Meet the Team
Jonathan Mbuna, Country Representative, Malawi
Role – Responsible for representing PFP in Malawi, working closely with our UK team and overseas directors to facilitate the developments and distribution programmes of media within the country.
Experience – Jonathan is an established creative writer and was one of the first trained Malawian writers for the first screen soap opera, Mama’s restaurant. He has also worked in both government and NGO sectors as a development consultant.
Reason for joining PFP – I fell in love with PFP after watching their first film Mawa Langa in Malawi and wanted to help provide value and training to communities through education and the use of film does this very well.
Salome Jordano, Local Distribution Manager, Kenya
Role – Responsible for the screening of Lisilojulikana (The Unknown), creating positive awareness around disabilities, and producing comprehensive reports on the impact of PFP’s films.
Experience – Salome has worked as a curriculum support officer in charge of special education in Nairobi and as director at Grand Amour School for Special needs children.
Reason for joining PFP – I am passionate about helping children with special needs and saw PFP as a way of helping break down stigmas surrounding these. PFP also allows opportunities for me to reach out to more parents with special needs children not only in Nairobi but in all parts of the country in order to strive towards Kenya being a special needs aware nation.
Alfred Mtapaonga, Local Distribution Manager, Malawi
Role – Responsible for film distribution in Malawi. This includes organising community screenings, preparing budgets and mobilising communities to attend and understand the various social issues raised by the film.
Experience – Alfred has worked as a local distribution manager, preparing and submitting reports for every screening conducted, measuring the reach and impact the films have on local communities.
Reason for joining PFP – I am passionate about PFP’s involvement in Malawi and wish to see them have a permanent office here one day, working on a daily basis to introduce projects which will help people to address social issues.
Celinda Ravelo, Administrator & UK Office Manager
Role – Responsible for the day to day operations of the charity and support to all the trustees. The role also involves assisting with fundraising activities and being the first point of contact for supporters which luckily means having supporters pop in to visit our Ilminster based office every now and then.
Experience – I have experience in social media management, internal web platform design, content creation, customer relations, and lettings negotiation management.
Reason for joining PFP – After recently having a baby, my outlook on life changed. I am so happy to have a job with PFP which I hope will make my daughter Ella proud of me for being a part of something worthwhile.
Patiel Mizeck, Video Producer & Local Training Facilitator, Malawi
Role – Responsible for the training and development of the Kasungu Film Collective which includes video production and camera operating.
Experience – I have experience in video production, camera operating and have also produced content as a graphic designer for many years previously.
Reason for joining PFP – I wanted to work with PFP as they strongly believe in helping develop local Malawian filmmakers to create films and share our important stories to help people most in need.
Tyson Conteh, Director (Future View Film Group), Sierra Leone
Role – Responsible for founding a collective of young filmmakers called Future View Film Group (FVFG) and subsequently serving as director.
Experience – I have experience working on several projects with PFP as a director, editor, and on occasions have assisted as a camera operator.
Reason for joining PFP – FVFG have partnered with PFP for so long because there could not be a better organisation to collaborate with for all PFP stands for and believes in.
Directors / Trustees
Elspeth Waldie, Founding Member & Trustee
Role – Previously Chair and responsible for the day to day running of the Charity before stepping back from executive duties in May 2020. Undertook training in filmmaking, and joined the majority of projects in the field, working variously as Director, Producer, Scriptwriter and Camera Operator.
Experience – I have spent a lifetime working in Charity Administration and Management, particularly being involved in overseas development. From eleven years in senior positions at ActionAid, I learnt a great deal that was later to prove very valuable in setting up an overseas charity from scratch. In 1999, whilst in Bangladesh, I was invited by the Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed to write the script for a feature film to address the stigma surrounding disability. This led to involvement in the production, and an experience that opened my eyes to the power and effectiveness of film in conveying crucial, life-changing messages.
Reason for founding PFP – I found no UK charity at the time specialising in communicating life-changing messages through film production and making it available to those who couldn’t afford it.
Dr Kevin Waldie, Chair & Director of Overseas Distribution and Impact
Role – Responsible for ensuring PFP films are distributed effectively and efficiently to benefit poor and marginalised communities, where the need for information is so great, as well as to the wider public and to relevant agencies. The role also involves assessing the impact PFP films make in the communities we work alongside.
Experience – After gaining a PhD in Social Anthropology, I joined the British Government’s overseas aid programme, working and living in Kenya, Nepal and Ghana. I lectured in Social Development at The University of Reading for over ten years. In recent years I have worked as a freelance consultant and adviser for the government and NGO sectors. I have also recently completed an MA in documentary filmmaking.
Reason for joining PFP – I was looking for a role that allowed me to bring together, in a positive and creative manner, my extensive knowledge and experience of international development and interest in documentary filmmaking. PFP offered me the wonderful chance to do so.
Rick Elgood, Trustee & Director of Overseas Film Training & Production
Role – Responsible for developing relationships with young film making groups, assessing their capabilities, training needs and apply training where required, with the goal being the production of video clips either dramatic, documentary or music related that deliver strong and important messages to the peoples of their particular country. I encourage them to tell their own stories and along with strict local medical policy guidelines execute them in readiness for the PFP distribution team to release them.
Experience – I went to film school in Nottingham then started work in Soho London for Ridley Scott’s company, eventually specialising in Editing. I moved to Los Angeles where I started directing. Eventually I moved to Jamaica where I lived for the last 20 years making feature films, documentaries, socially relevant community films, ran a local news TV company and held film training seminars.
Reason for joining PFP – I had recently moved back to the UK and wanted to engage in something meaningful, PFP fit the bill perfectly.
Joel Canty, Trustee & Director of Finance
Role – Responsible for overseeing the financial matters of the charity in line with good practice and in accordance with the governing document and legal requirements, reporting to the Board of Trustees at regular intervals, and advising on the financial implications of the organisation’s plans.
Experience – I am an accredited Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA) with over a decade of experience across finance and business with a large global FTSE 250 company, and am currently responsible for Group financial reporting, treasury and strategic business partnering.
Reason for joining PFP – I have always been interested in international development and studied Economics and International Development at the University of Bath. PFP provided the ideal opportunity to put that to practice and be able to see a meaningful impact on the lives of many people through the wonderful work performed by PFP and its partners.
Helen Da Silva Wood, Trustee & Director of Administration
Role – Responsible for ensuring Purple Field Productions runs efficiently and effectively from an operations point of view. Another aspect of the role involves helping to develop the charity’s fundraising strategy.
Experience – I have 15 years experience in film/tv, publishing, digital media and advertising (including BAFTA, Macmillan, Ogilvy & Mather). I then moved into education to lead development of a media arts programme in Hackney. I now run a thriving youth services charity in Dorset.
Reason for joining PFP – PFP ticked all the boxes. It uses my skills and experience to benefit others, brings film back into my life and gives me the chance to learn and work alongside people who are passionate about a cause I believe in.
Rob Rainbow, Trustee & Director of Fundraising
Role – Responsible for working with PFP supporters to organise fundraising events, produce publicity materials, and liaise with the press.
Experience – I was a secondary school teacher (Geography/Humanities) for almost 30 years, three of which were in the Solomon Islands. I then ran several educational projects, started an educational publishing business and another specializing in assessment. My work took me to several countries overseas which as a result increased my interest in international development.
Reason for joining PFP – As Chairman of the Ilminster Film Society, we premiered a PFP film, which I found inspirational and persuaded me to want to join.
Harry Canty, Director of Communications
Role – Responsible for developing and delivering PFP’s marketing and communications strategy, which includes brand management, digital and social media, and PR in order to raise awareness of the positive work being accomplished alongside our trusted partners in Africa and Asia.
Experience – I have over 5 years experience in project management, digital and social media and marketing communications, with a professional qualification from ‘The Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM)’.
Reason for joining PFP – I am passionate about tv/film and the powerful messaging and impact it can carry. I also have a strong interest in international development as a result of spending time volunteering in Africa. PFP combines both of my passions and provided the ideal challenge on returning to the UK having lived in Australia for the past year.
Roland Chant, Trustee & Vice-Chairman
Role – Responsible for overseeing the governance of the organisation and for helping develop the innovative mobile cinema kits which have been so successful in facilitating our film distribution in recent years.
Experience – I was a secondary school headteacher for 23 years in the UK state sector and latterly in an international primary/secondary school in Brussels. My interest in international development was ignited when I worked with Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) for a year in modern day Zimbabwe. I also maintain Ethiopian links after spending 18 months there helping the primary schools we worked with to build segregated boy/girl/teacher drypit latrines in the schools.
Reason for joining PFP – I liked PFP’s focus on providing practical, humanitarian help to communities through film. I admired the way it worked so closely with its partners overseas, valuing them as equals, and respected its determination both to keep its feet firmly on the ground and to stay very close to its mission.
Brian Harper, Trustee
Role – Responsible for overseeing the governance of the organisation.
Experience – I had a 44-year career as a cartographer where I was the Chairman of the National Cartographic Group. On retirement I joined a UNESCO mapping project. I currently serve as Chairman of a Local Action Aid group and I am also an active member of the U3A.
Reason for joining PFP – I have known the founder Elspeth for many years and was interested in her ideas for the charity. I was also impressed by the inspiring films PFP has helped to produce. As a result, I wanted to support in whatever way I could.
Associates / Volunteers
Olivia Prutz, Camera Operator
Role – Became involved with PFP as a camera operator for the film project Ulimi Mchuma Chatu (Farming Our Wealth). Since then responsible for the management of our Facebook page.
Experience – I work as a camera operator in news and documentaries with a particular interest in environmental and humanitarian stories.
Reason for joining PFP – I’m a huge believer in the power of media and film to spread important messages and so I originally became involved with PFP because I strongly believe in the important work they do.
Ronit Meranda, Video Editor
Role – Became involved with PFP by providing editing support for the film Wi en Wi Go Bi (Support Us and We Will Be) in Sierra Leone and Mbeu Yosintha (Seeds of Change) in Malawi. Ronit also continues to take on some smaller editing roles.
Experience – I am a freelance writer/director and editor working on both narrative and documentary films.
Reason for joining PFP – I passionately believe in the importance of visual storytelling and support PFP’s emphasis on training and nurturing local filmmakers.
Jo Morley, Project Manager, Tanzania
Role – Responsible for overseas project support in Tanzania. This includes monthly planning and co-ordination of local film screening programmes.
Experience – I have worked in marketing and communications for over 25 years across many different sectors. For the past 5 years, I have worked on a freelance basis for a range of different not for profits covering everything from fundraising, service development to marketing and communications.
Reason for joining PFP – I was keen to expand my experience internationally and I could see the power of film and media as a catalyst for understanding and awareness in the countries PFP operates in. I was particularly inspired by PFP’s approach; one that always seeks to facilitate and support self-determined change.
Tim Bamber, Sound Recordist & Designer
Role – Became involved with PFP as a sound recordist on Mbeu Yosintha (Seeds of Change), and Tim has since been a sound designer and ADR recordist on films such as Chosadziwika and Lisilojulikana.
Experience – I’m a freelance sound designer and composer, working across documentary, fiction, theatre and the arts.
Reason for joining PFP – I love learning about and travelling to other countries, meeting and working with people from other cultures. The fact that PFP connects people like this in the film industry (as well as the development impact the films have) is really special.
Colin Stevens, Freelance Director & Filmmaker
Role – Became involved with PFP as director and filmmaker on our first youth drama and has since been involved in several more film projects in Malawi.
Experience – Freelance in theatre, film and community arts and education. Currently part of an Arts Council of England project promoting the arts within rural communities.
Reason for joining PFP – I knew I wanted to make a difference and loved the idea of helping make films alongside local filmmakers and communities, offering them a voice. I was lucky to find PFP and their first youth drama and have worked closely ever since.
Sally Nex, Garden Writer and Journalist
Role – Became involved with PFP helping to write the ‘Moving Image’ newsletters.
Experience – I am a garden writer and produce a variety of national gardening publications. I have previously worked for the BBC as a journalist with the World Service, TV and Online news.
Reason for joining PFP – I admired the work that had already been produced and so it was a natural step to try to help where I could.
George Salt, Producer & Writer
Role — Responsible for helping run the Pedal Powered Kugawana Film Festival in Malawi. Then assisted in the production of Lisilojulikana in Kenya and been involved in its distribution ever since.
Experience — A brief stint as an advertising copywriter was followed by several years of EFL teaching. Since 2012 I have been on-and-off producing and writing TV and web content in Nairobi.
Reason For Joining PFP — There was no way I could resist the combination of cycling, showing films and exploring a whole new country when PFP offered me the facilitator’s role for the Kugawana film festival. I was then very happy to stay involved with PFP and find out what other adventures they had in store for me.
Sam Liebmann, Producer & Director
Role – Became involved with PFP as an editor on Encourage as I Can in Cambodia, working in the field there for two months. In 2012/13, I worked as director on Support Wi En Wi Go Bi in Sierra Leone. From then till 2019, I worked co-ordinating a training project with Future View Media Centre in Sierra Leone
Experience – I work as a documentary producer/ director on social issues mainly in Sierra Leone and Brazil, including for Al Jazeer and BBC Africa Eye.
Reason for joining PFP – PFP is the model of filmmaking to make a positive difference. I have not come across another organisation that puts so much emphasis and thought into the impact the film will have in the local area it is working at any given time. The process of consultation at local level is unique.
Susan Morley, Company Secretary
Role – Responsible for maintaining the statutory obligations of the company and charity with Companies House and the Charities Commission.
Discover more about the history of PFP.
Latest news
DI KOMBRA DI KRAI (CRY OF A MOTHER) TRAILER
Our latest project updates and news including:
- A tribute to our founder who has stepped back from executive duties after 16 years
- The trailer for our Safe Motherhood film ‘Di Kombra Di Krai’
- Producing face masks for the community
- How Lisilojulikana continues to change the lives of Kenyan families
- Online shopping through Give as You Live