Trustees
Amanda Farr
Amanda is a practicing partner in Sweeney and Farr mental health consultancy and was formerly a clinical lead of the NHS county primary care mental health service. She is also a Deputy Lieutenant and former High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire.
She is Chair of the Trustees at Nottingham Playhouse and brings to her new role a wealth of experience working with arts organisations, including significant experience in fundraising and relationship building.
Amanda is local to Southwell and passionate about expanding arts provision and access in Nottinghamshire and the East Midlands.
Carris Jones
Carris Jones has been a Southwell Festival artist for over 10 years. She is the first woman to be appointed as a Vicar Choral in the Choir of St Paul‘s Cathedral in London, where she has also worked to introduce girl choristers for the first time. Carris has a busy singing career across the UK and further afield, appearing in concert, on recordings and on stage. Alongside her performing, she is is dedicated to helping others discover the transformational power of the human voice. She is Vocal Lead for the BBC Symphony Chorus, the National Youth Choir and teaches singing both at the University of Oxford and in private practice. Carris is also in increasing demand as an expert on women in choral music, recently appearing on BBC Radio 4’s Women’s Hour.
Flynn Le Brocq
Flynn has been involved with the Festival since 2016 first as Artist Manager and then as General Manager before leaving in 2022 to join the London Mozart Players as Chief Executive. He is delighted to be continuing an association with the Festival through his work as a Trustee.
Flynn studied Music at The University of Edinburgh during which time he also ran Edinburgh Studio Opera. He has enjoyed a varied career since different sectors from hospitality and education to music management. Until recently, Flynn was General Manager of the Oxford Bach Soloists and Company Manager at Nevill Holt Opera.
Sarah Hall
Sarah has a background in finance, working and living in Asia and the US for many years, as well as in the UK, with some of her career spent working in the arts and entertainment sectors. An experienced Non Executive Director with over 18 years of third sector governance experience Sarah is currently a Trustee and Chair of the finance committee of Opera North, Chair of New Perspectives a Nottingham based
theatre company, Chair of Discerning Eye, a visual arts charity and also sits on the board and the audit committee at heritage charity The Landmark Trust.
Kristin McIntosh
Kristin is a digital systems specialist working in the public sector to improve services and customer experience. She attended Birmingham Conservatoire studying Clarinet before deciding to pursue a different path. Music has remained part of her life, taking part in choirs and ensembles. Living locally in Southwell she has been a regular visitor to the Festival and the Minster over the last 10 years. She is looking forward to combining her technology and musical expertise to support the Festival.
Saj Ahmad
Saj Ahmad is a Nottingham City Councillor, public sector leader, and passionate advocate for equality. A dedicated supporter of the arts, she is committed to fostering meaningful community engagement and broadening access to cultural experiences. With extensive experience working with local communities and organisations on large-scale engagement initiatives, Saj also brings a global perspective from her work in marketing international arts events. Her wide-ranging expertise spans marketing, communications, policy development, technology, and inclusion. Saj is dedicated to ensuring that the Southwell Music Festival remains a welcoming and inclusive space where everyone can experience the transformative power of music.
Margaret Chadwick
