Trustees

Chair

Steve has amassed a wide range of performance arts experience over decades both on and off stage and is very passionate about young people becoming involved in performing arts. Outside of theatre Steve has worked in marketing for over 40 years, founded several businesses and run many different size companies. Having lived in the Tring area for over 25 years his entire family are connected to the local performing arts scene cementing his desire to lead and support Tring Arts Trust’s ambitions, goals and objectives.

Secretary

Jackie has been involved with amateur theatre in Tring for over 36 years both on and off the stage. Having produced some ten musicals and served as an active committee member for several years, including twice as Chair for the Vale Musical Society, and is well versed in what is involved to bringing a show to the stage. Jackie is well aware that the logistics for amateur companies can be challenging especially financially, and as such she is delighted to be part of a team who are able to help local performing groups achieve their goals by considering and hopefully granting support for a specific requests.

Trustee

Peter is a highly experienced Trustee having served both as Board member and Chair of several charitable and not for profit organisations. His previous career was in scholarly publishing, where he was CEO of the multi-national healthcare information and education company, BMJ which publishes the flagship British Medical Journal. Peter lives in Tring and is married to Jane who is an osteopath – they enjoy travelling and walking. Peter has many years’ experience performing, directing and writing for amateur productions both here and in New York and every Sunday morning, he can be heard on Radio Dacorum, presenting The Golden Oldies Show.

Vice Chair

Ian is a retired Chartered Management Accountant who first got the ‘bug’ for community theatre when he was asked to play the King in Tring Pantomime’s Jack and the Beanstalk almost 40 years ago! He has a long and varied history stretching over many decades of fulfilling finance and leadership roles in a diverse range of voluntary groups including service organisations, school governors, amateur dramatics and theatre management. As chair of the Court Theatre Charity for over ten years with his wife Cheryl also ran the box office operation and other senior management roles providing a solid foundation for the development of the theatre. In what little spare time is available, his family have owned and run the Kings Arms in Tring for over ten years and continue to support many local charities and not for profit organisations.

Treasurer

Ray has been involved in performing arts in Tring for over 50 years. As a founder member of Choddles Pantomime Group, he and the team that started life at the Victoria hall paved the way for what is now the annual traditional Tring Pantomime. As an accountant he held the position of Financial Director of the Court Theatre charity for many years, and he now continues that role for Tring Arts Trust. Ray has also appeared on stage in many pantomimes and plays over the years and is delighted to still be supporting performing arts in Tring and local area.

Trustee

Liz is a relative newcomer to the Performing Arts community in Tring. Motivated by her son’s enthusiasm for throwing himself around on a stage, she’s keen to get involved and learn more from the other side of the curtain. Professionally she is a Chartered Member of the CIPD, the professional body for HR and has worked across HR & Recruitment for over 20 years. Her board experience comes mostly from School Governance having been a member of the Governing bodies at Tring School for 7 years, and more recently at Bishop Wood School.

Trustee

Tony and his family became involved with the Court Theatre in 2006, and the following year he ‘accidentally’ became Musical Director of its annual pantomime. He has now given up saying this year is his last. From 2016 – 2024 Tony served as Front of House Director and active member of the Court Theatre management team, and is now delighted to be offering his experience and services as a Trustee of Tring Arts Trust.

Trustee

Originally from Yorkshire, Ruth trained in dance and musical theatre at Elmhurst Ballet School, Tring Park School for the Performing Arts and Associated Studios. After performing professionally for over 5 years, Ruth moved into marketing and PR, working on theatre industry campaigns including the Olivier Awards and West End LIVE. She has been involved in amateur theatre in Tring and the surrounding areas since 2017, including with Tring Youth Theatre Project, Tring Theatre Company and St Albans Musical Theatre Company, from performing to choreography, social media support and more.

Trustee

Nick’s professional background is in the dental industry; he has worked for Kodak and other corporates in sales and management roles. He currently owns and runs a software company based locally to Tring. Since moving to the area in 2004, Nick and his family have been involved with the local performing arts scene, both on and off stage. His passion is pantomime, and he has been instrumental in growing the local Tring production to the force it is today, providing revenue to Tring Arts Trust which can be distributed as grants. Other voluntary roles have included Tring Rugby Club team management and Cheddington Scouts leadership. Nick lives in Cheddington with his wife Emma and two children who have all benefitted from amateur performing arts locally.

Trustee

Ian has been involved at the theatre in Tring since it opened as Pendley Arts Centre in 1978. Since then he has been involved at all levels and elements of theatre in hundreds of productions in all the building’s incarnations over the years, including Artistic Director from 2016 – 2024. Although he comes from a design and marketing background of some 40 years, in 2011 as a mature student he graduated with first class honours in Theatre Practice; Creative Producing from London South Bank University in conjunction with the National Theatre Archive. Ian has also adapted many British sit coms to the stage, notably The Vicar Of Dibley, raising over £250,000.00 for Comic Relief.

Trustee

David trained at the Royal Ballet School and danced with the Royal Ballet and Birmingham Royal Ballet before starting his performing career with Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures company of Swan Lake. He then performed in a variety of musicals, TV, film and operas before retraining as a ballet teacher at The Royal Academy of Dance. He has taught for over seventeen years at Tring Park School for the Performing Arts on the dance faculty and recently became Artistic Director of Berkhamsted Theatre Company. David has a variety of directorial and choreography credits, including BTC’s award winning Evita. He lives in Hertfordshire with his husband, Ben, who is also an avid theatre fan and Treasurer of Berkhamsted Theatre Company. David is also a qualified RFU referee and a Personal Trainer.

Trustee

Ruth has been involved in local performing arts for over 30 years, with extensive knowledge of theatre productions and running an amateur theatre group where she has applied her professional skills as an experienced CFO and company founder. She has worked in accounting and finance for 40 years, first in accountancy practice before moving into entertainment & music licensing, gaining experience in running a listed company along the way, before ‘bootstrapping’ an online retail business. Ruth is an avid supporter of the Arts in its many forms and has a strong understanding of allowing creativity to flourish under economic constraints.