New Writing North gears up for ambitious growth
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New Writing North has had a huge transition of its board of trustees welcoming a new chair, vice chair, and three new trustees as the charity embarks on an ambitious phrase of growth.
This summer, the charity announced it is leading a coalition of civic leaders, universities, and industry leaders to create a new centre for the writing industries of national import, based the Newcastle.
The campaign is part of its mission to help reposition the southern bias of the writing industries, and break down barriers to opportunity for people in the North.
The new chair of the charity’s board is Newcastle lawyer, Neil Warwick OBE, who is replacing the former CEO of Borders and Books etc. David Roche. The new vice-chair is editorial director for Reach’s North East, Humber and Yorkshire titles, Helen Dalby, replacing independent consultant, Dr Caroline Murphy.
The new trustees to the board include Ted Hodgkinson, Head of Literature and Spoken Word at the Southbank Centre. He brings a wealth of literary and programming expertise to the board as the charity begins to expand its programme of literature events and festivals.
Liv Bird, currently studying for a literary PhD at Teesside University, also joins as a trustee. She has worked for Northumbria University Students’ Union and brings her expertise to help engage young people in New Writing North’s ongoing work with younger creatives in the region.
Maria Antoniou, an economic development specialist for Northumberland County Council, brings her expertise around public funding for skills, education, and capital development as a new trustee.
The new board members join its existing trustees who are architect Ian Crow, brand guru Matt Forster, psychotherapist and trainer Caroline Greenwood Dower, former communications director of Hachette UK Clare Harington, group communications director of Pan MacMillan Sara Lloyd, poet and editor Degna Stone, tech founder and entrepreneur, Hector Vidal, and treasurer, Gary Wright Chief Operating Officer of the Great North Run.