I am 67 years of age and my given first names are Robert Oluwale but I am am mostly addressed as Roberto. I am from a Nigerian/Russian heritage although I do not identify with these cultures since my entire childhood was spent within the English care system during the 1950’s and 60’s. I barely knew my parents and eventually discharged … Read More

Stacey Allsopp, 46, Mentor and Facilitator, Cornwall Circle. How did you hear about abob? Through James Oecken. I am a teacher of Survival Skills and I met James on a course I was running in Devon years ago. Later that year, I was giving him a lift to another Survival course I was teaching on. After that, we became friends … Read More

Errol works in health and social care. What brought you to the London group? “I knew Royston from the Peckham Black Father’s and Manday groups. He told me about this rites of passage weekend for mentors and I was immediately interested. In Africa, young men experience rites of passage but not in Europe. I feel passionately about the need for … Read More

Pete Dobson, 56, Engagement Officer for Probation, Brighton Circle. How did you find out about ABoB? I joined the CRC as a volunteer peer mentor in 2017 because I’d been in prison myself. Then started as a Case Support Worker in Jan 2018. Before lockdown I used to run a One Stop Shop for Service Users, where they could engage … Read More

Matthew Cox, 34, Community Worker, Leamington Circle How did you hear about ABoB? I was told about it by a friend of mine who was getting involved with ABoB. I was looking for something that could deepen my work and relationships both personally and professionally. I’d been doing projects with nature and education for some time, often with young people, … Read More

Joe Mellish, 39, Leadership Trainer, Hastings Circle. How did you know about abob? I saw a post on Facebook. I’d never heard of them but I was attracted to mentoring a young man so I got in touch. I met up with James Wong and we chatted. He offered me a rites of passage weekend not long after talking to … Read More

Jay Forrester, 47, Carpenter, Cornwall Circle. How did you know about abob? I am ex-military with PTSD and I was having a bit of a wobble. The NHS mental health services couldn’t do anything for me so they referred me on to an adult social worker and she recommended that I get in contact with ABoB here in Cornwall. She … Read More

Jamie Bland, 25, services skis and snowboards during winter, and soon to be starting as a strengths-based coach, Cornwall Circle How did you hear about ABoB? I was recommended to come to a group one evening by a friend. In fact he was my sister’s ex. I had no idea what I was coming to but knew it was what … Read More

Graham Thurley, 50, Bus Driver, Brighton Circle How did you learn of ABoB? I was working as a Police Officer in Crawley about 6 years ago and I was part of a team that supported young offenders (mostly men) integrate back into the community. I was working alongside Probation when abandofbrothers gave a presentation in how they were connecting with … Read More

Ken Hinds – Chair of Haringey’s Independent Stop and Search Monitoring Group How did you know about abob? “Royston (who has been in abob for a few years) told me about the BTH weekend but I had no idea about the group. I was very apprehensive especially about camping; I’m a 5 star sort of man. It was like a … Read More