Who are we?

Susan van Beveren blends her professional training in consulting, coaching, counselling and workplace chaplaincy with the wisdom drawn from a lifetime of personal spiritual development and academic enquiry. She is passionate about transformation, assisting people and organisations to developing their potential in holistic, creative and productive ways and has worked in the commercial, public and voluntary sectors in Australia, The Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

Diane Broomhead completed a Further Education Teaching Certificate in 2004 and set up her own business called Broomhead Training in 2005, delivering Disability Equality Training. She joined the Spotlight team early in 2008 and has really enjoyed the experience of performing, while at the same time getting this important and highly challenging subject across in a different way. 

Helen Bryant is the Access Officer at Reading Borough Council. She is a member of Progress Theatre, loves to act and is also musical. Helen is a wheelchair user and has been ever since she graduated from a pram... 

Ali Carroll is an independent therapist and drama workshop leader whose drive is to make therapy and drama accessible to diverse groups in the community. She runs 'Diversity Drama In Action', which has provided projects for a range of groups including a Womens Centre, adults and children with learning disabilities, older people and children with Downs Syndrome. 

Helen Garforth is passionate about dynamic ways of getting people involved, empowering them to make changes that give them, and their fellow global citizens, a better quality of life. She set up consultancy Just Ideas, providing support to the voluntary and community sectors. An experienced trainer and facilitator, she enjoys learning from the other members of the group when it comes to drama, and is not afraid to tackle challenges. 

Aideen Henry works for Graft which supports disabled people into employment. She has a BA Hons in Business Management and in her spare time enjoys reading, writing poetry and spending time with friends and family. She loves travelling and experiencing different cultures.

John Hoggett is a performer who blends the personal and the political. He has a long history of performing poetry, comedy and interactive drama on subjects as diverse as climate change, refugees, local transport problems, domestic violence and homophobia. But his work also tackles love, romance and breadmaking. He is an independent drama worker and his poetry collection, First Book, has been recently published by chipmunka publishing.

Joycelyn Melton-Grey is an experienced health professional, formerly Diversity and Equality Lead in the NHS, where she was awarded Woman of the Year 2000. Qualified in Psychological Medicine, Addictive Behaviour and in Counselling and Guidance, she is a Director/Trustee of the Princess Royal Trust and a panel member of the Youth Offenders Team. She believes in contributing to the community and learning new skills in order to make a difference.

Harish Raichura is a local businessman, married and with three children. He is also a magistrate and has been actively involved in numerous community initiatives over the past 25 years including Reading Council for Racial Equality, Oxford Road Community Centre, Reading Hindu Temple, Indian Community Centre and Ethnic Minorities Forum. He won the BBC Community Champion award for his work in the field of racial harmony.

Cathy Wardale loves drama and is an experienced teacher, specialising in primary age and teacher training. She works with community groups such as carers, devising dramas to address pertinent issues. She is enthusiastic about creative ways to use drama in diversity education, to challenge discrimination and to encourage openness.