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Simon Thomson (Chair) Simon is an educationalist and doctor with broad experience as a charitable trustee. He is interested in how music can be used to promote inclusivity and has previously acted as a trustee for the Tewit Youth Band as well as several other charities. As a clinician he led research, chaired training committees and authored a textbook but he has now left the medical world and is exploring alternative vocations. |
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Simon Taylor Simon has a background in preventative wellbeing and coaching, as well as programme and project management. Simon also has experience as a department head and has worked for several charities previously. He has a particular interest in how we can promote positive mental health and wellbeing in workplaces and the community. Simon is also a keen musician, having played guitar and drums for many years, and over the years has enjoyed attending open mic nights and being a member of several bands. |
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John Ashton John is now retired after working for 40 years in the field of social work and mental health with children and families. Music has always been an important part of John’s life whether that be singing in choirs, going to gigs or even trying to learn to play the guitar! He has seen the many benefits of people coming together to make music and is committed to providing as many opportunities as possible to people of all backgrounds. John firmly believes that participating in music can support our mental health and wellbeing and sees Emerging Voices as having a lot to offer to the people of York and surrounding areas. |
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Simon Procter Simon is a musician, music therapist and music sociologist who has worked across a range of mental health settings as well as training musicians to work in those settings. He is the director of Converge at York St John University, a partnership between the university and the Tees, Esk and Wear Valley NHS Trust which curates university-based courses (especially in the arts) for people with experience of mental ill-health as a dynamic, creative and evolving part of their recovery. |
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Laurie Farnell Laurie who was homeless for many years, became a student at Converge initially on a creative writing course, then he undertook an art course and subsequently also engaged with programmes supported by both Emerging Voices and Out of Character. Laurie was one of the founding trustees of Emerging Voices, he is an inspirational and passionate advocate for using the creative arts in mental health rehabilitation. He has a published book called Words from the Well of Wisdom, he is a poet, songwriter and guitar player. His songs have been performed and recorded by Communitas Choir (Converge) and the Harrogate Wellbeing Choir. He has joined the staff team at Converge and now works as a tutor on the drawing course. |
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Derrick Nicholson Derrick is a retired Chartered Accountant with a wide range of international business experience. He was a trustee at Horticap in Harrogate for 9 years. Horticap is a charity that provides adults with learning and other disabilities training in horticulture, allied crafts and rural skills. Music is an everyday part of his life as he sings in a Knaresbrough choir, plays piano and guitar (neither particularly well he says!) and is currently taking lessons to learn to play the piano accordion! |
