Femmigje (aka Emmy) Chater arrived in the United Kingdom in 1999 from the Netherlands.  In 2001 she started working for a Local Authority in various roles supporting asylum seekers and refugees. During this period, she obtained an Advanced Certificate in counselling and a BA Hons in Social Work; she has been a registered Social Worker since.

Emmy has contributed to and delivered training about honour-based violence, asylum seeker and refugees and no recourse to public funds, and is currently migration partnership officer for Newport City Council.

As a volunteer and secretary for Newport & District Refugee Support Group, Emmy helped to host Asylum Justice surgeries during the drop-in sessions. She subsequently became involved as a volunteer for Asylum Justice and became a trustee for Asylum Justice in 2007. Emmy is the designated child protection and safeguarding lead for the organisation.