WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO
Inspired by a life-changing event, Hand To Hold was established in 2020 in London, UK.
We work with Russian speaking families in the UK regardless of nationality and faith to help them with support and inclusion. Here you can learn more about who we are and what we do.
At this stage we offer psychological, social and legal group support - please check the 'Events' page. We're getting ready to offer individual psychological, legal and physical support. Please check our website for any updates.
OUR TRUSTEES
Contacts:
ANNA COOK
Co-founder and a Trustee Chair
A journalist by profession and most importantly a mum of three Anna co-founded Hand to Hold after sharing her story on a personal blog about her family life and personal experiences with autism. Juggling family life with a daughter that had been diagnosed with autism at the age of three, resonated with many of her readers.
They were quick to reach out and respond from Russian speaking families living across Britain, looking for help, advice and support.
From this Hand to Hold was born, established to offer support and guidance to parents of children with special needs living in Britain.
Contacts:
DINA KHOMYAK
Co-founder and a Trustee
Dina is a management consultant with over 10 years of local and global experience. As she moved to the UK, Dina identified a need to support the vulnerable part of the Russian-speaking community in the UK, including families with children with SEND.
After a tragic event happened in the Russian-speaking community, Dina made a decision to take a proactive role in establishing a dedicated charitable organisation helping Russian-speaking families with children with SEND. Given her strong professional background Dina took the responsibility for the Charity's operational and strategic development. Together with Anna, Roza, and an amazing team of volunteers the Charity was successfully registered in May 2021 and is looking forward to welcome its beneficiaries, partners and donors.
Contacts:
ANNA STARIKOVA
Trustee
Anya Starikova is a financial crime compliance professional, with over 15 years of experience within the financial services sector.
Through her work, she joined Autism Network and then later started to mentor a colleague who had a SEN child and struggled to juggle caring responsibilities with a professional development.
Once Hand to Hold was established, Anya participated in fundraising activity for the charity and then gradually got involved in supporting Hand to Hold in other initiatives.
Anya is a mum of 2 boys and lives with her family and a dog in London.