John de la Cour Chair of Severn Arts Board of Trustees Expand John has worked with numerous arts and welfare organisations over many years, predominantly as a funder. He is Director of The Elmley Foundation, a grant making charity which supports the arts in Herefordshire and Worcestershire, and his background includes spells in senior positions at the Arts Council. For ten years until June 2005 he was South West Regional Manager of the Big Lottery Fund (formerly the National Lottery Charities Board, later the Community Fund), where he was responsible for all application assessment and grant management. He has been closely involved in the design of programmes to help disadvantaged people and pioneered joint working with the other lottery distributers which led to the launch of Awards for All. John is a Fellow of Hereford College of Arts, whose Board of Governors he chaired for eight years, and holds an Honorary M.A. from the University of Worcester.
Dan Herbert Expand Dan is Director of Education for Birmingham Business School and has overall responsibility for the development of programmes and the delivery of high quality education for all of the School’s students.
Hannah Perrott Expand Hannah is Assistant Director for Communities at Worcestershire County Council and is the Council’s nominated member on the Severn Arts board. Previous roles include being an Assistant Director and Strategic Commissioner within Children’s Services. These roles have involved leading the development of Worcestershire Children’s First, the creation of Worcestershire’s Children and Young People’s Plan and the commissioning of community health services for children. Hannah is supporting Severn Arts with her invaluable experience and knowledge in business development and strategic planning.
Andy Watts Expand Multi-instrumentalist Andy Watts is Associate Principal Bassoon with The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and founder and director of folk/early music group The Carnival Band. He has had a distinguished career as a bassoonist playing with many of the UK's leading period instrument ensembles. He teaches baroque and classical bassoon at The Royal Academy of Music and The Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. In Worcester he coaches the recorder consort at the Elgar School of Music and teaches recorder at Oldbury Park RSA Academy.
Chloë Phillips Expand Chloë has been involved in music and the arts from a young age, having benefitted from free county tuition whilst she was at school, and like other board members is passionate about enabling and promoting music and arts opportunities for people in Worcestershire. Chloë plays violin with Worcestershire Symphony Orchestra and other occasional ensembles, and piano and clarinet when time allows. Chloë is a District Judge on the Midland Circuit.
Julie Berrow Expand Julie trained as a violinist at the Royal Academy of Music. She joined the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra at the age of twenty, taking part in extensive concert work, tours, educational projects and recordings. From 2006 - <insert date> Julie took on the role of headteacher, leading inner-city primary schools and supporting leadership in schools in challenging circumstances. Julie is on the governing board of a Birmingham preparatory school and is an elected member of the Birmingham Diocesan Board of Education.
Charlie Shiels Expand Charlie is currently CEO of ArrowXL, a large UK Logistics business with a Worcester operating base. A long-time Worcestershire resident, Charlie has 20 years board level experience and brings a significant commercial background to the Severn Arts Team. He also has previous experience working with young people through career related projects and is passionate about the arts, culture and music.
Emma Whittle Expand Emma is an event curator and producer currently working as Programming Lead for Cheltenham Literature and Science Festivals, where she creates events and activities across a range of disciplines and formats. In 2021 Emma founded VOICEBOX, an innovative platform for 18 – 30s that aims to support young talent and amplify the views and values of young people through arts and culture. She has a particular interest in the intersection of arts, science and culture with social issues, and is passionate about widening participation and the role of arts for our wellbeing.
Neil Phillips Expand Neil Phillips is a Worcestershire native who now lives in Lincolnshire. He studied Performing Arts at Kidderminster college before moving to London and becoming a professional rock musician; writing, recording and touring all over the world for over 10 years. He has written several songs that appear in films and computer games. In 2005 he moved back to Worcestershire and retrained as a youth worker, going on to work in various roles supporting disadvantaged young people including those at risk of offending and those in the criminal justice system before managing the Worcestershire County Council young carers support service. Neil is now a Programme Manager for the national music charity Young Sounds UK. He oversees a programme called Furthering Talent which provides holistic support for talented young musicians from low-income families. Severn Arts are one of 10 Music Education Hub partners from across England to make up the Furthering Talent family.
Val Yates Expand Val grew up in Merseyside. She studied Biochemistry at the University of Liverpool and then pursued a career in the voluntary sector, first being Manager of Student Community Action, running a range of volunteering projects across the city. For the last 25 years Val has lived in Malvern. During this time, she has worked at the University of Worcester and is now Director of Access and Inclusion. Val is an experienced trustee, having been a member on several boards and chair of the board of trustees at both Summitt House Support – an HIV and AIDS Support Charity and Worcester Community Trust. On a personal level Val has a love for the arts, is an avid theatre goer and has done a few stints behind the scenes for some local amateur dramatic groups. Val has two sons and a passion for the outdoors, particularly wild swimming and running.
Georgia Wells Expand Georgia is a Learning and Engagement Officer at the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, working to deliver music education programmes across Birmingham and the wider West Midlands. At 10, she started learning the violin, and spent her teenage years in orchestras and choirs in the Black Country. As a result, she is deeply passionate about music education and the arts and ensuring that the arts are accessible and inclusive. Georgia now plays violin with Halesowen Orchestra.