The Team
Ian Marks – Chairman
Ian has been associated with the Festival right from the start. It began as a venture promoted by Lymm Parish Council but then gained an identity of its own as it grew in size and success. He is Chairman of the Festival Committee and has held this role for a number of years.
Ian and his wife Pam have lived in Lymm for 37 years. Pam is a member of the Lymm and District Choir who are regular performers at the Festival.
He has been a member of the Parish Council for more years than he cares to mention and also represents Lymm on Warrington Borough Council.
Ian says, “It never ceases to amaze me just how much talent we have in Lymm. The Festival provides a showcase for all this talent and demonstrates just what makes the community of Lymm so special.”
Jacquie Davies – Festival Director
Jacquie took over as Festival director on 1 September. She lives in Lymm and has been a member of the Festival Committee for several years. She has twenty years of experience in project management and is currently Head of Wardrobe for the Everyman and Playhouse theatres in Liverpool. The Everyman is about to undergo a major refurbishment, which will allow Jacquie the time to devote to the Festival.
Su Williams – Art in the Garden
“We moved to Lymm fifteen years ago. Our daughter attended the high school while I attended the PTA meetings – eventually becoming Chair and making many new friends on the way. My daughter’s school-leaving coincided with the launch of the festival and this seemed a great way to carry on some level of community involvement. I have been involved in organising a number of events over the years but my main project has been the annual Art in The Garden which is staged in our garden.. This event gives an opportunity to local groups including schools and HMP Risley to show off some of their outstanding work. I believe the event encapsulates the creative community feel of the whole festival”
Alison Aldridge – Minutes Secretary
“I moved to Lymm (from the Yorkshire Dales) in 1983. After working full time for many years, I now combine part time work with Festival activities and my various other interests.
I joined the Committee in 2008 and enjoy being part of a friendly, positive team of people who work hard to combine their considerable variety of talents and skills for the benefit of the Festival and the Community. I would thoroughly recommend that if you have some spare time and energy you come along and join us ~ you will be very welcome.”
Reverend Michael Burgess - Committee Member and Concerts
“I have been involved with the Festival from its beginning and so have seen it grow from the proverbial acorn to the impressive oak tree that the Festival now is: a marvellous and inspiring celebration of all aspects of life and the arts in our community.”
Ann Johnstone - Food Festival
“My role is to work with the local traders and suppliers to ensure that the Food Festival Event continues to offer a very enjoyable and extremely successful annual event. This includes co-ordinating the hire of tables and chairs, dealing with the Environmental Health Department, arranging litter collection and working with other members of the committee on the programme, supporting other events and activities prior to during and after the Festival
I have lived in Lymm for thirty years; I am a volunteer room guide at Dunham Massey and a member of Lymm Jubilee WI. I have been a Lymm Festival Committee member for five years, I very much enjoy being involved as I feel I can use the experience gained from managing my own Public Relations Consultancy to help organise events, which will benefit our local community.”
Jackie Marshall – Scarecrow Trail, the Big Picture
As an original member of the Lymm Artists’ (a group of artists who exhibited together for the first Lymm Festival in 1999), I soon became an active member of the Festival Committee.
My role, initially, as a representative of the local artists, soon expanded to include the secretary for the Festival Friends’ for a while, then as an organiser for the Scarecrow Competition and the hugely successful BIG Picture.
I have lived in Lymm for nearly thirty years, my children have long flown the nest and apart from being involved with the Festival Committee, I keep myself busy with my own artwork, playing tennis, growing plants and tap dancing!
Chris Hamlin – Festival Treasurer
‘I joined Lymm Festival as Treasurer for the 2003 Festival and have enjoyed ‘keeping the books’ ever since. I am not artistic or creative in any shape or form but get a lot of pleasure and fun from being with those who are. The Festival Committee have an abundance of talent and connections in so many areas of music, dance, art etc and my role is to try and keep their feet on the ground when it comes to cost. Being a non-profit making organisation, our aim is to cover costs by careful ticket pricing and praying that we get good weather for our flagship event, The Festival Picnic!
I have lived in Lymm since 1992 and volunteered to join the Committee after retiring early from a full time job. I thought it would be a very good way to use my accounting skills as well as meet people, get involved and also be able to say ‘Hello’ to somebody when shopping in the village centre. All those aims have been achieved and I now find myself busier than ever whilst wondering how I ever had time to go to work.’
Denis McAllister – Webmaster
Denis has lived in Lymm since 1977 and has been active in and supported a number of Community organisations. He spent a career in teaching before moving on to set up his own Web design and IT support business in 2001. He joined the Festival Committee in 2002 and ran the Festival Photographic competition (l’Image) for 7 years before handing the role over to Chris Beesley 2009. This is his second year as webmaster.
