New specialists sign up to board of charity running Royal & Derngate in Northampton

The charity that operates the theatre, Northampton Theatres Trust, is governed by a board of volunteer trustees, each with a speciality to help the theatre thrive.

Charlie Wood co-founded and runs Underbelly - a UK-based live entertainment company, which started off as one small venue at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Charlie was recently named in The Stage newspaper’s list of the 100 most influential people working in UK Theatre.

Hannah Miller has been the head of casting at the Royal Shakespeare Company since 2008. She also works regularly in drama schools and with other industry organisations and has previously been a school governor in Northamptonshire,

Dave Murphy has been the chief executive of Cambridge Arts Theatre for the last 12 years, and is responsible to their board of trustees for all artistic and operational matters. He brings a wealth of industry experience to the Northampton Theatres Trust Board.

Jane Bloomer is a practising solicitor and director at Northamptonshire law firm, Howes Percival LLP, and is a member of the board’s finance committee.

As a representative of Northampton Borough Council (NBC), Councillor Mike Hallam is deputy leader of the borough council and cabinet member for finance. Also representing NBC, Danielle Stone is the county councillor for Abington and Phippsville and holds the shadow portfolio for learning, skills and education, and is borough councillor for Castle Ward and the leader of the Labour group of councillors for NBC.

The 14-strong board is chaired by Chris Heaton-Harris MP, the Member of Parliament for Daventry.

Mr Heaton-Harris said: “I’m delighted to have welcomed these new trustees to the board of Royal & Derngate. With their wide range of knowledge, experience and expertise complementing the skills of our existing Trustees, the Board is in great shape to support the continuing development of the theatre.”