Trustees

David Wood OBE: President

The Times dubbed David ‘the national children’s dramatist’. Original plays include The Gingerbread Man, The Selfish Shellfish and Save the Human, all directed by him and toured by his Whirligig Theatre. Adaptations include eight Roald Dahl stories, Philippa Pearce’s Tom's Midnight Garden, the Olivier Award-winning Goodnight Mister Tom (from Michelle Magorian’s novel) and Olivier nominee The Tiger who came to Tea (from Judith Kerr’s classic picture book). He also writes children’s books and tells his stories in schools and theatres.

Image credit: Nick Gregan

Vicky Ireland, MBE FRSA: Ambassador and Trustee

Vicky is a freelance Children’s Theatre director and writer who joined the first TIE team at the Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, and worked as an actress in many Reps. She presented the BBC’s Words and Pictures for twelve years, created children’s plays at Regent’s Park Theatre and was Artistic Director of Polka Theatre, Wimbledon, for fourteen years. She is an Associate Director of A Thousand Cranes Theatre and the Secretary of IIAN, the International Inclusive Arts Network for the performing arts for young audiences.Vicky has ten published plays, is a BAFTA-nominated BBC TV writer and has represented UK children’s theatre all around the world. She is a patron of Polka Theatre, a Trustee of SAVVY Theatre and an Honorary Member of the World Children’s Theatre Association, ASSITEJ.

Janet Robertson, FRSA: Chair

A Project Manager, Creative Director, Producer and Teaching Artist; Janet is also a music and theatre practitioner and educator with over 25 years experience leading and managing projects with companies including, Scottish Opera (Assistant Producer/Director and MD for Education programme), Ambassador Theatre Group (Education and Audience Development Consultant), National Youth Music Theatre (Associate Director and founder of their outreach programme), the Really Useful Group, and the BBC.

 

Susan Whiddington CBE: Vice Chair

Susan is the founding Chief Executive of Mousetrap Theatre Projects, a theatre education charity dedicated to creating opportunities for disadvantaged young people and young people with additional needs to attend outstanding theatre across London and participate in innovative drama projects to learn new skills, take risks, and raise confidence and self-esteem.

Susan also chairs the Musical Boroughs Trust, the charity arm of the Tri-Borough Music Hub, is a board member of DanceWest, an Advisory Board Member of Facing History and Ourselves, an organisation that teaches teachers how to engage students in discussions of racism, prejudice and anti-Semitism.  Susan is a past chair of John Lyon's Charity, has been a Governor of a state primary and an independent school, and is a past Chair of Democrats Abroad UK.  She is also a RSA Fellow and member of International Women's Foundation.

David Lee-Jones: Treasurer

David is an actor, theatre director and writer whose stage appearances include numerous classical and modern roles. He has also worked on Theatre in Education productions and led drama workshops in schools. He is a passionate advocate of diversity on stage and screen. David maintains a parallel career in healthcare management, which has given him a special interest in links between mental health and the arts.

Emma Borley

Emma began her career at Commissions East, focusing on supporting artists and the arts community with the % for Art initiative. Emma then moved on to Momentum Arts, where she worked on touring arts across the East, collaborating with artists, venues and audiences. Then, Executive Producer for BBC Cambs, where she focused on ensuring the best outcomes for staff, listeners, viewers, the digital community, and those who needed a platform to share their stories.

Pete Dowse

Pete is a theatre creator specialising in children’s and early years educational performances. The Creative Producer and Head of Performances to Children at Chickenshed Theatre, Pete specialises in Theatre in Education, inclusion and early years practice.

Elaine Grant

Elaine Grant has worked professionally in the Creative industries for over 40 years. She is an audience development and community engagement specialist supporting schools and communities with theatre and cultural experiences. Her consultancy, Elaine Grant Creative Consulting specialises in diversifying theatre and cultural audiences and mentoring young creatives in sustainable careers in the Arts industry.  She also helps theatre professionals welcome the diverse audiences they dream of, by connecting them with her extensive networks of people ready to access theatre shows.

Chris Jarvis

Chris Jarvis joined Children’s BBC television in 1993 and has presented a wide variety of shows for all ages including ‘Playdays’ for preschoolers and ‘Fully Booked’ for young teens.  Since 2002 he has been part of CBeebies hosting many shows - notably 'Show Me Show Me’ - as well as writing and devising programmes including the BAFTA and RTS winning 'Old Jack's Boat.'   He also writes, directs and appears in pantomimes for TV and stage.

Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason

Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason lives in Nottingham and is a former lecturer in English at The University of Birmingham.  Her memoir, House of Music: Raising the Kanneh-Masons, won the Royal Philharmonic Society’s Storytelling Award in November 2021. It then went on to win the Non-Fiction prize in the 2022 Indie Book Awards. Kadiatu and her husband Stuart were given the J.M. Barrie Award in 2018 for contribution to children’s arts, and in February 2022, on behalf of the family, they collected the prestigious ABO Award. Kadiatu was awarded an Honorary Fellowship of The Royal Academy of Music in 2022, and in 2023 she received the ISM Distinguished Musician Award.

Kadiatu has seven children, all of whom are classical musicians. The family has been the subject of several TV documentaries and in early 2023, they curated their first radio series, The Kanneh-Mason Family Takeover, for Classic FM.  She is “Champion” of Music Mark, on the Board of Trustees for ESTA String Teachers Association, The Nottingham Education Trust, Real Talk TV, Music Masters, the National Children’s Orchestra and MISST – the Andrew Lloyd-Webber charity for music in secondary schools. She is on the advisory council for the Royal Philharmonic Society and the family is patron to Sinfonia Viva. A strong advocate for the benefits of regional music-making and accessibility, Kadiatu is also patron of the Swaledale Festival, President of the Chester Philharmonic Orchestra and Honorary Friend of the British and International Federation of Music Festivals.

In April 2023 the Kanneh-Mason family were appointed Cultural Ambassadors to Antigua and Barbuda and commended for their contributions to the development of the musical talents of young Antiguans and Barbudans.

Kadiatu continues to write and gives talks, interviews and lectures around the U.K. on diversity in classical music, music education, issues of race and inclusion, literature and parenting.

Toby Mitchell

Toby Mitchell is co-founder and artistic director of Tall Stories Theatre Company, a registered charity which has become internationally recognised over the last 25 years for its blend of storytelling, original music and lots of laughs. In 2020 the company partnered with Islington Council to transform a section of the council’s Central Library (in north London) into a storytelling hub, housing an office space and a brand new studio designed for rehearsals, preview performances and community work. Prior to Tall Stories, Toby worked as a French and drama teacher, and as a children’s books editor.

Catherine Ritman-Smith FRSA

Catherine is Head of Learning and Engagement at Young V&A, a museum of design and creativity for children and young people in London, UK. Young V&A was awarded the Art Fund Museum of the Year in 2024, and named the Kids in Museums most Family Friendly Museum, 2024.  Before joining the V&A, Catherine led award-winning creative learning and engagement in other cultural spaces including Somerset House and Design Museum. Catherine has degrees from University of Cambridge and UCL Institute of Education. She is a charity trustee, a Fellow of the RSA and a non-executive director of a University Technical College.

Philip Spedding

Philip is a cultural fundraiser with 30 years’ experience.  Around half his career he has spent working in cultural organisations, including the Young Vic, Almeida, London Library, British Library and, most recently, Tate.  The rest of his time has been spent advising donors, companies and cultural organisations.  This has involved working at organisations including Charities Aid Foundation and Arts & Business, where he eventually became the Director and ran the Prince of Wales Medal for Arts Philanthropy.  He has spoken on private sector support of culture across the media and in countries including Canada, Russia, Finland and Vietnam, as well as throughout the UK.  He is a volunteer director of the Charity Tax Group, has sat on the Treasury’s Charity Tax Forum and is vice-Treasurer of the Lambeth Horticultural Society.