EDI isn’t about me…

For Temilade Aina (known as Temi) inclusion is about stewardship and ensuring everyone can access the same opportunities. Now in her first year as a trustee at ellenor, Temi speaks about belonging, community and leadership, and what it means to use influence in a way that creates space for everyone  

Temi studied at the University of Kent before settling in Gravesend to be closer to family once she had children. It is a place she speaks about with real pride for its diversity, its working history and its sense of community.

“There’s something special about Gravesend,” she says. “It’s a working town. People graft. There’s history, there’s movement, there’s diversity and I really identify with that.”

It was through her children’s school that Temi first became aware of ellenor. In conversations with families, one word comes up again and again.

“The teachers spoke so warmly about it,” she recalls.

She pauses, then explains why.

“From my personal background, care happens within the family. Death is usually a very sad, closed experience. So hearing people say, ‘The care ellenor gave us was wonderful,’ I thought – how is that possible?”

What she found surprised her.

“When I walked through the doors, I felt calm,” she says. “There’s a genuine kindness here. And it’s not just about the patient. It’s about the family, the children and the support that continues long after someone has died.”

In conversations with families, one word comes up again and again.

“They say they feel safe,” Temi explains. “That’s really powerful. Safe. Protected. Like someone is saying, ‘We’ve got you.’”

Her passion for equity, diversity and inclusion is rooted in lived experience but also in reflection. Her advocacy goes beyond the surface; she recognises that true equity requires acknowledging the intersectionality of age, race, sex and socio-economic background..

“For a long time, I avoided EDI,” she says frankly. “I wanted to be known for my own merit. My own strength.”

What changed her perspective was not personal recognition but responsibility.

“I realised EDI isn’t about me,” she says. “It’s about community. “It’s about putting a ladder down for other people to climb and creating a spotlight for everyone.”

“You learn to adapt,” she says. “You learn how to survive in different worlds.”

Temi takes a hands-on responsible approach to trusteeship. “I treat this like a job,” she says. “Because the decisions we make affect people at the most vulnerable point of their lives.”

She brings professional discipline into the boardroom and invests heavily in her own development.

“I’m currently enrolled on a change management course at the University of Cambridge,” she says. “I went on the course because I want to be better for ellenor. She also believes strongly in staying connected to frontline reality.

“In December, I shadowed staff on the inpatient ward,” she says. “And I’ll do that every year. You can’t make decisions in abstraction. You have to see what care actually looks like.”

For Temi, compassion and regulation are not opposing forces.

“They dance together,” she says. “Kindness without structure doesn’t last. Structure without kindness doesn’t serve.”

As one of the youngest trustees and one of the few from a Nigerian background, Temi is conscious of visibility and representation.

“I may not be the best or the final version,” she says. “But I’m opening the door.”

She is proud of the diversity of ellenor’s board, particularly in comparison to national statistics.

“What we’ve achieved here matters,” she says. “And we don’t shout about it enough.”

Looking ahead, Temi is focused on sustainability financially and culturally.

“What ellenor does is special,” she says. “The challenge now is protecting it, growing it, and making sure it lasts.”

She pauses, then adds quietly:

“This isn’t about ego or legacy. It’s about serving a community I love and making sure the door stays open behind me.”