Curators- who you may meet at Creative Curiosities SWW

Who's Who

Photographs and snippets of information about the people you may meet at Creative Curiosities SW .

Derren
(Creativity & Personnel Lead)

Derren is a co founder and Director of Creative Curiosities SW. He is a performance artist, vocal and theatre coach working in the world of theatre and television. His passion lies in expressive and creative arts focusing on music and theatre. His belief that theatre should be accessible for all led to his co creation of Creative Curiosities SW. An accomplished pianist, guitarist and music composer in his own right Derren has also worked on many national theatre productions.He gives his time freely to help others, and his experienced and patient coaching brings out the best in everyone he works with.

Rose
(Education & Safeguarding Lead)

Rose is a co founder and Director of Creative Curiosities SW. She has worked extensively with neurodivergent children and young people for 30 plus years, and has lived family experience of autism, learning disabilities and epilepsy. She is a qualified and experienced teacher and tutor, drawing and talking, sand play and Lego Therapy practitioner. Rose is a qualified Mental Health and Youth Mental Health First Aider, and has undertaken Bereavement Training to support neurodivergent young people with Winston's Wish. As part of a neurodivergent family she believes passionately in empowering all ages to realise their dreams and aspirations.

Michelle

Michelle has been a part of Creative Curiosities SW since before it became a reality! She has worked extensively with neurodivergent children young people and adults. She has lived family experience of learning disabilities. Michelle is a true creative with a passion for all things outdoors, and the recycling and reusing of materials lies at the core of her practice.
She brings excitement and adventure to all our Experiences.

Holly

Holly is our lead parent practitioner and researcher. She has a lifetime’s lived experience of neurodivergence and is Mum to 3 fabulous children, who often attend our Experiences with her. She has a psychology degree and has worked extensively with neurodivergent children, young people, and adults. She specialises in autism and learning disabilities.

Holly will be carrying out research and developing our assessment strategy to inform and improve our practice . She designs and produces our resources such as social stories, and is an innovative and creative problem solver.

Haidee

We are delighted to work with Haidee, who runs The Tree Project CIC. Haidee has the vision of helping to create a world where everyone thrives and to provide opportunities for both individuals and the community. Based around The Five Ways to Wellbeing (Connect, Learn, be Active, Notice & Give), it highlights the simple actions that people can take to improve wellbeing. We work alongside Haidee on the Keyham based Wellbeing Warriors, and you will find her delivering yoga at some of our sessions too.

Jo

Jo works as a music practitioner in Devon and Cornwall with people of all ages and abilities supporting children to find wellbeing through music. She is part of the TIS community who use a trauma informed approach to work with children and young people and is passionate about inclusion and equality.
In the last couple of years she has composed for choir, facilitated a young people’s orchestra to compose for a show and shared online story and music making. She enjoys the creative flow and bringing a sense of fun and friendship to shared adventure.
We all love Jo's sessions, she enables us all to take part in and enjoy music making.

Amber

Amber is a neurodiverse dance artist and a BA (hons) & MA graduate from the University of Chichester. Whilst in training Amber was a performer with 3Fall (undergraduate touring dance company) and HIVE Dance Collective (postgraduate dance company), where she worked with a variety of practitioners. Since graduating Amber has been in a variety of dance films .Whilst training, Amber developed an interest in understanding the neurodivergent experience within the dance sector, she researched this further through her dissertations. Amber has over 6 years of teaching experience in ballet and contemporary for a variety of ages, neuro-diversities and disabilities.

Sarah

We enjoy working with Sarah both at Wellbeing Warriors and Creative Curiosities SW. "STArt is a visual artist, performer, Reiki practitioner who explores creative emergence through the healing arts, experiential synesthesia and embodied abstract expressionism. She enjoys discovering the quirks, interactions, communications of how we engage with ourselves and the world around us. Her fascination and adoration of colour, textures, line and form and how light plays with these elements within our natural, spiritual and physical world influences her practise." Find out more at her website .

Lydia (image coming soon!)

Lydia has recently joined the Creative Curiosities SW family, and we are looking forward to seeing our young people develop in confidence and skills through her coaching. More information coming soon.

Nathan

Nathan was the founder member of Achievers Crew, which developed into the Curios Stagecraft Company. We have just reinstated Achievers Crew and Nathan now has a foot in both camps! He has a passion for musicals and is a great admirer of Andrew Lloyd Webber's work. We are working with Nathan on a long term project reimagining the life of the Phantom by relocating him to Victorian Plymouth.

David

David is the powerhouse behind the Curious Stagecraft Company. He generates new ideas, carries out extensive research for all the projects, and is the king of admin. He is a DJ over at Omnium Radio and recently completed a sponsored swimathon challenge raising funds for both Curious Stagecraft and Omnium.

Sean

Sean is a creative wordsmith. He loves acting and improv. He produces creative scripts, and we are happy to be helping him develop these skills. He is heading up the Round and Review project, reviewing events in and around Plymouth from his own unique perspective.

Devon

Devon (Community in print) uses creative practices to uplift and promote positive action on the climate, focusing on joy, agency and transformation. This ranges from sketching tours and lino-printing to ceramics! All sales of artwork contribute towards subsidised workshops so that everyone can access the arts.
We are looking forward to Devon running workshops with our Creative Curiosities SW family, and helping us as we continue our sustainability journey.
Access her website here

Jill

Jill has over 30 years experience of neurodivergence. She works remotely, but pops down to Plymouth whenever she can to keep up to date with all we do. She helps keep an eye on finances and feasibility, having gained much of her financial expertise working for many years for the Halifax Building Society, as well as organising successful fundraising campaigns.
Jill has a great eye for detail, is highly organised and a creative fundraiser. We are pleased to have her support for the Creative Curiosities SW family.

Charlie

Charlie is a much respected and liked member of the Creative Curiosities family. Kind and compassionate his lived experience of neurodivergence makes him a valuable support and mentor to our younger children. We are grateful that he finds time to volunteer and act as a sessional worker for us alongside fulfilling his educational commitments.

Creative Curiosities SW Family

We firmly believe in lifelong learning- which is just as well as we learn something new every day from our Creative Curiosities SW family.
No matter what your age , we want Creative Curiosities SW to be a place where you can be you. Which means you are all curators, from toddlers selecting their activities to adults running their groups you lead the way and we follow.