Paul
Paul is an experienced Consultant, Project Manager, Theatre Practitioner and Poet with a wealth of experience working with both the Private and Public sectors. He works closely with organisations and individuals to diagnose problems and create solutions, fully involving the key players in the process of change.
“Thank you so much for an inspiring day – all the feedback I have had from staff has been really enthusiastic and we have already borrowed some of your ideas…” – Deputy HeadAs Director of Curriculum Plus, Paul manages a portfolio of clients ranging from schools, through local authorities to private corporations. He is currently overseeing work within a secondary school that is raising standards in English, mentoring a team of Creative Experts to deliver work across the North West and managing Inspire Mark projects connected to the official Cultural Olympiad of the Olympics 2012.
Paul has a specialism in Learner Voice – putting the people that matter at the heart of decision making in an authentic and realistic way – and works with young people and adults, devising new theatre and poetry that reflects and responds to their lives.
Leigh
Leigh is a talented and versatile practitioner, with expertise in Drama, English and Counselling. She combines these skills as part of her practice, delivering work that has both educative and therapeutic elements.
“Leigh worked so well with some of our most hard to reach clients. She is both inspirational and serenely calm at the same time… I learned so much from working alongside her.” – Secondary School English teacherCommitted to her continuing professional development, she trained in drama at Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and added to her qualifications with a Diploma in Counselling. She is currently studying an MA in Urban Education at Manchester Metropolitan University.
Leigh works in school settings delivering and managing projects which enhance the curriculum and encourage young learners to reach their potential in a fun and person-centred way. She has a wealth of experience in primary, secondary and special school settings across the North West and also runs a private counselling service for adults and young people.
Recent projects include:
- Project managing a Den Building week in a primary school working across the curriculum and key stages.
- Enhancing English project – working with a Secondary School using drama to raise standards within English.
- Running an after school drama club for 5-10 year olds
- Staff INSET sessions around Creating Compelling Learning Experiences and Developing Literacy Skills through Drama
Johnny
Johnny has become known as “the man who can do anything” and constantly surprises clients with his flexible approach to working. One minute you’ll be making a 3D sculpture, the next writing poetry, the next singing a song. Time seems to pass so quickly that it is often only after the dust has settled that you can reflect on how much was learned.
“Johnny has brought some much welcomed chaos to my classroom. I’ve seen him reach some students that I find it almost impossible to engage… We will miss him, but I have a feeling we will see him again.” – Secondary School English TeacherJohnny regularly runs inset sessions for teachers, TA’s, trainee teachers and whole school staff. He delivers a range of different ‘off the shelf’ sessions or can come up with a bespoke session tailored specifically to your requirements.
He is a Creative Consultant and Practitioner working in education, writing and delivering a wide range of creative projects for communities, schools and colleges. He works with professionals and individuals to explore their own creativity, and designs and delivers exciting projects for galleries, museums and libraries. He regularly works with The John Rylands Library, The Whitworth Art Gallery and The Royal Exchange Theatre.
He is passionate about exploring creativity in all its forms and helping others to do the same. He works as an artist, writer, storyteller and musician and is especially interested in drawing out language from art, taking it into writing, drama and music. His speciality is encouraging reluctant writers to write through a variety of specialised projects.
Helen
Helen is a journalist, photographer and teacher. She uses journalism as a way of helping students learn more about their communities, themselves, and the issues that affect them, whilst enhancing literacy and improving confidence.
“I like the cut of her jib!” – Head of English
Classes she has worked with have created their own newspapers, radio stations and documentary projects.
Helen also writes about social issues for the Guardian, Inside Housing, and the Big Issue in the North, and is currently travelling the country documenting what makes a ‘good society’.
Kate
Kate is a performer and drama practitioner. Trained at Rose Bruford College London, her practise has roots in European Contemporary theatre and her solo work is concerned with the relationship between performance and space. Alongside film and theatre performance she also trains adult and young performers in contemporary theatre practises including gestural performance, mime, clowning and devising.
In recent years her work as a facilitator has been focussed around working with vulnerable and ‘hard to reach’ young people and adults in a variety of settings including high security prisons, secure units and in the community. She has developed innovative projects nationally in collaboration with arts and educational organisations.
“forward facing and dedicated artist committed to their growth and development and someone who also embraces a community of practice within the workplace”
(Contact Theatre)
Kate is completely motivated and creative, she brings a whole host of ideas to the team in a way that inspires her colleagues. She has an excellent demeanour with young people and in fact all groups. I cant recommend her enough”
(Odd Theatre)
Sara
Sara is a performer, writer and arts practitioner. She is a founding member of all-female performance company Eggs Collective, a writer for whatsonstage.com and part of a team of Creative Experts delivering work across the North West.
Sara works regularly with young people for Contact and with older people with dementia for The Library Theatre Company, recently co-writing The Storybox Manual: A Practical Guide for Creative Activities with Older People.
Current projects include:
- Assistant directing a young theatre company within an international collaboration project
- Working with a secondary school to build confidence in speaking and listening skills through drama
- Co-creating an immersive performance for an interactive screening of Roald Dahl’s The Witches as part of the Manchester Children’s Book Festival.
- Performing with a tea trolley around the wards of The Manchester Royal Infirmary as part of Dementia Awareness Week.
Special thanks
Many thanks to the following people, without whom this website would not exist:
Stuart Turnbull – brand development & web design
Jem McCarron, Freelance Writer – Website copy and proof reading www.creativetendency.co.uk
Helen Taylor, Housing Strategy Team, Wigan Council – Website copy