Values
Our values guide the way we work. They act as a reminder of what matters to us as an organisation.
We revisited them in 2020, in consultation with young musicians, our staff team and trustees.
They are:
Influence - We work alongside young disabled musicians to challenge preconceptions and influence change
Diversity - We bring about greater diversity by driving musical inclusion and disabled representation
Creativity - We engage audiences through exciting music, made and shared in creative ways
Community - We support communities of individuals and organisations to make positive change happen
Team
Barry Farrimond-Chuong MBE (he/him)
CEO
Barry has a wealth of experience developing, strengthening and leading social enterprise and third-sector arts organisations and is respected as an authority on accessible music technology.
Doug Bott (he/him)
Musical Director
Doug is an accomplished arts and education leader, driven by a passion for greater opportunity, diversity, inclusion and representation in music.
Helen Stevens (she/her)
Operations Manager
Helen's background is in the not-for-profit and public sector, working across fundraising, event management, volunteer management and operations for some of the UK’s leading education and health charities.
Julia Le (she/her)
Marketing and Communications Manager
Julia has worked on building brands and developing markets in France, the UK and New Zealand - both as a consultant and in-house. Her experience spans a variety of sectors from consumer goods to finance through to social enterprise and the arts.
Jonathan Westrup (he/him)
Education Manager
Jonathan's experience working with young disabled people is in music education. He has played a key role in developing accessible accreditation opportunities in music and worked extensively as a trainer and mentor for musicians and teachers in school settings.
Alison Maxhuni (she/her)
Trusts and Foundations Manager
Alison has a background in arts and heritage charities and not-for-profits, most recently as a fundraiser.
Edd Smith (he/him)
Individual Giving & Major Donor Manager
As a fundraising leader, Edd has a record of building income for a variety of charities and causes in sectors as diverse as the arts, heritage, conservation, healthcare and social justice. He loves engaging supporters, ensuring they know the impact their support makes.
Charlie Groves (he/him)
National Open Youth Orchestra Assistant Musical Director
Charlie is an experienced music leader and multi-instrumentalist who has worked with young people in a large variety of settings including schools, music clubs, choirs and bands, in Bristol and beyond.
Ben Waller (he/him)
National Open Youth Orchestra Pastoral Support Officer
Ben has extensive experience working with the disabled community including project managing arts events, working in education, leading advocacy groups and delivering accessible music projects. He helps ensure that musicians’ needs are being met both socially and emotionally.
Kate Duffy (she/her)
Administrative Officer
Kate has worked supporting many teams within the arts sector. Her experience has been across a variety of organisations, from music management through to arts education institutions in both London and Bristol.
Emily Nunns (she/her)
Fundraising Officer
Emily is a disabled musician and has a range of experience working in the education and arts sector. She has also taught in special needs schools. Her work across the education and arts sectors have now led her to development, raising vital funds for the organisation.
Chrissie Huntley (she/her)
Marketing & Communications Assistant
Chrissie is a working musician and vocal coach, with experience in music journalism and social media management. She's also a passionate mental health awareness advocate, directing fundraising campaigns and live events for this cause. She performed at the UK House of Commons as part of this.
Evie Sherry-Starmer (they/them)
Executive Assistant
Evie worked in higher education before joining the third sector. They have a wide range of experience including supporting boards, executive teams and disabled artists. Evie has a personal interest in inclusive community arts projects - particularly contemporary dance. They are also a DIY punk musician!