Chair

Patrick was born in Leeds and worked most of his professional life in West Yorkshire as a lecturer in further education. During that time he was very active as a staff representative; as a college governor and a member of the county council education committee. For sixteen years he was a magistrate sitting on the Leeds and County Durham benches.

Patrick has had a life-long interest in folk music. He plays banjo and anglo concertina, though my passions are singing and dancing. He loves English social dance; and he and his wife were members of a country dance club when they lived in West Yorkshire, and Patrick now also call for ceilidhs and country dances. Another passion is Yorkshire longsword. He has danced with Spen Valley Longsword in West Yorkshire from 1980 and was their foreman for many years. Patrick now dances with the Goathland Plough Stots.

Patrick moved to Teesdale twenty five years ago.

Treasurer and Trustee Responsible for Safeguarding

Mike is the artistic director of Blaize, a community arts company. He is a director, actor, singer and musician working mainly, though not exclusively, on Blaize projects. He has been the lead researcher for the Music at the Heart of Teesdale since its inception. This has provided material for all 3 of M@HoT’s youth bands (Cream Tees, Wear’d Aliens and The Yellow Rattle Band).

He runs regular singing sessions for dementia groups in Barnard Castle and Middleton-in-Teesdale.

He was the Arena Theatre Director at the Sidmouth International Folk Festival 1999 – 2004 and Towersey Festival Showground Director 2009 – 2024.

He performed with the Fabulous Salami Brothers street theatre act 1979 – 1999 including performing at the World Expo’s in Vancouver 1986 and Brisbane 1988.

He plays melodeon and sings with the occasional reunions of folk group Flowers & Frolics and currently sings in duos with both Dan Quinn and Jim Woodland.

Secretary

With a degree in music - and after more than 10 years performing and touring with  the folk rock band Pyewackett in the 1980s, Rosie retrained, gained a Masters degree in Arts Administration; and became an arts officer, specialising in arts in rural areas.   In this position at Teesdale District Council throughout the 1990s she was very proud to have commissioned several significant pieces of public art in the area; and initiated many community arts projects for young people, older people, those with mental health issues and Intergenerational projects. She was also one of the prime movers in setting up Highlights, the regional Rural Touring scheme, where she became Co-Director in 2007, when Teesdale District Council ceased to exist.

When Music at the Heart of Teesdale was set up in 2002, she was a founding members, taking on the position of secretary, which she retains to the present day. 

Since retiring from Highlights Rural Touring Scheme in 2020, Rosie Is involved with many community events in the village of Bowes, where she lives.

Rosie is still active as a musician, playing bassoon in two orchestras and a wind quintet, and singing in the local choral society.

Rosie is passionate to see the younger generation getting involved in every aspect of the arts; and feels that Music at the Heart of Teesdale is the perfect vehicle and process for this to take place.

Trustee

Mark has seen his own children and others benefit from the work of M@HoT in recent years, and hopes his wider experience in education can be used to put something back. His own musical talent is limited, but he's been a folk music enthusiast since the 1980s. His regular work is as a geologist at Durham University, researching and teaching about the rise and fall of mountain ranges. This work has taken him to countries and cultures across the world, but mainly China, Iran and the Caucasus.

Trustee (she/her)

Having been a founding member of our first youth folk band, Cream Tees, Rachel has a good understanding of the impact of projects like M@HoT.

During this time, she also attended Folkestra and Folkworks Summer Schools programmes (The Glasshouse ICM) alongside this. Inspired by tutors working with the project, she then went on to study Folk and Traditional Music at Newcastle University. Rachel now performs around the north east alongside the band CRANE HOUSE.

Rachel has experience in the education sector in support and finance roles; and in-depth knowledge of safeguarding, diversity and inclusion practices. She is passionate about ensuring others can benefit from the project in the same way she has.

Trustee

Elizabeth’s late husband Paul (Wynndebagge) Saunders knew Mike Bettison through their shared world of music and he came to mind when she was looking for young people to benefit from the memorial fund raised in Paul's name.

She was honoured to be invited to support the great work of M@Hot and look forward to seeing Paul's legacy live on in this part of the world that he so loved and Elizabeth is now happy to call home. Helping young people make music is what Paul did and so it continues.