The FCE Board
FCE is governed by a Board of Trustees who regularly to oversee the management of the organisation. Current members are:
Co-Chair
Kirstie Freeman
Kirstie has worked in the public sector for 20 years, predominantly in Housing and Safer Communities Team roles, and is now the Community Justice Coordinator for Fife supporting the work of the Reducing Offending and Reoffending Partnership Group. Her experience in these roles has led to a passion for social equality and justice, building and supporting cohesive communities with equitable access to services and opportunities for all Fife’s citizens. Outwith work, she has undertaken a variety of charity work, and is a lover of the outdoors – usually being found up a hill somewhere in the Scottish Highlands.
Co-Chair
Steven Piercy
Steven has over 20 years experience working across the voluntary, private and public sector in roles ranging from business sales, volunteer recruitment and support, training development and latterly organisational development and continuous improvement within the Police Service of Scotland. Having been born and raised in Edinburgh, Steven chose to relocate to Fife in 2008, where he and his family now live and work. He has been involved in delivering equality outcomes within the public sector, and was drawn to FCE by a desire to support other organisations achieve real equality of access, service provision, and together making Fife a fairer and more equal place to live.
Board Member
Gordon Agnew
Born and bred in Fife, Gordon’s first job was in Kirkcaldy Tax Office, beside the railway station. A swift transfer to London opened his teenage eyes to the wider world. After a few decades working with finance, numbers and pieces of paper, Gordon retired and came back ‘home’ and continued (or started) his education with the Open University, and became aware of how little he knew about things like ethics, justice and equality.
To keep out of mischief, Gordon is involved as both a volunteer and Trustee with Humanist Society Scotland and its group in Fife, which he represents at the Fife Inter-faith and Belief Group. Gordon is a volunteer Tutor with Adult Basic Education in Fife and an active member of Fife University of the Third Age (for old people). He has been involved in various projects with FCE. Gordon identified with FCE’s role, and was impressed with the methods. He applied to join the Board, because he believes the values and objectives of the Charity are worth fighting for, and that his experience in helping run a Charity might be helpful.
Board Member
Babar Akbar
Babar is a Fife based Scottish Pakistani GP. He is currently the Clinical Lead for the Urgent Services in NHS Fife. In addition, he holds commission to the rank of Major with the Royal Army Medical Corps of the British Army. He teaches at Dundee and St Andrews Medical School, and also instructs on a programme for refugee Doctors coming in to Scotland.
He is currently a PhD Candidate at the University of Oxford. He has been extensively involved in equality and diversity work within all his job roles. In particular, he is passionate about health inequalities and has previously been a GP Fellow in Health Inequalities for NHS Education for Scotland, and is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Public Health. He hopes to bring his wide range of personal and professional experience to the work of FCE and be a positive agent of change for the wider Fife population.
Board Member
Sid Akbar
Sid was raised in Bannockburn, a village steeped in history on the outskirts of Stirling. Sid suffered bullying during his early school years and this sparked a deep desire in him even as a child to combat all forms of hate and to help spread more knowledge and understanding. His journey has led him to working for many organisations and groups promoting equality and diversity. He has worked as a senior government advisor.
Sid has developed many programs for various organisations over the years and carries on using his knowledge and passion to help create a better world, as he constantly reminds people “many people are in need of a software update”. Meaning education and knowledge are the key to tackling ignorance and hate.
Board Member
Andrew Barker
After 34 years of service, Andrew retired from the Police Service as Chief Constable of Fife Constabulary in March 2013. He served in a variety of roles in operational and corporate fields in Central Scotland Police and Fife Constabulary, including the role of Commander for the Open Championship, and chaired a number of multi-agency partnerships across Fife. Andrew was awarded the Queen’s Police Medal in the 2013 New Year’s Honours List.
Board Member
John Docherty
John was previously employed by NHS Fife, responsible for disability, gender equality, LGBTI, wrote policies, gave training etc. He was also a union rep and an equality officer for the union for ten years.
Board Member
Vicky Hobba
(they/them or she/her)
Vicky’s passion for the environment and social justice came to the fore when they were at university studying law. Their varied career has included being a firefighter in Australia and providing emergency preparedness training and counselling services. Vicky has spent the past decade working in education, where their commitment to achieving the best outcome for every child and to building respectful relationships led to a state government role where they advocated for some of the most vulnerable children in the schooling system. Vicky now works at a fully outdoor children’s nursery, leads their anti-racism group and is committed to promoting social justice in the workplace and beyond.
Board Member
Nony Mordi
Nony lives in North-East Fife with her daughter, having moved away for several years and subsequently returned. She works as a kidney specialist doctor in Victoria Hospital, Kirkcaldy and is passionate about healthcare improvement and health equity.
Nony believes that Fife is a wonderful part of the world to live and is committed to ensuring that the people of Fife have the opportunity to thrive. Over the years, Nony has experience of working in the voluntary sector having volunteered as a sports coach within FRAE Fife, Fife Athletics Club and Kirkcaldy YMCA. She was previously an international athlete and is still involved in community sports and is currently working with a group of stakeholders to support the development of a new athletics facility in North-East Fife and the creation of a social netball club.
In addition to this she is leading on the development of the Fife Afro-Caribbean Network whose vision is to advocate, inspire and empower the African and Caribbean community in Fife to live healthy lives and promote a sense of belonging. Her personal mission and values align with that of Fife Centre of Equalities as seeking to be a champion of equity, diversity, inclusion and ultimately belonging for people living and working in Fife. Nony is delighted to serve on the FCE board to raise the standards even higher to promote equity and will improve the standards of living for all.