Dean joined Bag Books in July 2008. Prior to that he was Director of Finance and Fundraising at Contact a Family and Manager of the Community Resources Unit at Loughborough Students' Union. A former part-time lecturer in special needs, he has an MBA and an MSc in Charity Accounting and Financial Management. In 2010 he was invited to become a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in recognition of his work with Bag Books.
Director of Services,
Stuart Cummings
Stuart joined Bag Books in January 2010 after over 5 years of teaching pupils with SLD and PMLD. Prior to teaching, Stuart had also worked for Mencap, running holiday playschemes, and for Bury Metro as an Inclusion Support worker. Stuart was also Special Needs Manager for the World Scout Jamboree in 2007, and is involved with HCPT – The Pilgrimage Trust.
Corporate Fundraising Manager,
Camilla John
Having previously worked for the Guardian, ChildLine and the Cystic Fibrosis Trust, Camilla joined Bag Books in February 2010 and is keen to grow our portfolio of corporate supporters.
Financial Administrator,
Marion Mason
Storytelling Co-ordinator, Kate Blake
Workshop Manager,
Sophie Baker
Craft Artists:
Alena Ondrackova
Magdalene Tsirkas
Helen Boyd
Patricia
Antunes
Freelance Storyteller-Trainers
South East England and Story-Go-Round,,
Bernard Tagliavini
Bernard is a storyteller, singer, actor and director. He has worked with Bag Books since January 2007. As a storyteller, he has worked with all age-groups, both performing and giving workshops. These have included school children, drama students, student teachers, elderly people, people with visual impairment and people with physical disabilities. He can also be found, each July, helping co-ordinate the Uckfield Festival in East Sussex, where he lives with his wife and three children.
London,
Nina Martinez
After several years as an officer in the Metropolitan Police Force, Nina took a career break to raise her children. Once they were settled in school, Nina began a new career, working part-time for Bexley Library service as their Study Support Co-ordinator (Special Schools). She contacted Bag Books for help with resources and training and became so involved that she joined us as a part-time Storyteller in 2007.
South West England,
Saikat Ahamed
East Anglia, Marion Leeper
East Midlands, Chris Lowe
A professional storyteller since 1995, Chris assists teenagers with learning difficulties to express themselves. He has helped pupils with severe physical disabilities to stage a showcase on Martin Luther King at a city centre theatre in Birmingham. Chris is well known at Storytelling and Folk Festivals from Whitby to Weston and entertains a wide variety of audiences with stories and storytelling workshops.
West Midlands, Fiona Collins
Fiona is a storyteller with a great love of traditional tales. She has a special interest in encouraging young people to see themselves as storytellers, and co-ordinates the Young Storyteller of the Year Projects in England and Wales. She has been Storyteller in Residence in Special Schools for Flintshire and is the storyteller in a multi-arts team working with young people with special needs in Telford & Wrekin.
Yorkshire & The Humber, Shuna Beckett
Since 2000, Shuna has been working as a drama and storytelling facilitator in both school and community settings, four years of which of which were spent developing performing arts projects in South America. She has a background in participatory work which aims to include and empower the most socially excluded members of our society. She has developed her own multi-sensory 'story-making' techniques with a range of special needs, and looks forward to joining the Bag Books team and adapting to 'the Bag Books way'.
North East, Gary Cordingley
North West, Susanna Oldfield
Since 2003, Susanna has been storytelling professionally to all ages and abilities, and has a performance background. She has worked in art galleries, museums, schools, libraries, arts venues and festivals up and down the country and has toured internationally. She beleives stories have the power to transcend boundaries and communicate in a profound way to everyone.
Trustees
Philip Wilson (Chair)
Philip isDirector of Development at the British Science Association. He was formerly the Director of Fundraising at The Prostate Cancer Charity. Philip has been a Trustee since January 2004.
James Roy (Treasurer)
James is a retired Accountant with over 40 years’ experience. James has been a Trustee since January 2009.
Sandra Allon
Sandra was the Merchandising Director for Europe for Aquascutum and a senior buyer at Harrods for 30 years. Sandra has been a Trustee since January 2009.
Mamta Gupta
Mamta is a Barrister currently specialising in Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence work. She was formerly a Diplomat with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. She became a Trustee in July 2010.
Beth Murray
Beth Murray is a Consultant at leading public relations consultancy Lansons Communications. She primarily deals with clients in the retail and institutional finance markets. She has been a Trustee since July 2010.
Wendy Parsons
Wendy has been teaching young people with learning difficulties for over 20 years and has been a deputy head teacher since 2006. She worked with the founder of Bag Books early in her career and has been an enthusiastic supporter ever since. She joined the Trustees in July 2010.
Natasha Theobald
Natasha is a charity marketing professional with 16 years’ experience. She became a Trustee in July 2010.
Jonathan Walsh
Jonathan is a solicitor. He has been a Trustee since April 2006.
Patrons
Prof. James Hogg BA(Hons) PhD FIASSID
Kay Hounsham MSc MBE
Michael Morpurgo
Dr Alison Salt MBBS MSc FRCPCH
Advisory Committee
Sandra Hepburn
Deputy Manager of a care home for adults with autism.
Kathleen Herron
Deputy Managing Editor of the Sunday Times.
Jo Hibbitt
Head Teacher, Plumstead Manor School, Greenwich.
André Lloyd
Manager of a care home for adults with severe learning difficulties.
Dean joined Bag Books in July 2008. Prior to that he was Director of Finance and Fundraising at Contact a Family and Manager of the Community Resources Unit at Loughborough Students' Union. A former part-time lecturer in special needs, he has an MBA and an MSc in Charity Accounting and Financial Management. In 2010 he was invited to become a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in recognition of his work with Bag Books.
Stuart joined Bag Books in January 2010 after over 5 years of teaching pupils with SLD and PMLD. Prior to teaching, Stuart had also worked for Mencap, running holiday playschemes, and for Bury Metro as an Inclusion Support worker. Stuart was also Special Needs Manager for the World Scout Jamboree in 2007, and is involved with HCPT – The Pilgrimage Trust.
Having previously worked for the Guardian, ChildLine and the Cystic Fibrosis Trust, Camilla joined Bag Books in February 2010 and is keen to grow our portfolio of corporate supporters.
Bernard is a storyteller, singer, actor and director. He has worked with Bag Books since January 2007. As a storyteller, he has worked with all age-groups, both performing and giving workshops. These have included school children, drama students, student teachers, elderly people, people with visual impairment and people with physical disabilities. He can also be found, each July, helping co-ordinate the Uckfield Festival in East Sussex, where he lives with his wife and three children.
After several years as an officer in the Metropolitan Police Force, Nina took a career break to raise her children. Once they were settled in school, Nina began a new career, working part-time for Bexley Library service as their Study Support Co-ordinator (Special Schools). She contacted Bag Books for help with resources and training and became so involved that she joined us as a part-time Storyteller in 2007. 
A professional storyteller since 1995, Chris assists teenagers with learning difficulties to express themselves. He has helped pupils with severe physical disabilities to stage a showcase on Martin Luther King at a city centre theatre in Birmingham. Chris is well known at Storytelling and Folk Festivals from Whitby to Weston and entertains a wide variety of audiences with stories and storytelling workshops. 
Fiona is a storyteller with a great love of traditional tales. She has a special interest in encouraging young people to see themselves as storytellers, and co-ordinates the Young Storyteller of the Year Projects in England and Wales. She has been Storyteller in Residence in Special Schools for Flintshire and is the storyteller in a multi-arts team working with young people with special needs in Telford & Wrekin.
Since 2000, Shuna has been working as a drama and storytelling facilitator in both school and community settings, four years of which of which were spent developing performing arts projects in South America. She has a background in participatory work which aims to include and empower the most socially excluded members of our society. She has developed her own multi-sensory 'story-making' techniques with a range of special needs, and looks forward to joining the Bag Books team and adapting to 'the Bag Books way'. 
Since 2003, Susanna has been storytelling professionally to all ages and abilities, and has a performance background. She has worked in art galleries, museums, schools, libraries, arts venues and festivals up and down the country and has toured internationally. She beleives stories have the power to transcend boundaries and communicate in a profound way to everyone.
Mamta is a Barrister currently specialising in Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence work. She was formerly a Diplomat with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. She became a Trustee in July 2010.
Beth Murray is a Consultant at leading public relations consultancy Lansons Communications. She primarily deals with clients in the retail and institutional finance markets. She has been a Trustee since July 2010.
