Ashburton Arts – people and objects

Pete Bingham

A musician by background, Pete was technical manager at Dartington College of Arts. Subsequently he was Operations Manager for ‘artsdepot’ in London, then Director of Estates & Learning Resources at Central School of Speech & Drama. He currently plays bass guitar with Exeter based FOS Brothers. He is a parent governor at Ashburton Primary School.

Oliver Bosence

Oliver is a surveyor specialising in the repair and adaptation of historic buildings for new uses (especially in and around Dartmoor) and an enthusiastic member of the Ashburton Singers, a choir which rehearses in the Methodist Church.

Sarah Cobley

Sarah is a freelance arts consultant, a Trustee of Arts and Health South West and Storybook Dads and is Director of Plymouth Dance CIC.

Simon Hooton

Simon runs the consultancy Ash Futures, which does strategic planning and many other things for a wide range of organisations. His past experience includes being the Director of Strategy at the SW Regional Development Association. More locally, Simon helped set up Bovey Climate Action and was a Trustee of Coombeshead School.

Su Maddock

Su is an innovation consultant working on place-shaping and transformation of cities. She’s a Visiting Professor at the University of the West of England, Hon Fellow Manchester Business School & Royal Society of Arts Fellow. Her interests included dance and mental health recovery.

Francis Parffrey

Francis was a solicitor for donkeys years in Exeter. He now runs a solo legal practice from home in Ashburton where he’s also involved in and a trustee of the PCC of St Andrew’s Church. He is Treasurer to Ashburton Tennis Club and to the Benefice of the Ashburton and Moorland Team. He is a Governor at Sands School Ashburton.

Andy Williamson

Andy is a jazz musician and choral director. Since 2011 he’s been putting on concerts as ‘Ashburton Live’, mostly in St Lawrence Chapel. In 2015 he stood for the Green Party in Central Devon (though he doesn’t expect to become a professional politician anytime soon!)

Nils White

Nils is an historic buildings consultant, and has been a Conservation Officer for DNPA and South Hams. He also plays keyboards with the local band Makiwa.

• acquire the Ashburton Methodist Church, and use this building as a community hub and

  performance venue;

• promote performing and creative arts of all kinds available to all the people of Ashburton and its

  surrounding areas;

• encourage participation in a wide range of arts and cultural activities;
• own and provide premises where people may work, whether self-employed or employed elsewhere

  and to promote and encourage the work of such people and businesses;

• raise funds for the purchase and conversion of property in the Ashburton area that will be used as a venue for public performance and education and as flexible working space for individuals, organisations, businesses and community activity;
• raise funds to initiate and mount events, performances, workshops and to make all of these available to as wide an audience as possible;
• contract to employ staff to organise and provide such services, whether permanent, temporary, freelance or under contract with third party organisations;
• collaborate with other individuals and organisations;
• create and own groups of people or companies/organisations as are necessary;
• promote and carry out all activities which will further the objects and activities mentioned above or any of them.

  As an inclusive organisation, the CIO shall promote equality of opportunity, and oppose discrimination on grounds of age, culture, disability, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation or financial resources. 
 The aim of these objects is to increase the availability of and participation in artistic, cultural and community activities in Ashburton and the surrounding region.