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Who We Are

Who We Are

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Restormel Arts was formed in 1991 in partnership with Restormel Borough Council. Its aims are to promote a programme of professional and amateur arts activity and to engage the local community as both audience and participants.

Local government reorganisation and loss of Arts Council funding have led to a review of our priorities and methods of working.

Although we continue to promote professional events, attracting artists and touring companies to our area, our main focus is on engaging local communities in arts related activities. Projects that engage young people, that celebrate local culture and heritage or reflect on the many physical changes taking place locally are given particular attention.

We aim to cover the whole of what is now called St. Austell Bay and its hinterland including Fowey, Lostwithiel, St. Blazey, Mevagissey and the China Clay villages.

To carry out our work effectively we seek to develop partnerships with local organisations and interest groups including:

  • St. Austell Town Centre Management
  • The Eco Towns Project
  • The China Clay Country Park at Wheal Martyn
  • The Eden Project
  • Town and Parish Councils
  • Local schools and youth organisations
  • Groundwork

 Restormel Arts is a registered charity and company limited by guarantee. It is overseen by a Board of Directors and employs experts as necessary for events and projects.

Some of the key people are:

Richard Turner (Chairman)

Richard was a founder member of Restormel Arts and has chaired it since its formation in 1991. He is recently retired having worked for Cornwall College St. Austell for many years latterly as Head of Adult and Community Education. He has a particular interest in community regeneration, having chaired Restormel Borough Council's CHEERS working party and continuing to be involved in the management of the Burrows Centre in St. Blazey and ClayTAWK at St. Dennis.

Richard chairs the Restormel Arts Finance Committee.

 

 Mike Hackney (Secretary)

After a career in industry Mike, a qualified Company Secretary, moved to Cornwall in 1998 and until recently worked with his wife and daughter in running the Atishoo Designs gallery and picture framers in Charlestown. In addition to being Secretary of Restormel Arts Mike also maintains the website.

Mike is a member of the Restormel Arts Finance Committee and a director and trustee of the Du Maurier Festival Society.

 Phil Webb (Consultant)

Phil was Development Director of Restormel Arts from its formation until 2008 when he became a freelance consultant and director of Kernow Arts and Music Alliance. He is an organiser of Every Culture Matters a multicultural arts project and the increasingly popular Jazz at the Brewery. His youth interests incorporate being a community governor of a local secondary school and Activity Network Coordinator for the St. Austell schools' cluster of South Restormel Extended Services. Phil also presents a weekly non-mainstream music programme on Radio St. Austell Bay.

 

Charlotte Ryall

On my Twitter account (@missryall) I’m described as a designer, creative, e-marketer, social-media-bod & earl grey tea drinker.

After nearly a decade of working in the design & marketing sector for other people, I set up my own design & online business yantantether at the end of 2010. This fills my days with being a social media consultant, designer and general pixel pusher - all to help businesses improve their online spaces.


In the hours between working and sleeping I’ve been known to perform on a stage or two including, the Minack, Hall For Cornwall & Glastonbury Abbey. I’ve also had a hand in organising the Vancouver Fringe Festival and ‘Twestival’ Cornwall as well as being a Soroptimist. If I were a stick of Cornish rock it’d say through the middle; ‘Design, Theatre & Tea’.

 

Richard Hope-Pears

 

 Matthew Douglas

Matt Douglas has been Head of Music at Brannel School, a Performing Arts College, for ten years. Over this time he has worked with many organisations on educational music projects, including The Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, EMI Music Sound Foundation, and The Royal Opera House. He has been a music Advanced Skills Teacher for four years and this has enabled him to support and develop music across Cornwall in a number of ways, including leading “Music and Maths” and Able and Talented workshops, writing teachers’ packs and embedding music in primary school units of work. Matt is also a big fan of music technology, a keen composer and arranger, and plays piano, trumpet and penny whistle.

Andy Ward

Originally from Birmingham, Andy studied hotel management in Cheltenham. In 1970 he and his wife opened "The Thin End" coffee shop in Fore Street, St. Austell. After some 29 years, having expanded into a retail Patisserie and online "Cakes Direct!", the business was sold. Earlier Andy had been a co-founder of the Tourist Information Centre (TIC) for St. Austell. Since the advent of The Eden Project the TIC has occupied much of his time and in the last few years he has set up an online box office service. As well as serving as a director of Restormel Arts Andy is an avid supporter of Phil Webb in promoting Jazz at the Brewery. 

Andy is a member of the Restormel Arts Finance Committee.

 Sheila Vanloo

Station Manager Radio St. Austell Bay

A Fowey girl, she attended Fowey Grammar School where music and drama were not really on the curriculum. That didn't stop her from having a passion for both and in her teens she organised live bands in Fowey Town Hall because nobody else did! She has written reviews for magazines and papers for some time and considers herself extremely fortunate to be invited to a wide range of Cornish theatre and music. Cornwall is rich in talent and she promotes both as much as possible on Radio St. Austell Bay. Sheila considers it an honour to be on the board of Restormel Arts.
 

 

 

 

 

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