Meet our team

The staff and volunteer team are responsible for the delivery of all our services, together with the day-to-day running of the charity. They are also responsible for implementing the vision and direction by working closely with the Board of Trustees to deliver our aims and public benefits as a charity.

Our staff and volunteers come from diverse communities and backgrounds and bring with them a range of skills and experience. Whilst the majority are living with HIV, which isn’t an essential characteristic, we feel this is a strength that complements our work.

Management Team

Chris Williams – National Service Lead

Chris founded Plushealth in January 2018 and developed the project as a volunteer until he was appointed to the role of Service Lead in July 2020. Chris is uncompromisingly passionate about empowering others to live well with HIV. He is an experienced health and treatment advocate, qualified peer mentor and mental health first aider. He has supported people living with or affected by HIV for over a decade in a variety of roles allied to the treatment and care of HIV and mental ill-health.

From July 2020 to March 2024 Chris was directly responsible for delivering our London Fast-Track Cities Peer Support Project as our first paid member of staff. In April 2024 Chris was appointment as National Service Manager with a strong focus on developing our National Peer Support Service together with the management and development of our NHS clinic partnership projects. Chris continues to be responsible for the day to day management of the charity in a voluntary capacity working closely with the board of trustees to ensure the charity continues to meet the needs of those we support and remain financially secure into the future.
Contact: chris.williams@plushealth.org.uk

Peer Support Team

Mike – Peer Support Worker, London Fast-Cities

As someone who had previously been supported by Plushealth following his own HIV diagnosis, Mike is very aware of the importance of supporting people who are newly diagnosed with HIV who often experience feelings of stigma, shame and isolation. Mike’s experience encouraged him to become actively involved in supporting other living with HIV drawing on his previous experience of supporting vulnerable children & adults.

Mike joined the peer support team in April 2024 and leads our work at 56 Dean Street as part of our London Fast-Track Cities Project with Chelsea & Westminster NHS Foundation Trust. Mike is our Safeguarding Lead and is responsible for the implementation, reporting and management of safeguarding responsibilities as a charity.

Mike has had a long career as a senior social worker and held a variety of roles within Local Authority Children’s Services. Prior to joining Plushealth in 2024, he worked at London Borough of Sutton heading up Children’s First Contact Service and Emergency Duty teams. Through continued professional development Mike remains a registered Social Worker and brings a wealth of knowledge of social care which compliments his current role.
Contact: Mike.montrose-francis@plushealth.org.uk

Wally – Peer Support Worker, National Peer Support Service

Wally joined our peer support team in March 2024 primarily as our national peer support worker, responsible for supporting to people living with or affected by HIV across the UK and to British citizens living with HIV wherever they reside outside the UK.

Wally is a qualified HIV peer support mentor and has a rich volunteering experience in the HIV sector. Prior to joining Plushealth, Wally was a HIV peer support worker at Kobler Clinic, and the Chelsea & Westminster Hospital site, and continues to support people who attend 56 Dean Street. He continues to volunteer with Positively UK.

Wally’s experience extends to research and teaching in the higher education sector. He is a lecturer in sociology at London Metropolitan University and has led a module that explored key concepts and theories related to the social construction of gender and sexuality and their application to various social sectors and issues in the UK and abroad. Wally is fully committed to supporting and empowering people living with HIV as well as to fighting HIV stigma.
Contact: Wally.mbassi@plushealth.org.uk


Digital and marketing team

Wayne James – Website Development Volunteer

Wayne has been involved with Plushealth since the beginning of the project, working closely with Chris Williams to develop and launch our website in July 2018. Wayne has built our website from scratch with each page being coded to provide a bespoke platform for us. Since the launch, Wayne has continually updated the content and developed changes to the look and functionality of the site . More recently he has been involved in developing short, animated videos to highlight specific campaigns for use on social media.

When Chris first approached him in 2018 about web design, the idea of providing peer support online very much appealed to him and wanted to contribute by harnessing his skills as a new web developer. Website design is continually evolving, and Wayne is always researching new methods and ideas to improve the look, feel and functionality of our website.