Abi joined Beating Time as Chief Operating Officer in August 2025. She’s spent over ten years volunteering and working across the criminal justice system – from small prison-delivery charities to policy and assurance at His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service, and later as a funder at the Youth Endowment Fund.

This mix of experience gives her a well-rounded view of the system, from what’s needed on the ground, to how decisions get made at policy and funding levels. She’s seen what helps people in prison to grow and move forward, and what gets in the way.

Abi was drawn to Beating Time because of its Choirs programme as an inspiring example of a non-employment-focused intervention that creates space for people to reconnect with themselves and others. In the midst of the current prison crisis, opportunities like these are more vital than ever.

As COO, Abi is here to support the organisation in running smoothly and securing sustainable funding so that the team can keep doing what they do best: supporting people to survive their sentence and thrive on release.

Jon is the co-creator of Inside Job. He conceived the idea of a peer-led recruitment consultancy on an UpStart programme in HMP Birmingham in 2019. He saw that many people in prison wanted to work, but they lacked confidence that anyone would employ them once they had a conviction. He also realised that many people in prison do not engage with the official agencies that are meant to help them, but would rather trust their peers, who have a shared lived experience of prison.

Jon was released from prison in September 2022 after a 7-year sentence. He hit the ground running by joining the rest of the Inside Job community team.  His goal is to use his own lived experience to better support those returning from prison, starting with building hope and trust inside.

“Lots of people I came across in prison want to work and contribute to society, but do not believe they will be allowed the opportunity to do so. For a significant portion of the prison population, societal exclusion starts long before they step foot inside these walls, so supporting them on the inside can dramatically improve their success on the outside.”

Sally runs our 3 prison choirs in the Midlands. Sally has spent her life working with people on the margins, often using the Arts to engage people to build the relationships necessary to offer practical help. As well as working for Beating Time she is the Manager of The Choir With No Name, a 50 strong homeless choir in Birmingham. Every week she mobilizes a small army of volunteers and professional musicians to enable its members to sing and eat together – and access other forms of support. Prior to that she worked for several Housing Associations in Birmingham, helping people set up home and maintain their tenancies. After Theatre School, she worked with children suffering family breakdown, using the creative Arts to help them access and process difficult emotions.

Jemima comes from a background in childcare and education specifically working with SEN children and young people.  She has since moved away from this wanting to utilise her degree in History from Sussex University. She specialised in the criminal justice system in the US and wanted to transfer these skills to the third sector.

She has a strong passion for working with the most vulnerable people of our society, working in charity has always been her goal.  Jemima joins us in the London office. She will support the Inside Job team with the delivery of our training course as well as having a strong involvement in the fundraising and communications department.

“I knew I wanted to work for Beating Time when I recognised the tools for social change were peer led and through music. I grew up in a hugely musical house and play instruments myself. Working for a charity which prides themselves on lived experience to help people want to accept help is something I’m so proud to be a part of.”

Shamima joined Beating Time as the Fundraising & Communications Officer in September 2025.

She brings over six years of experience working with a prison reading charity, where she rose from Volunteer to Director of Projects. Her work has given her a 360° view of the charity sector and a deep, first-hand understanding of the prison environment. After studying English & French literature, working with books in any capacity was an obvious next step and through the reading charity, became fascinated by the prison environment, amazed at the vibrant discussions and how hugely misunderstood places prisons truly are.

“Having witnessed the transformative power of books in the lives of people in prison and their families, I became passionate about rehabilitation through the arts. What drew me to Beating Time was its long-term, consistent approach. This isn’t a one-off intervention; it’s a sustained commitment. The charity’s support doesn’t stop at the prison gates, through projects like Inside Job, it continues post-release, offering meaningful support both inside and out.”

Patrick joined us from Redemption Roasters, where he spent three years in various roles. Prior to that, he spent almost 10 years in the hospitality industry, but during his time at Redemption he developed a real passion for helping prison-leavers into work.

He feels strongly that everyone deserves that second chance to prove themselves. He is looking forward to working with our candidates in HMP Isis as well as bringing new employers on board with inclusive hiring practices.

‘I have witnessed first-hand the magic that can happen when someone is given an opportunity they never thought they’d have. The thing that really excites me about Beating Time is that lived experience is at the heart of everything we do. Our peer mentors are such a vital cog in our process and that really makes us stand out from other similar charities – I can’t wait to be a part of that’.

Garima is a self-employed accountant with extensive experience in financial management in fast-paced environments. She specialises in helping businesses function efficiently by streamlining their day-to-day financial operations. 

“I believe in contributing to meaningful causes which has led me to Beating Time. As a charity their end-result is not driven by profit but rather to provide services to the most needed and vulnerable sector. I find it really fulfilling to work with organisation that prioritise social impact over monetary gain, as such, I feel my role here at Beating Time is a unique and rewarding opportunity.

I want to apply my financial skills to support the charity’s mission of transforming lives through music and employment. I’m glad to be part of a team making a difference, and I feel it’s an opportunity to contribute to a cause that aligns with both my values and my professional skills.”

Simona is a Community Consultant and Fundraiser at Beating Time. Her background covers a wide range of aspects within Criminology including prison reform, youth justice and rehabilitation. Simona has worked across youth homelessness and justice-focused organisations, including Centrepoint, where she saw firsthand the links between care experience, homelessness, and offending. She also worked for Redemption Roasters as their Social Impact Officer based in HMP Pentonville.

Simona is passionate about creating opportunities that help people rebuild confidence, recognise their strengths and choose a better future. She values Beating Time’s peer-led approach and its focus on people both inside prison and in the community. Simona is based in our London office as part of the Inside Job team as well as our Fundraising department.

‘’I believe people are not defined by their past and everyone deserves the chance to rewrite their story, and the right support can make that possible.’’

Chloe has four years of experience in the recruitment and careers sphere, working within the healthcare, energy and the higher education sectors. Within the healthcare sector and energy sector, Chloe spent time discussing roles with candidates, interviewing and prepping them for various recruitment stages. Moving on from this, within higher education, Chloe was able to meet different people in different stages of their lives, supporting them with their career development and aspirations.

Beating Time became an obvious next step for me, combining these experiences to support people who have served with their career aspirations.

Bex worked in education for 18 years and has a lot of experience guiding young people with healthy relationships, restorative practices and pro social behaviour. After completing her degree in psychology and counselling, Bex joined the in custody CIAG team producing work and progress plans for inmates in both HMP Birmingham and Hewell.  Bex has a passion for positive mental health and a keen interest in the therapeutic benefits of participation in meaningful activity and positive engagement through peer support. Bex studied the therapeutic community of HMP Grendon and is fascinated by human behaviour and how people can empower themselves remove barriers and achieve their own personal goals.

Tiarna joined Beating Time, bringing over a decade of leadership experience across education, healthcare and the charity sector. With a First-Class BSc in Midwifery, she combines evidence-based practice with cross sector experience in programme development. Her career has focused on leading teams and shaping provision across the UK and internationally. She has overseen strategic planning, departmental growth and resource management, while building strong relationships with stakeholders, mentoring staff and working directly with vulnerable populations.
I believe in the power of connection, wellbeing, and empowering others to create meaningful change; this is what changes people’s lives beyond institutional boundaries.