MEET THE TEAM

Alice Bethune
Administrator

Alice joined the team in 2011 on an apprenticeship and has worked her way up to becoming the Administrator, Finance Assistant and Volunteer Co-ordinator. Alice works with all the various departments at Llantarnam Grange and strives to make all who engage with us feel welcome and supported. A bit of a magpie Alice is attracted to all things glittery and shiny, is a lover of crisps and enjoys embroidery.

Contact Alice

Amy Davies
Assistant Cafe Manager

Amy came to Llantarnam Grange at the age of 15 for work experience and volunteered in the education department before starting her work in the café. Amy was appointed Assistant Café Manager in 2019, helping to organise the day to day running of the café and greeting customers with her infectious laugh and smile. Amy loves to make crochet creatures for family and friends and always has a book in her hand.

Savanna Dumelow
Exhibitions Officer

Savanna started volunteering at Llantarnam Grange in 2017 after graduating in Photography at University of South Wales. Now Exhibitions Officer, she organises and curates our exhibitions and showcases. She thrives on collaboration with a verve for supporting emerging and established artists alike. Savanna also loves working on her own creative passion projects and is a proud nerd at heart.

Contact Savanna

Holly Ivany
Café Manager

Holly has worked in the café on and off since she was 16 and became the manager in 2019. Holly is a firm believer of using locally made and fresh produce, offering those who use the café various healthy and vegetarian options – she will always do what she can to cater for any dietary requirements. Holly loves a pop of colour, (as her mermaid/ unicorn hair shows), enjoys baking, and finds reptiles cute.

Contact Holly

Sophie Lindsey
Marketing Officer

Sophie is our Marketing Officer who joined in Winter 2021. She leads on the strategic direction of our communications and marketing, and supports our partnership and development work.  Sophie is always keen to hear from people who want to work together, so do get in touch.  Sophie spends the rest of her time working on various freelance projects as an artist, curator and graphic designer, and has an extensive collection of woolly hats.

Contact Sophie

Louise Jones-Williams
Director

Louise became the Director in 2019. Having been with the organisation for 25 years, she knows all aspects of the organisation and the needs of our communities inside out. She leads on the strategic business and creative direction of the organisation, liaising with our partners and networks to develop relationships and projects. Louise loves an eclectic mix of 80s/90s metal, trips to National Trust properties, cats and the novels of Jane Austen.

Contact Louise

Becky Lewis
Education Assistant

Becky is our Education Assistant and Criw Celf Evaluation Administrator. Becky first started volunteering back in 2007. Becky works with children, young people, and vulnerable adults both here at Llantarnam Grange and out in the community. She is passionate about encouraging and supporting participation in the arts. She loves reading, learning new crafts, and drinking lots of tea.

Contact Becky

Louise Tolcher-Goldwyn
Senior Education Officer

Louise became the Senior Education Officer in 2003. She oversees our learning programme, leading on the creative development and delivery of participatory activities. Louise believes that everyone should have the opportunity to engage with the arts and would be happy to hear from anyone that has a project idea, or that would like to work with us. Felted and embroidered chimpanzees also make her happy as do expressive inky drawings and brightly coloured shoes.

Contact Louise

Simon Browne
Vice Chair

Simon became a Trustee in 2019, but first used Llantarnam Grange back in 1991 for a life drawing class during his Art A-level. Regularly visiting since then he also introduced his children to the grange through classes and the wonderful Criw Celf programme. As a Brand & Marketing Consultant, Simon brings his consultative approach to the board and its challenges, providing a fresh perspective and commercial awareness. Simon recently became the Vice Chair and looks to help LG as much as it has helped him. Simon is nearly 95% made of coffee.

Stephanie Burge
Chair

Steph is passionate about cultural democracy and working with people to create a more representative, inclusive and accessible cultural sector. She is currently Learning, Interpretation and Participation Manager at National Museum Cardiff, and has previously held several roles across Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales focused on leading organisational change to place communities at the heart of their work. Steph is also trying to learn how to grow her own fruit and veg, and loves board games.

Kim Colebrook
Treasurer

Kim became a trustee in February 2022 having known and loved the Grange for over 30 years. Kim has worked in the tourism and heritage sectors throughout her career, promoting Wales to the world and bringing stories of the history of south Wales to life for young and old. In recent years Kim has studied creative crafts, specialising in ceramics, and now works from her studio in Abergavenny and sells and exhibits across the UK.

Cllr Veronica Crick

Croesyceiliog and Llanyrafon Community Council Representative

Veronica has been a member of the Croesyceiliog and Llanyrafon Community Council since 1990, having been the Council Clerk for 5 years previously and was also a Borough Councillor for 10 years, representing Torfaen on outside organisations. Her first introduction to Llantarnam Grange was at a meeting of the local United Nations Association in the early 1970s. As a local resident she has been delighted to see how Llantarnam Grange has developed over the years to now hold a recognised and positive position in the Arts scene not only locally but much further afield across Wales, the UK and beyond. She is particularly appreciative of the impact of work undertaken in the local Torfaen community.

Toni De Jesus
Trustee

Toni is a freelance ceramicist based at Fireworks Clay Studio in Cardiff. Since graduating from Cardiff Metropolitan University, Toni has been actively showcasing and selling work around the country. He was awarded at FRESH, British Ceramics Biennial in 2019. Toni is interested in getting a younger generation proactively involved within the arts sector from a freelance standpoint. Toni loves watching cooking shows and documentaries but has little cooking skills.

Fiona Fenton

Trustee

Fi joined Llantarnam Grange as a Trustee in 2022, bringing her skills and experience in fundraising, volunteering and administration within the Third Sector, and particularly arts, culture and heritage organisations. Coming from a background of mental health and with personal experience as a carer, she feels passionately about the role of art and culture in enhancing a sense of wellbeing and enabling creative and cultural opportunities to be accessible to all. Currently Fi works as an administrator at Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales, on a project that is exploring how to use the Museum and collections to support and improve the well-being of people affected by dementia. Outside of work, Fi is currently learning how to quilt, and enjoys sea swimming and baking vegan cakes!

Sarah James MBE
Trustee

Sarah James has been organising multi-award winning arts festivals for over 18 years. She is managing director of Craft Festival, Bovey Tracey & Cheltenham, Nourish Festival, Bovey Tracey and online community Find a Maker. Sarah co-founded madebyhandonline.com and is former director of Make South West (formerly Devon Guild). Sarah is a ceramics graduate from Glasgow School of Art and an avid collector of craft, especially pottery. Sarah lives in Devon with her husband, children and their Border Terrier, spending as much time in Wales as possible.

Cllr Gareth Lloyd-Tolman
Cwmbran Community Council Representative

Cllr Alan Slade

Torfaen County Borough Council Representative

“I am a Councillor on Torfaen County Borough Council and have represented the Llantarnam Ward since 2017. I believe that Llantarnam Grange is one of many jewels in Torfaen’s crown. The Grange has incredible potential to enrich the lives of its citizens and communities and I hope that during my term as a Trustee, I can help raise awareness of what it has to offer and promote its many varied activities.”

Naseem Syed  
Trustee

Naseem is a freelance community artist, Director of Ziba Creative, based at the Llantarnam Grange studio. Naz is a socially engaged visual artist, consultant, creative agent and practitioner, and engagement officer. Working with others is a driving force of her practice, connecting people and their stories, wellbeing and building confidence through creativity. With over 20 years’ experience, Naz is passionate about supporting the arts being at the heart of the community. Naz also loves pom poms, pattern, and Elvis!

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Cllr Jayne Watkins
Trustee

“I’m a newly elected Councillor with Torfaen County Borough Council and I am very pleased to be asked to work with Llantarnam Grange as it is a great resource in our area. It is a modern, innovative space showcasing a variety of artistic styles.”

Cllr Lucy Williams
Torfaen County Borough Council Representative

“Since joining the Board I have learnt so much about the incredible range of activities that are generated by Llantarnam Grange and the width of its outreach to all sections of the population in Torfaen and beyond. I have seen for myself the increasing importance of creativity and artistic expression in addressing issues mental health issues and of social inclusion. As a Board member appointed by the local authority, I see my role as enhancing the work of Llantarnam Grange by supporting the work of staff and other board members, highlighting its many functions within our communities and liaising with other stake holders in promoting all the aspects of the work of Llantarnam Grange.”