The Newbiggin Arts Forum Steering Group
Chair : Jason Thompson
On graduating in 1992 I took a teaching post at Newbiggin Middle school where I ran the music department and had a Year 5 form class, teaching Music and Humanities. In 1995 I moved to a teaching post at Ashington High School, as Head of Music, where I stayed until 1998 whilst also being involved in freelance Multimedia Consultancy, part time.
Having set up my web development business in 1995 part time, I left teaching to pursue Multimedia Consultancy and Development full time in 1998. My business, Sound Ideas, is run from my home in Newbiggin, and is mainly involved in web site and CD-ROM development and consultancy, as well as web training and photography.
I work mainly in the North East of England with a wide range of clients from self-employed individuals to local government and education organisations. During the time the business has been established I have developed over 200 web site and multimedia projects, and have won local and national awards for web site and CD-ROM development.
Some of Jason's photography can be seen here.
Vice Chair : Rebecca de’Wessington
Originally from the midlands and having lived all over the country and abroad, I have resided in the North East for the last 13 years. I am married to Ian and mother of four, mostly grown up, children.
My career has spanned many different types of work from business travel, nursing, hotel work, housing security, housing repairs, to the civil service. The latter convincing me that I should set up my own business.
After moving to Newbiggin by the Sea in 2005 and establishing new friends, I was encouraged to take the plunge and with their help and the support of my family, I launched Pride of Northumbria (www.prideofnorthumbria.com), a regional luxury hamper business.
I enjoy art, crafts, music and creative writing and wanted to be part of the forum to explore these further and also, thought it would be a chance to meet others from the community, as I am new to the area.
Since joining the forum, I have started to paint, and have completed a range of abstract acrylic pieces on canvas.
Secretary: Rebecca McCready
I moved into Newbiggin by the Sea in September 2004 from North Shields but grew up in North East Hampshire. I work for Newcastle University as a Learning and Teaching Advisor delivering academic IT skills to students. I have a wide range of hobbies and interests of which in Art include playing the Saxophone, Piano, Scottish Bagpipes (with Morpeth Pipe Band) and Recorder, water-colour painting, calligraphy and theatre where directing is my strength. I also dance, in particular ballroom and latin american. Most of these hobbies are dormant as there simply isn't enough hours in the day but I hope that my involvement in Newbiggin Arts Forum will allow me to indulge some time in most of these interests and learn some more, plus meet fellow villagers
Laura Matheson - Treasurer
Andy Curtis - Board Member
Jean Thompson - CAP Representative
Jenn Ridley - Kids Arts Forum Representative
Eddie moved to Newbiggin-by-the-sea in 2003 from Oxfordshire. Originally from Birmingham, he is a Geography graduate from the London School of Economics and runs his own business in the village e.g. Recruitment Ltd. Eddie has a wide interest in the arts and enjoys music, painting, theatre & crafts. Also a trustee of the Mary Joicey Maritime Trust, his talents lie in the organisation, networking and direction for the forum. To this end, Eddie has established NE Arts, and organisation set up to help facilitate arts in the community. Visit www.nearts.co.uk for more information.
Since trying art at the first time, Eddie has become an internationally exhibited photographer (Museum de Lysee in Lusanne), and now works in crayon, charcoal, acrylics and oils. Eddie can be contacted at eddie@newbigginartsforum.org
Consultant: Eddie Galvin