John joined MESH as Director in January 2023.  He has worked in ESOL and Refugee Support since 2018, teaching English in a variety of contexts, including the third sector, adult education and prison.  Most recently, John worked for Refugees & Mentors in Manchester, supporting refugees with professional experience to gain employment in the UK.  He also worked for Al Hayat Languages in Blackburn, co-ordinating wraparound support for Afghan refugees and managing ESOL provision. Prior to 2018, John taught and researched South Asian religions and cultures at the University of Manchester.  John sees ESOL as a vital feature of multicultural society in the UK. It functions not just to foster confidence and a sense of belonging amongst migrant groups, but also as a tool of social change, by providing marginalised groups with the capacity to shape English language and UK culture differently. John’s work for MESH is driven by these principles.