Spread the Word is delighted to announce the appointment of four new Trustees to its Board – Gita Ralleigh, Della Hill, Sam Dodd and Joe Sedgwick. They will be supporting the organisation to achieve its ambitions to transform the range of stories by London writers we get to read.
Chair of the board Rishi Dastidar says: “In Gita Ralleigh, Della Hill, Sam Dodd and Joe Sedgwick, we’re fortunate to have added four trustees with a deep care and concern for stories and literature, the role that they can play in people’s lives, and a desire to open up the worlds of creative writing and publishing to those currently marginalised or excluded from them.”
Director Ruth Harrison adds: “I am delighted to be welcoming our new Trustees to Spread the Word. They bring a wealth and breadth of experience, knowledge and expertise and I’m looking forward to working with them to deliver on our ambitions to open up access to writing and reading to people from across our communities.”
New Trustees include NHS Doctor and Poet Gita Ralleigh, who says:
“I am thrilled to become a trustee of Spread the Word, an organisation which has done so much to promote new voices and advocate for equity and excellence in literature.”
New Board member Della Hill, Diversity & Inclusion Lead at Chwarae Teg, Wales’ leading gender equality charity, and a Consultant and Speaker at people make it work, says: “It’s a real privilege to join the Board at Spread the Word and help support the organisation as they embark on an exciting period of growth and development. I’m looking forward to contributing to the journey ahead as the organisation continues to make such a fantastic and positive impact on London’s writers, readers and audiences.”
Joe Sedgwick, Head of Writing Services at The Literary Consultancy, says: “I am absolutely thrilled to be invited onto the Board at Spread the Word, and can’t wait to get started helping this wonderful organisation continue the invaluable work they do in London and beyond… I’ve long been an admirer of the way they foster talented writers and support those at all stages of their development. I’ve been fortunate enough to witness first-hand the way they support low-income and marginalised writers in the capital, as they’ve been a long-time and valued partner of TLC’s Arts Council-funded Free Reads scheme. It’s a fantastic opportunity and I’m looking forward to being a champion of Spread the Word’s important work.”
Sam Dodd, writing mentor, editor, and Co-Founder/Project Manager at CityLife Stories, an intergenerational community engagement life writing project, says: “As someone working both within the literature sector and directly with underrepresented communities, and as an underrepresented writer myself, I have long admired how Spread the Word thinks deeply and widely about opportunities for all writers, no matter their background. I am really looking forward to joining them on the next stage of their journey.”
The New Board members join current Trustees including Aimee Feloné of Knights Of, Sandeep Mahal MBE of RSC and people make it work, Katie Roden publishing and marketing Consultant and current Chair of Trustees, Rishi Dastidar.
You can read more about our new Trustees on: www.spreadtheword.org.uk/about-us/#Board
Published 28 June 2022