to help people settle into life in the UK and make full use of her skills in translation and interpreting.
Yana’s role involves supporting clients with accessing benefits, navigating private-rented housing and understanding local services. She also provides interpreting support and assists in organising community events that bring people together and reduce isolation. Outside of work, she enjoys staying active with yoga and fitness, and loves exploring new places whenever she gets a chance to.
Alida joined The Romanian and Eastern European Hub in October 2022, initially as a volunteer, and quickly transitioned into the vital roles of Health Ambassador and Caseworker. She’s driven by a passion for helping others, offering compassionate support to individuals facing challenges due to language, cultural or digital literacy. Her extensive background in various people-focused roles, both volunteer and professional, has given her a deep understanding of the unique difficulties migrants often encounter. Through her work at The Romanian and Eastern European Hub, Alida is dedicated to empowering vulnerable individuals and significantly improving their quality of life.
Trustees
Dr Maria Turda is a researcher at the Connect Centre for International Research on Interpersonal Violence and Harm at the University of Lancashire. Her main research and expertise focus on human trafficking, sex trafficking, migration, refugee studies, community development and social work. She has a background in international social work, humanitarian work, international development and education. Since 2012 she has had roles as a volunteer, project manager and researcher in various international contexts dealing with issues of migration, refugees and vulnerable groups in Uganda, Lebanon, France, South Korea, Sweden and Argentina. Maria supported the Romanian and Eastern European Hub as a volunteer for six months in 2021, and ever since, she has maintained a close collaboration, providing guidance and support to the development of the Hub.
Ramona Ivan is a Finance Manager with more than 12 years of experience in the field. Her expertise is in strategic financial management, budgetary controls, and stakeholder management.
Ramona joined The Hub’s team of trustees out of the desire to support her community and the work of The Romanian and Eastern European Hub.
Mihai Bica is a member of the Romanian Roma community and since 2016 coordinates the policy and campaigns work at the Roma Support Group. His work involves facilitating a fairer transition for the Roma communities through the Brexit process and advocating for fairer services for the vulnerable, marginalised communities. Mihai is passionate about community development and is advocating for a better organised and represented Roma community in the UK.
Janice Charles is an accomplished HR professional with over 15 years of experience spanning the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. She began her career in Human Resources within local government, where she built a strong foundation in HR practices over five years. Janice then transitioned to the private sector, further developing her expertise across a range of HR functions.
In 2017, driven by a passion for purpose-led work, she moved into the charity sector, where she has played a key role in shaping and delivering people strategies. In December 2023, Janice joined the Romanian and Eastern European Hub, where she is proud to provide HR advice and guidance.
Cristina Nicula has a background in the IT industry, with a focus on monitoring systems and overseeing solutions for both software and hardware issues. She’s currently pursuing ongoing studies in cybersecurity. In 2023, she joined The Hub as a volunteer and has since been contributing to The Hub’s online identity. Her work consists of content creation and social media publishing to keep users informed about our work through social media channels.
Co-Founders – Adina Maglan
Having previous experience working with the charity sector as well as local authorities, Adina played an important role from the very first discussions in early 2020 which led to the development of the organisation. As a co-founder, she worked alongside Community Barnet to support the development of the organisation, secured its first funding, facilitated the process of registering the HUB as an independent organisation and led it as a CEO until her departure in December 2023, leaving behind a functioning new organisation and several projects in the pipeline.