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The Albany Theatre Trust

Albany Theatre Trust Directors

David has led the Albany Theatre Trust since its inception and credits its success to the quality and dedication of the Trust’s Directors, staff and in particular the volunteers who have devoted their energies over the last decade and more to ensuring the theatre’s survival and growth.

David started his career as a teacher then spent four years as a house-husband (being brought up by his daughters). During this period he founded Coventry’s Hut Theatre, taking its Youth Company to perform a play he had authored on the Olivier stage at the National Theatre before migrating into radio and television journalism as a Senior BBC Education Correspondent. Completing his BBC-sponsored MBA he moved into a series of sales and marketing roles at Director level before starting his own consultancy business.

David is a former semi-professional footballer, FA Coach and soccer referee. 2023 marks David’s 40th year of service as a magistrate in Coventry and Warwickshire. He is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

Andy is Chief Executive Officer of University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust, one of the largest tertiary acute Trusts in the country, with an annual turnover in excess of £850m.

Andy was appointed CEO in 2010. For six years prior to that he was Chief Finance Officer of UHCW, as well as Deputy Chief Executive Officer from 2008–2010.  Andy also sits on a number of external Boards.

In January 2016 Andy was appointed Professor of Industry at the University of Warwick, and in 2022 awarded the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Business Administration at Coventry University in recognition of his leadership and significant contribution to healthcare provision across Coventry and Warwickshire.

Andy is also a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

Sarah Jordan joined The Albany’s Board at the end of 2019. Sarah is, by day, Head of Marketing at Leamington Spa based law firm Wright Hassall.

Sarah has worked in marketing roles for well over 20 years, giving her a huge amount of marketing and business development experience from a range of businesses/sectors which she applies to the Albany in her role as Trustee.

Sarah’s commercial expertise enables her to advise The Albany on marketing strategy, events, PR, communications, social media, digital etc.

Sarah has worked with us throughout the pandemic, supporting the theatre as we have strived to survive, and now seek to thrive. She has also been heavily involved in The Albany’s redevelopment project to date.

Christabell brings a wealth of experience to The Albany. She is a business and third-sector consultant with 15 years of experience. She has helped over 800 individuals and 148 organisations develop entrepreneurial aspirations, leadership qualities, strategic thinking, operational capacity, and financial resilience. Her expertise ranges from chief executive roles to project management, business and enterprise consultant.

She has led a thriving charity that has operated for twelve years with a proven track record of creating impact in deprived and minoritised communities. Christabell also provides culture and heritage management and consultancy. She has led the implementation and delivery of arts and heritage programs and provided direct consultancy in festival production, curation, and sustainability.

Christabell is currently undertaking PhD Research at Coventry University investigating Black-Led Community Businesses and their significance to economic regeneration strategies.

“Mr Coventry”, as he is affectionately known to the other Trustees, Clive runs a group of family-owned companies in house-building, construction, property development and property Investment developing the business from a small speculative house-builder to a group of six companies with a combined turnover of £27 million employing 82 direct staff. His experience has been invaluable in guiding the Trust through the past, current and future development works.

Clive has won many awards for his work, including FORCE (Forum for Constructing Excellence) Special Award 2004 for contribution to construction industry; WMCCE (West Midlands Centre for Constructing Excellence) Major Contribution to Excellence and Quality Award 2007; Coventry & Warwickshire Ambassadors Award 2009 and  the City of Coventry Good Citizen Award 2018 for outstanding contribution to charities and other organisations in Coventry.

He is President City of Coventry Scout County with 2,800 scouts; the Enterprise Club for Disabled People, Coventry with 150 members; of the Royal Society of St George, Warwickshire and of Three Spires Guildhall (musical society) Coventry.

Laurence is a Chartered Accountant and past Shareholder, Director and Chairman of one of the largest independent firms of Accountants in the Warwickshire and South Birmingham area. After graduating with an Honours Degree in Business Studies, Laurence trained and qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1983, when he won the Warwickshire Prize for the highest placed finalist.

He is also Finance Director and Trustee of a Multi Academy Company in Coventry comprising 7 schools.

Elected in December 2019, Taiwo is the Member of Parliament for Coventry North West. Prior to her election she worked as a Senior Oncology Pharmacist in the NHS. She continues to volunteer at Coventry University Hospital when not in Parliament.

Taiwo is the Chair of the All-Party Pharmacy Group, a Co-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Child Criminal Exploitation and Knife Crime and a member of the Health and Social Care Committee. Alongside Zarah Sultana, Taiwo plays a key role advising the Trust on external developments that influence and impact our position and progress, and advocates strongly on our behalf in the local and national corridors of power.

Her support is invaluable.

Angela is a Chartered Fellow of the CIPD and holds an MBA.  She has over 30 years’ experience in Human Resource Management operating at a senior level across sectors delivering major change projects. 

She is a strategic thinker, experienced in developing and implementing strategy whilst keeping the individual at the heart of her thinking. She understands how organisations work and individuals’ function in the workplace, working with organisations to create the environment to enable individuals to grow and perform to the best of their ability. 

For the last ten years Angela has run her own HR Consultancy providing support and advice to SMEs nationally.  

Carol has been in the Further Education sector for the majority of her working life and was recruited to her current role as CEO and Principal of Coventry College, as a result of her experience and success in college turnaround and transformation.

Carol joined the Board in April 2022 and is thrilled to be part of the Albany as it allows her to share her expertise of organisational leadership and management and to be involved in her lifelong passion – the theatre. 

Carol joined a theatre group at 13 years old and has appeared in many musical productions and also choreographed and directed a number of productions in North Staffordshire where she has lived for most of her life with her family.

Staying in Coventry during the week allows Carol time to become absorbed in supporting the new developments at the Albany plus enjoying the breadth of productions on offer.

 

Zarah was elected in 2019 as the Member of Parliament for Coventry South and joined the Board in 2020. She is a determined advocate for making the arts and culture accessible and open to all.

An enthusiastic supporter of the work of The Albany, Zarah has assisted the Trust in its efforts to become financially self-sufficient.

Albany Theatre Trust Membership

The Albany Theatre Trust is a Charity. It is also a Company Limited by Guarantee. Rather than shareholders, we have members. The Albany Theatre Trust welcomes applications for membership from individuals with an interest in supporting the work of the Trust.

Members must demonstrate a commitment to the Trust, support for our Vision, Mission and Objectives, sharing our values. They must accept and abide by the Code of Conduct for Members and Directors.

Applications for membership should be completed and handed to a Director in person or sent to:

Albany Theatre Trust,
c/o Dafferns LLP,
One Eastwood,
Harry Weston Road,
Binley Business Park,
Coventry,
CV3 2UB.

Membership information

ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS

KEY POLICIES

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