Tony Gibbon Chair of Trustees of Chickenshed Theatre Trust; Co-Chair of the Development Board Expand Tony Gibbon was a founding partner of the real estate advisory practice BH2, the firm generally regarded to be the leading niche operator in the Central London market. Tony, took up the post of Chair of Trustees in January 2019 having been a trustee since 2008. He is also a Trustee of the Old Vic Theatre and the Bruno Tampo Foundation. He is Chairman of the Development Board of The Willow Foundation, a member of the Development Board of Future Dreams and Fund Manager of the Real Estate Fund of Trust for London (formally known as City Parochial Foundation). He is also an advisor to Outset Contemporary Art Fund.
David Silverman Chair Expand David is a Main Board Director of Derwent London PLC, the largest central London focused Real Estate Investment Trust. Appointed to the Board in January 2008, David’s responsibilities include overseeing the Group’s investment acquisitions and disposals. David is past Chairman of Westminster Property Association.
Jojo Morrall Higher Education Programme Manager / Support and Mentor Team Co-ordinator Expand Higher Education Programme Manager / Support and Mentor Team Co-ordinator Jojo was a member of Chickenshed’s Children’s and Youth Theatre and then completed the Foundation Degree in Inclusive Performance. She completed a BA at Middlesex University in Inclusive Education and then went on to get her PG Cert in Higher Education at Anglia Ruskin University. Jojo is also part of the Outreach team taking Chickenshed ethos into a variety of places and countries including Finland, Gurnsey, Wales, Houses of Commons, Young Offenders Institutes and Prisons. JoJo performs and directs at Chickenshed. She was most recently part of a show that toured to Wales called In the Absence of Silence, Jojo also takes on the role as a co-director for Chickenshed’s Christmas, Spring and student shows.
Belinda McGuirk Level 3 Programme Manager – Year 2 Expand Level 3 Programme Manager – Year 2 From the age of 3 Belinda has been involved in theatre – from learning poems like Daddy Fell in to the Pond, to playing Puss’n Boots, to Bernard in the Young Visitor’s, to the Angel Gabriel… all this and much more before joining Chickenshed at the age of 14. Since then, some of her highlights include going to Ethiopia and China, teaching in all disciplines across the level 3 course, working with the Children’s and Youth Theatres, and playing the mother in As the Mother of a Brown Boy. She was most recently seen performing in An Adventure to Oz!, Trumpets and Raspberries, and Refugee Boy.
Sebastian Gonzalez Inclusive Recording and Technical Support Manager Expand Inclusive Recording and Technical Support Manager Sebastian joined Chickenshed from an early age, training and performing throughout his school years. He left briefly to complete a BA (Hons) in Photography, Sculpture, Dance and Theatre at the University of Brighton. He then went on to further his dance training at the Laban Centre for Movement and Dance. He has appeared in several films, television programmes, commercials and music videos, working with organisations such as B.B.C, E.M.I, Factory Films, L.W.T, Ridley Scott Associates, The Really Useful Group, Urban Conceptz Theatre, Wall to Wall Media, Yes/No Productions, and C.B.B.C. Sebastian also delivers visual, performing and creative arts workshops in schools, colleges and organizations to groups of all ages, backgrounds and abilities. He has over 15 years’ experience in Play work and Youth work with mainstream and mixed ability groups of children and young people. He currently works within both the artistic and education departments at Chickenshed, performing, teaching on the Level 3 Extended Diploma, Foundation Degree and BA courses, as well as filming, video editing and set/props design for the education shows and many recent studio theatre productions.
Community Expand Bute House School British School in the Netherlands Caldicott School Champneys Enfield Cameo Club (Cockfosters) Enfield Council Finchley Golf Club Francis Holland Sloane Square Lower School Garden House Parent’s Association JDC Scaffolding London The Harrow Masonic Centre Iris Fashion Peter Jones Pembridge Hall The Rotary Club of Barnet The Rotary Club of Edmonton The Rotary Club of Enfield The Rotary Club of Golders Green The Wednesday Club (St Barnabus Church) Sahara Clothing Sainsburys Cockfosters Sedos SHY Southgate School Trent Park Running Club TSB Cockfosters Branch
Trusts Expand ACT Foundation Andor Charitable Trust Angle House Foundation BBC Children in Need Birkdale Trust for Hearing Impaired Boris Karloff Foundation British Council Chapman Charitable Trust City Bridge Trust CW+ EBM Charitable Trust Ernest Hecht Charitable Foundation Garfield Weston Foundation Greenoaks Charitable Trust Hobson Charity Ian Mactaggart Trust ICAP Charity Day International Music and Art Foundation John Horniman’s Children’s Trust John Lyon’s Charity Joseph Levy Foundation M and C Trust Mackintosh Foundation Makers of Playing Cards Charity M and C Trust M K Rose Charitable Trust Newman’s Own Foundation Popli Khalatbari Charitable Foundation Rayne Trust Red Hill Trust Reed Foundation Roddick Foundation Rogers Stirk Harbour Charitable Trust Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Royal Victoria Hall Foundation RTR Foundation Shanly Foundation Sidney Kingsley Trust St James' Place Foundation The Childhood Trust The Kirby Laing Foundation The Worshipful Company of Builders Thomas’s Schools Foundation Thompson Family Charitable Trust Utley Foundation Vandervell Foundation Westway Charitable Trust
Corporate Funders Expand AHMM Arts Club Avis Budget Group Barclays Real Estate Berkeley Homes BH2 Canary Wharf Contractors Cisco Finchley Golf Club Hard Rock Cafe Incisive Media iProbono ITV Image Nation JDC Scaffolding John Lewis Knight Frank London Fire Solutions Multiplex Orion Capital Solutions Peter Jones Prater River Island Sounds and Pictures TSB Cockfosters branch UGO Foods Warner Bros. Entertainment UK
Robin Shillinglaw Youth Theatre Programme Manager / Level 3 Programme Manager - Year 1 Expand Youth Theatre/Level 3 Programme Manager Robin Shillinglaw has been a member of Chickenshed since early childhood and began working as a member of staff in 2001 after graduating from Brighton University. Since then he has worked for Chickenshed on many different projects and in many different capacities within the performance, outreach, education and membership work. Within these areas of work Robin teaches, performs, leads workshops, directs, and choreographs, working extensively with Chickenshed's diverse mix of participants. A significant project was in 2002, when as part of team, Robin worked in Ethiopia with the dance group, Adugna and this inspired him to work in Ethiopia as a volunteer for a further 8 months in 2003 and was able to bring back many developed skills from this experience to share with Chickenshed. Robin has also been involved in a variety of outreach projects both nationally and internationally (Russia, Ethiopia, Costa Rica and more recently Kosovo).
Executive Management Expand Gill Dodge - Managing Director Paul Morrall - Director of Education & Training Louise Perry - Director of Strategic Development & Impact Lou Stein - Artistic Director
Josh Berger CBE Chair Emeritus Expand Josh Berger is President & Managing Director, Warner Bros. UK, Ireland and Spain, overseeing Warner Bros.’ business activities in the three territories, and the President of Harry Potter Global Franchise Development, leading Warner Bros.’ expanded creative partnership with J.K. Rowling. A 27-year veteran of the Studio, he has lived and worked in the UK for 20 years and has been a British citizen since July 2011. Josh is the Chairman of the British Film Institute (BFI), having been a BFI Governor since 2011. He is also a Member of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), the Creative Industries Council, and the British Screen Advisory Council; a Council Member of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA); a Director of the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Josh was appointed a CBE in the Queen’s 2012 Birthday Honours List for services to the UK’s creative industries. Josh has been a long-time supporter of Chickenshed and became Chair of the charity in April 2012, after seeing first-hand the sense of purpose and outlet it provides for those involved to express themselves in ways they never thought possible.
Matthew Rose Treasurer and Deputy Co-Chair of Chickenshed Theatre Trust; Treasurer of Chickenshed Property Company; Treasurer of American Friends of Chickenshed Expand Matthew is a Chartered Accountant who is Vice-President - Tax at Seadrill Management Ltd. Matthew and his wife Francesca have been constant and strong supporters of Chickenshed, having their two children in our children’s and youth theatre since 2005, with one now having become a BTEC student. The whole family has been massive ambassadors of the work of Chickenshed, and Francesca - a qualified Speech and Language Therapist - has been a volunteer (sometimes paid) Voice Consultant and coach to Chickenshed for several years. Matthew has been a Director & Treasurer of Chicken Shed Property Company since August 2012. He is also Director/Treasurer of Chickenshed Theatre Trust (since November 2011) & Director/Treasurer of American Friends of Chickenshed since 2013, and a member of our Finance Committee. Matthew gives us many hours of his time & expertise with all finance-related issues.
Jonathan Morton Senior Creative Producer – Acting Development Expand Senior Creative Producer – Acting Development Jonathan has been a performing member of Chickenshed for over 40 years as well as an Education Manager working on the Level 3 and undergraduate programmes since 2005. He trained as an actor at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and has worked extensively as an actor in theatre (including RSC, National Studio, Royal Exchange, Chickenshed and West End), TV (including Poirot, Daliez and Pascoe, Casualty and Sooty) and film (Midsummer Night’s Dream). He has also directed many productions (including Blood Wedding, The Would Be Gentleman, 1984 and Animal Farm.)
Lady Jane Rayne Lacey Director and Trustee Expand Jane Rayne Lacey (Trustee since 24.09.92 /Founder Member and Director) was President of Trustees until her daughter Natasha took over in 2013. Lady Rayne Lacey, with her family and in particular her late husband, Lord Rayne, helped to turn our dreams into reality when we opened our own theatre in Southgate. 'Max and I got such lumps in our throats,' she says, 'when we first saw the children of Chickenshed performing in a church hall in Whetstone in 1987 - we felt they just had to have their own permanent home.' Jane continues to support us with the annual Fundraising Gala (now Chaired by Natasha), which has taken place every year since 1989 in the autumn. 'I love the inclusivity, the energy, and the originality that the children always display,' she says. 'Chickenshed makes their world, and the whole world, a better place.' Jane is also Patron & Trustee of The Rayne Foundation and Trustee of the Jerusalem Foundation.
Jo Collins MBE D.Univ (Middx) Ambassador and Guardian (and Co-Founder) Expand Jo was a successful singer who had worked for over 10 years on BBC radio sessions before she co-founded Chickenshed. As Chickenshed’s Director of Music, Jo composed and arranged music for more than 100 musicals, in addition to piano concertos, ballets, incidential music and individuals songs for television appearances and special commissions. Sir Cliff Richard, Gabrielle, Elaine Page, Barbara Dickson, Emma Bunton and Bob Hoskins have all recorded her songs.
Mary Ward MBE D.Univ (Middx) Ambassador and Guardian (and Co-Founder) Expand Mary started teaching in 1966. She was struck by how much better the children she taught could be reached through drama than any other subject. Those who struggled in other fields shone in an environment where the work was created to fit those taking part rather than vice-versa. Mary and Jo Collins have a rapport and shared love of the theatre that is compelling. As Chickenshed’s Artistic Director, Mary directed over 100 original productions ranging from small scale dramatic pieces to large scale musicals in the Royal Albert Hall.
Tom Redman Director and Trustee Expand Tom trained at RADA as a Stage Manager and worked from 1968 extensively in touring Opera Festivals including Glyndebourne and West End Theatre for 24 years, over a 27 year period. In 1996 he joined Cameron Mackintosh Consultants Ltd. where he became Technical Director for Delfont Mackintosh from 2005-2009. He was introduced to Chickenshed during its Lottery Funded Building project by a previous Director/Trustee, Martin McCallum who was right hand man to Sir Cameron Mackintosh when we first got our theatre premises in 1992. Tom was invited to join the Board of The Property Company April 2002 and remains a Trustee as well as being Chairman of the Building Care Group which meet frequently over the year giving us their time & expertise with all building–related issues. In 2010 he was asked by the then CEO, to be responsible for and co-ordinate the full refurbishment and redecoration of the Bar, Front of House, Box Office areas, toilets and all signage. Tom has been a constant and strong supporter of Chickenshed using his broad knowledge of best practice in all theatre-related issues.
Richard Poole Director and Trustee Expand Richard is a Chartered Surveyor and Managing Director of Poole & Co based in the West End of London. Richard and his wife Caroline have been strong supporters of Chickenshed having had all three of their daughters involved with our Children’s Theatre and Youth Theatre between 1992 and 2011. His eldest daughter was recently volunteering with our Kensington & Chelsea branch. The whole family have been massive ambassadors of the work of Chickenshed, volunteering their time in many ways, including painting the reception area of the Theatre on the very first opening night. Richard became a Director of Chicken Shed Property Company in June 2002 when invited to take up this role by John Bull (our 1st CEO). Richard has been an active member of this Trustee group and a member of our Buildings Care Group which meet frequently over the year giving us their time & expertise with all building–related issues.
James Briggs Director and Trustee Expand James joined Durkan in 1978 as a trainee quantity surveyor, becoming a qualified member of the RICS in 1987. He has gained experience in various roles within the company. In 1996 he was appointed Surveying Director with responsibility for the surveying function of the company and in 2005 he was made Operations Director. In 2013 he was promoted to Managing Director where his responsibility now extends throughout the company. James is a parent of two Chickenshed Youth Members and is related to Chickenshed Ambassador & Guardian Jo Collins. Member Building Care Group.