After 30 years in the Civil Service, Philippa moved to Devizes and quickly got involved in a number of local organisations including the Trust for Devizes and the Food and Drink Festival. She re-joined the Arts Festival in 2022 and has enjoyed (almost) every minute since then. She describes herself as the sort of person who likes to get things going. She loves to try new things and reach out to new audiences.
Tony is a qualified accountant who, upon retiring from the Ministry of Defence in 2012, assumed the role of Trustee and Treasurer for the Devizes Arts Festival. He currently also serves as the Treasurer for the Devizes Food and Drinks Festival and has recently concluded his tenure as Trustee and Treasurer for Devizes Outdoor Celebratory Arts. In addition to his volunteering commitments, Tony is an avid film collector and has an extensive collection of over 3,600 film titles.
Having settled in Devizes in 2019, I realised that I wanted to contribute to the community somehow and I finally found ‘my tribe’ as a volunteer Trustee for the Devizes Arts Festival in 2021. I absolutely love being a part of the team, bringing music and arts to the town every year in June. I find it a fun and rewarding experience, and we are very lucky to have such a knowledgeable committee to bring an eclectic mix of events for your entertainment. Hopefully you all enjoy our programmes and I think we are very lucky to have the support of the Town Council and their wonderful venues, and also local businesses to showcase talent to the people of Devizes and surrounding areas.
I have lived in Devizes since 2006 and have enjoyed attending numerous DAF events over the years. As I am now retired, it is great to be able to contribute to our wonderful festival by being a volunteer trustee. My interests include travelling, going to the theatre and volunteering within Devizes.
Former spinach scientist turned AI developer and improving golfer, Vince has been helping out at the Festival behind the scenes for nine years quietly ensuring emails reach inboxes and technology behaves itself. Favourite festival acts – Moscow Drug Club, Lucy Porter, Villiers Quartet, Toyah, Brian Blessed – the list goes on. When not involved in Festival-running, Vince can often be found supporting his beloved Liverpool football club.
I joined DAF as a trustee at the tail end of 2024, so I’m the new kid on the block so to speak. I have lived in the villages around Devizes for nearly 25 years now, and ashamed to say that it was only recently that I discovered the DAF, mitigating circumstances being bringing up two sons (who have now flown the nest), fashioning a 40 year career in Financial Services, and, maybe, controversially living in the villages surrounding Devizes! I’ve always had an interest in worldwide music and invariably will seek out live music wherever I may be, whether that be at home or abroad. I’m delighted that Devizes has an Arts Festival and I’d love to bring something to the party. Always happy to have a conversation around music, which in my opinion is always very personal.
I became involved with DAF in September of last year. I have been a teacher for 40 yrs and for the last 24 yrs I have taught performing arts at Devizes School. I have also enjoyed volunteering as part of my life and have worked with British Gymnastics for the last 20 yrs as a national trampoline judge and gymnastics official. This has lead me to floor manage at the London Olympic, Glasgow & Birmingham commonwealth games and a number of World gymnastics events.
When I came to live in the Devizes area in the 1990s I was amazed to find the town had its own Arts Festival, and have enjoyed many events over the years. I jumped at the chance to get involved and am so proud of what we produce. My other interests include cycling and cross country skiing, nature, gardening and drawing.
Superhero. Nuff said.
I grew up in Devizes and after moving away to study and work returned in 1997. I retired from a career in the railway in 2022 and became a Festival trustee in 2023. I had enjoyed attending Festival events for years and it is great to now be part of the team of volunteers organising and running the Festival. This is particularly poignant for me as my father, Leslie Taylor, was for many years a keen volunteer helping to organise and run the Festival. As well as helping at events, I am involved in seeking sponsorship and production of publicity material.
Outside of the Festival, I volunteer in Drew’s Pond Wood and at Wansdyke school. I enjoy music, gardening and travel.
John retired to Devizes with his wife, Cate, where they try to contain a rampant garden at the approach to Quakers Walk. He pioneered the introduction of Independent Radio, establishing stations from Teesside to Bristol, for which he was awarded a Fellowship of the Radio Academy. As their executive director he oversaw the Sony Radio Awards – Oscars for radio. His musical passions range from Mozart to The Who and reading from Hemingway to Holmes. They both enjoy crisp Scandinavian design and English twentieth century watercolours.
Devizes has its own theatre, cinema, art galleries, studios and a great independent bookshop, which all make it a really vibrant place to live. This is why I moved to Devizes and this is why I joined DAF in 2017 – to contribute to that artistic vibe. I now act as DAF’s Contract Coordinator and Secretary, as well as stewarding events & generally helping out through each year’s Festival – because the more art we bring into the town, the more we get out of it.
I moved to Wiltshire ten years ago and became an Arts Festival Trustee in 2017. I love the challenge of pulling together an exciting programme for the festival each year and being part of such a great team of hard-working volunteers. Outside of the festival I enjoy making stained glass, singing with Lavington Community Choir and playing pickleball.