Our Trustees

DR. REBECCA PATTERSON | LLB EDD MA PGCE

CHAIR

Becky has spent her whole career working with young people – firstly as a performer in theatre in education (TIE), then as a drama teacher in a secondary school and latterly at MMU – training both undergraduate and postgraduate student teachers.

“The highlight of my career has been observing the next generation of young people show a real passion to right the wrongs of the past – and mean it!

I’ve come on board with I4YPC because I’m passionate about the shared vision of creating a positive future that is for every young person and not just for the few and where the notion of a level playing field, is more than just rhetoric. I’m proud to be a trustee of I4YPC because I’m part of an organisation that’s been founded and is governed by people who have lived experience – all of whom see that young people are important because they’re vulnerable – and all of whom, autonomously or collectively, are able to get things done.”

Becky is a trained Yoga teacher and in her spare time she likes to dabble in creating art.  She also likes walking but says she’s mainly a mum, a wife and very recently, a grandmother! (Congratulations Becky)

SHIRLEY DIVER | BA PGCE

SECRETARY

Much of my working life has been spent in an office environment – for accountants, solicitors, BT – you name it, I’ve worked there, hence my role as Secretary.

However, my true passion; my love for the theatre, was awakened at the age of 11, when I joined the Victoria Youth Theatre in Salford, run by an unknown actor called Joe Holroyd, who passionately believed in bringing his love of the theatre to working class children.

Joe never failed to inform us that the Victoria theatre was the home of our very own Albert Finney and Shelagh Delaney and that if they could start from there, anyone could. 

From the moment I stepped on to that stage with a local repertory theatre, as one of the schoolchildren in ‘The corn is Green’, I was hooked. 

I’ve never forgotten Joe Holroyd and what he did for me, which brings me to the reason why it’s so important to me, to help I4YPC see the vision of ‘Innit’ through to fruition.

I was there at the start of ‘Innit’ and have seen first-hand the impact that it has on young people, how they relate to it and how the message it conveys, speaks to them. 

I’ve since gone on to achieve a PGCE in Education and recognise that young people today need something else in the curriculum – something that they can relate to.

Young people today are the adults of the future.  They’ll be running this world.  It’s important we give them the skills, confidence and values to do that.

Everyone deserves a Joe Holroyd in their life.

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