Meet the SEnine team
At the heart of SEnine magazine is a small but dedicated team passionate about our local community. From writers and designers to editors and campaigners, we work together to bring you stories that matter, events that connect, and a publication that reflects the vibrant life of SE9.
We’re proud to be independent, community-focused, and committed to keeping Eltham and the surrounding areas informed, inspired, and in touch. Get to know the people behind the pages!
Marek Kolodziej
Editor
Despite his exotic name, Marek speaks with a distinctly Scottish accent—he was born in Ayrshire many moons ago.
He studied at university in Glasgow, where he also explored the performing arts, working with various theatre companies before transitioning into public relations with the Glasgow Garden Festival. This sparked a career in PR and marketing for events and music festivals, culminating in a role as Marketing Manager for the Glasgow International Jazz Festival.
Since the early 2000s, Marek has run his own company, Triptych Design, collaborating with SMEs and organisations across the UK.
His connection with SEnine began in 2007, when he undertook a bold redesign of the magazine on a pro bono basis, and went on to design all issues throughout 2008.
In 2017, Marek returned to SEnine to work alongside John Webb on the magazine’s relaunch.
John Webb
News and Features
John is originally from Halifax, West Yorkshire, and attended Hipperholme Grammar School before earning a degree in Economics and Accounting from Newcastle University (1974–1977).
He began his career in journalism working for local newspapers in Sutton, Surrey, and Crawley, West Sussex, before joining the Yorkshire Post in Leeds, where he reported from 1981 to 1985.
John then moved into public relations, working for the Social Democratic Party (1985–1987), the Home Office (1987–1990), and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food—later the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1990–2006).
Since December 2006, he has served as editor of SEnine magazine, taking over ownership in March 2017. He retired from the position of Editor in 2025 to write his first novel, which should be available in late 2025.
An active member of his local community, John is chair of both the Friends of Well Hall Pleasaunce and the Friends of Avery Hill Park. He also plays a leading role in the Save Avery Hill Winter Garden campaign.
John Kennett – Columnist
John, SEnine’s resident historical expert, is a life-long Eltham resident, former primary school teacher and in 1965 was a founder member of the Eltham Society. He has written several books on Eltham’s past and has had a monthly feature Historic Eltham in SEnine since 2007.
Grace Boyle – Columnist
Grace is our youngest columnist. She is a trained actress, having spent three years at Glasgow’s Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, and has performed in theatres across the UK.
Melanie Wray – Columnist
Melanie hails from New Eltham and trained at The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. For over 30 years, she worked as a Senior Director, Producer, and Broadcast Journalist in radio and television—primarily with the BBC, but also with ITV and Channel 4.
In 2017, she returned to the South East and now lectures in Film and TV at a local further education college. Melanie also directs stage productions at The Bob Hope Theatre and joined SEnine as a contributing writer earlier this year.
She’s always on the lookout for great local stories—so if you have something to share, get in touch at: melaniewray@senine.co.uk
Gill Ferry – Columnist
Gill’s biography will be available her in the very near future.
You can email her at: gillferry@senine.co.uk