The Team

Staff

Trustees

Chair of Trustees

Steven has extensive experience in the not-for-profit sector, having worked as a chief executive, a board member, and a volunteer. He ran the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust for nearly 20 years. He was also a trustee of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, the Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust, and the Rowntree Society (which he founded in 2001), and a board member of the National Lottery Community Fund. He has also served on the boards of various other non-profit organisations.

Co-Vice Chair of Trustees

Hannah is Consultant Clinical Psychologist and Clinical Lead for Deaf CAMHS North. This is a specialist Child and Adolescent Mental Health service, working with deaf children, young people and families across the North of England. As the sister of Jessie, the fund is something very close to her heart. She has been involved since the outset, when she was just 12 (designing the first version of our logo!). She has been a proud trustee since 2004.

Co-Vice Chair of Trustees

Nancy studied music after leaving school and then went on to develop a career in fundraising for over 20 years. In the last decade, she went back to university and gained a post-graduate qualification in psychotherapy. Her specialist interest is in trauma and long term transformational change with individuals. She now works for a clinic in Brighton and has a private practice working from home. Having personal experience of disability in her family, her experience and knowledge of psychological well being and the role music can play in peoples’ lives, either disabled or not, drives her involvement in Jessie’s Fund. Being an active co-Vice Chair of Jessie’s Fund is a privilege and an honour.

Trustee

Alan, father of Jessie, is the viola player in the Fitzwilliam String Quartet, which originally became well known for its relationship with Shostakovich, whose last three quartets they premiered in the UK. He has held teaching posts at the University of York and the Royal Northern College of Music, as well as a residency at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge. He has been awarded honorary doctorates by both Bucknell University (USA) and the University of York.

Trustee

Julia has worked for BBC World Service radio, and for Amnesty International on its Brazil Research Programme. She has also run her own small independent non-fiction book publishing company. In recent years she has focused on being a writer and novelist. Having a lifelong interest in communication, she is inspired by the work of Jessie’s Fund in supporting children to express themselves through music.

Jack is an experienced business consultant having worked as a Director at a big 4 accounting and advisory firm where he focused on advising FTSE100 clients on strategy and performance improvement. He is currently working as a Client Partner at Microsoft where he works with large corporate customers advising them on digital strategy and transformation. He is honoured to have joined the board of Trustees at Jessie’s Fund and will focus on helping grow the digital footprint and corporate partnerships.

Andy has worked in York as an Ear Nose and Throat Surgeon with a particular interest in voice since 1988. He was Clinical Director for Head and Neck Services for nine years; Regional Advisor for ENT Surgery to the Royal College of Surgeons, and President of York Medical Society in 2011 – 2012. He is passionate about the arts and their transformative effect in all aspects of life, and is keen to use his knowledge of the health sector to support Jessie’s Fund in its outstanding work with young people.

Liz has been sub principal viola in the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra for many years. Tours take her all over the UK and the world, where she is privileged to play with some of the world’s greatest soloists and conductors, but she also loves the opportunity to work with orchestral education and outreach programmes. Liz herself is deafened, and she has had much personal experience of disability through her brother, who has learning difficulties, so the fantastic work of Jessie’s Fund is very close to her heart.

Jessica is a Grants Officer at the Jack Petchey Foundation, a grant-giving organisation working closely with schools and grassroots charities to support young people across London and Essex. Prior to this, she worked to increase the number of inclusive musical opportunities across East London at the charity Newham Music. Jessica studied Music at Goldsmiths University of London where she also worked as a classroom assistant supporting music lessons, and is currently a member of the London Symphony Chorus. Jessica is excited to bring her experience and passions for equal access to music opportunities to Jessie’s Fund along with her experience in fundraising, grant giving and business development.

Charlotte has a background in music, having studied the cello at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music & Dance before completing an MA in Community Music. During this time, she became increasingly aware of the transformative power of music, facilitating early years music classes and taking music into schools, hospitals, care homes and prisons. She now works for Awards for Young Musicians who provide funding and opportunities for musicians from low income backgrounds. She is passionate about ensuring that every young person has the opportunity to access and engage with music and is proud to support the vital work of Jessie’s Fund.

Sally says ‘Jessie and my daughter were friends at school, so I’ve been aware of Jessie’s Fund since its inception. A few years ago I had the opportunity to take their training course. Meeting the teachers and music therapists on the course, and hearing about the sorts of work they do and the children they work with was a privilege, so I am really pleased to make some contribution to the wonderful work of this charity. In my day job I work in mental health research at the University of York.’

Lesley’s experience when her daughter Jessie was in a children’s hospice made her aware of how many children struggle to communicate: it was clear to her how music could help these children. As a clarinettist Lesley has worked in a range of music-making – from working with Stockhausen to touring extensively with orchestras such as the English Baroque Soloists and the Academy of Ancient Music. She teaches at the University of York: in 2006 that institution awarded her an honorary doctorate, and in 2021 she was awarded Honorary Membership of the Royal Northern College of Music.

Musicians

Our special schools projects are led by freelance musicians who have an enormous amount of experience in working with children who have additional needs. Assisting them are young musicians who are at an earlier stage in their careers, but who have typically completed postgraduate study in community music. Our ‘bank’ of musicians is growing steadily; meet a few of them here.

Sarah Atter is an award-winning Manchester-based musician with extensive experience of devising and delivering education and community projects, alongside student and teacher training, large-scale residencies and consultancy work. She works across a variety of fields including music in healthcare, music in the community, music in education, music in criminal justice and collaborative cross-art form projects. Sarah works both as an independent practitioner and in partnership with organisations including Manchester International Festival, Manchester Camerata, Streetwise Opera, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and Music in Prisons. Sarah also lectures at The University of Manchester, RNCM, and designs and delivers artist development training for TiPP and Chetham’s School of Music. As a flautist, Sarah works across the country in orchestras and chamber ensembles, and inspires the next generation, teaching flautists of all ages.

Andy Baker enjoys a varied and interesting musical career making all kinds of music with all kinds of people. As a freelance double bass player, he has performed with many of the UK’s leading orchestras, both playing and leading hundreds of outreach projects as a ‘Community Musician’. As a music educator, he works regularly in mainstream education and with children with additional needs, and has recently developed a programme of work for children of all ages on the Autistic Spectrum. He has also formed an orchestra for people living with Dementia which was featured on BBCTV. He plays guitar, bass guitar and piano in rock and jazz bands and his work with HMP Verne inmates was nominated for a prestigious RPS National Award. He also coaches and leads workshops for the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain.

Hello, I am Katie Heller, a violin/viola player who has been lucky enough to spend my whole life making music. Some days it will be engaging with babies and tots, other days creating songs with children or maybe discovering calm sounds with a youngster who just needs some peace. I play in orchestras too, enjoying Opera festivals with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and the City of London Sinfonia and often sharing music in a variety of settings. During the pandemic, we found ways of recording music and sending it into care homes to try and reach residents who were very isolated. And with Jessie’s Fund, we were able to deliver live music sessions over the internet into special schools. I developed a whole new set of skills that I could not have imagined I would ever need! I really do feel that music helps us all in the world, whatever the genre, and I feel very privileged to be part of the creative wheel.

Ali is a drummer and percussionist with a Jazz Studies degree from Leeds College of Music. Career highlights include signing as a co-writer and percussionist for Zimbabwean soul artist ‘Thabo’. He’s performed with numerous bands and show productions, including the UK tour of Disney’s The Lion King. He is proud to be a musician/accompanist at the prestigious Northern School of Contemporary Dance and The Lowry theatre. Ali enjoys creating musical activities to help encourage the self-expression and communication of young people with learning difficulties and multiple special needs. Ali has visited settings such as SEND schools, young offenders’ prisons and nursing homes, delivering interactive performances, one-to-one sessions, staff training events and workshops.

Hannah McCabe is a diverse musician whose career as a clarinet and sax player includes work with Manchester Camerata, Sinfonia Cymru, Opera North, Phoenix Dance Theatre, Royal Exchange Theatre, The Unthanks, BBC Folk Awards, Kabantu, Giffords Circus and live broadcasts on BBC radio 3, BBC radio 2 and television. Developing inclusivity, access and engagement within the Arts is a valued strand of her career and Hannah works with a range of organisations to design and deliver creative outreach projects with different communities. Her work focuses on delivering participant-led creative projects alongside staff training and mentoring. In 2014, Hannah was appointed Fellow in Creative and Professional Practice at the Royal Northern College of Music and in 2015 she was made Senior Lecturer of Clarinet at Leeds Conservatoire.

Emma Richards is a violist, educator and community musician. She is a specialist in the creative and person-centred use of music in special schools, hospitals, prisons and community settings. She was trained by Musique et Santé and LIME Music for Health and went on to work for many years in Manchester Children’s Hospital, delivering music on the wards and by the bedside. As a performer, she freelances with orchestras across the UK and specialises in contemporary music, working in collaboration with composers and championing new and lesser-known works for the viola. She has worked for Jessie’s Fund since 2017 and loves working with the students and teachers she has met on projects. She is currently teaching herself the ukulele so that she can pursue her love of singing folk music.

Tom is a musician, music leader, trainer and composer. He studied Jazz at Leeds Conservatoire and uses improvisation as a core principle for creating shared musical experiences. Tom has extensive experience working with vulnerable people in many settings, including special schools, healthcare environments, prisons, secure units and in the community. One of his long-term projects in a community setting involves supporting young people with additional needs to write their own music and perform on stage with their peers. Tom endeavours to bring these principles of creativity and inclusion to all of his work as a musician.

Jemma is a freelance flautist, workshop leader and educator. Her orchestral work has included performances with BBC Symphony Orchestra, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Orchestra of Welsh National Opera, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and Southbank Sinfonia. Jemma performed in the highly-acclaimed production of Amadeus at the National Theatre, regularly tours the UK playing live film soundtracks and works as a studio musician in venues such as Abbey Road. As a workshop leader and educator, Jemma works for organisations including LSO Discovery, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Academy St Martin in the Fields and Jessie’s Fund. She was fortunate to complete the Spitalfields Trainee Music Leader Scheme in 2018 and has a regular position delivering music sessions at a SEND school in Northamptonshire. Jemma has a BMus(hons) degree from Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and completed her Master’s degree at Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

Patrons

Maxine Peake is one of the nation’s favourite actors. She enjoys a prolific career as a theatre, television and film actor, portraying a huge range of characters. As a writer she has focused on social issues and the stories of women who have achieved greatness in the face of adversity. Maxine first came to national attention as Twinkle, in our late Patron Victoria Wood’s Dinnerladies. Like Victoria Wood, her roots are in the North: she grew up in Bolton and still lives in the North West. She says: ‘I am very honoured to have been approached by Jessie’s Fund to become their Patron. No-one could ever replace the extraordinary Victoria Wood: to be able to continue her work with an organisation she held so dear to her heart is an absolute privilege. Music has always played a very special part in my life, as a healer and an inspiration. To be able to reach out to young people with complex needs and allow them to communicate through the power of music is a must. What a wonderful and essential charity.’

We are delighted that Trevor Pinnock has become a Patron of Jessie’s Fund. He is not only renowned worldwide as both conductor and harpsichord virtuoso, but is revered as one of the pioneers of historically informed performance practice. He founded The English Concert in 1972 and together they spearheaded the revival of Early Music performance on period instruments. His extensive recording history of over 40 years encompasses many highly acclaimed recordings including Handel’s Messiah, Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos and Orchestral Suites, and Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons. Joining Jessie’s Fund as a Patron he states, “I am thrilled to become a Patron of Jessie’s Fund. Music opens doors to feelings and communication in a very simple and direct way and the deep joy I felt when I first heard music as a child is what I have endeavoured to share with others ever since. The power of music is huge. It is for everybody and it is a safe place. The work of Jessie’s Fund with needy children is of the greatest importance in giving children a sense of achievement and self-worth, and I look forward playing my part.”