Streetwise Opera is delighted to welcome five new Trustees to its Board of Directors: strategic adviser Nigel Pantling, BBC Symphony Director Bill Chandler, risk and governance expert Nicola Baker, arts administrator Tom Philpott and former Streetwise Opera performer Martin Ware.

Their combined experience in the arts, governance, finance and lived experience of homelessness strengthens the Board as Streetwise Opera approaches its 25th anniversary.

Linden Ife, Chair of the Board of Streetwise Opera, said:

“I’m really excited to welcome this talented group of new Trustees to Streetwise Opera. Their exceptional musical and business expertise will be immensely helpful to us. It’s especially thrilling once again to welcome one of our former Performers to the Board, a powerful tribute to Streetwise participants and to the work of the organisation.”

Nigel Pantling has been a strategic adviser to company chief executives for over twenty five years. His earlier career included service in the Royal Artillery, as a Home Office civil servant (including several years working in the Prison Department and as private secretary to the Home Secretary), and as a director in the corporate finance divisions of two investment banks. He has considerable experience as a charity trustee, including as Chair of the Board at arts, educational and social purpose charities. He has lived in north London since 1990.

Nigel Pantling said:

“Anyone who lives in London sees evidence of homelessness every day, and most of us feel powerless to help. I’m sure the same is true in Manchester, Nottingham and other major cities. But I’ve seen at first hand that engaging with the performing arts can empower and inspire people going through tough times. And opera offers the most engaging arts experience of all, combining singing, music, stories and spectacle. So I’m delighted to become part of a charity which brings involvement in opera to people experiencing homelessness.”

Originally from the USA, Bill Chandler began his career as a violinist with the Houston Symphony before moving to the UK to become Associate Leader of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. With over 30 years’ orchestral experience, he is a passionate advocate for the role of music in society. He held senior leadership roles at the RSNO, including Director of Learning & Engagement and later Director of Artistic Planning & Operations, overseeing acclaimed international tours and digital projects. In 2021, he became Director of the BBC Concert Orchestra and in 2024 he was appointed Director of the BBC Symphony Orchestra & Chorus.

Bill Chandler said:

“I am delighted and inspired to become a trustee of Streetwise Opera, an organisation that delivers real opportunity and life-changing musical experiences. I can think of no better example where the power of music and co-creation lifts people up and empowers them to rebuild their lives.”

Nicola Baker is an experienced Non-Executive Director and Trustee, whose current roles span the private and charitable sector, particularly in the fields of performing arts. This follows a career of over 30 years of senior leadership positions in financial services, risk and leading large strategic projects, where she specialised for the last 7 years in the financial aspects of the prevention of Economic Crime, particularly fraud, in both the public and private sectors. Nicola is passionate about social impact, social inclusion and social mobility, and working with organisations which make a tangible difference to those who are under-represented or excluded.

Nicola Baker said:

“I believe deeply in the power of music (and the arts in general) to unite and equalise people and to change lives. I know how music, particularly choral singing in groups, can help alleviate depression, re-establish self-esteem and generally lift everyone’s spirits, leaving us all with a more positive mindset, and better able to tackle things that were daunting before. The values and objectives of Streetwise Opera are all about unity, community and inclusion in music: making opera accessible to everyone to show that everyone can enjoy and benefit from it, ensuring no one is defined by homelessness. Streetwise Opera really challenges people’s perceptions of homelessness, and supports individuals on their path away from it.”

Tom Philpott is an Arts Administrator who is passionate about supporting artists to bring the power of music to the widest possible audience. He is presently Director of Artistic Planning & Partnerships at the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra where he works with a broad range of artists, promoters and venues to devise the orchestra’s wide ranging performance programme. Before that, he worked as Planning Manager and then Acting Co-Director at the BBC Symphony Orchestra.

Tom Philpott said:

“I am so thrilled to have been invited to join the board of Streetwise Opera. As somebody who is a passionate advocate of the transformative power of music and performance generally, I have long admired Streetwise’s pioneering approach to enabling people who have lived experience of homelessness. I’m really looking forward to helping Streetwise Opera build connections with partners beyond its already impressive network and to see first hand the effect of the work on the performers and audiences.”

Martin Ware is a Watersports Manager based in Manchester and works for GLL in partnership with Manchester Active. He is an Authorised Lay Minister in the Church of England and runs a Company of the Church Lads’ and Church Girls’ Brigade in Beswick, Manchester. He has volunteered for and continues to volunteer with Greater Together Manchester. Until Easter 2025, Martin had been a long-standing performer with Streetwise Opera in Manchester. As a teenager, Martin followed his childhood dream of becoming a musician in the Armed Forces. After an exemplary career, civilian life beckoned, and he returned to England, settling in the North West.

Martin Ware said:

“After being a Streetwise Opera performer in Manchester for around eight years, I felt called to help lead the organisation by becoming a Trustee. I expect it to be a vital and stimulating role, helping to ensure the charity is not only reaching its goals, but is forward-thinking and running as efficiently as possible. I am hoping to use the knowledge and skills I have, as well as taking the opportunity to learn new things. As a Trustee, I am looking forward to helping set the direction of the organisation and working closely with the CEO.”

The new Trustees join Alexis Paterson, Chandrika Joshi (Treasurer), Christine Eyers, Colin Jones, David Johnson, Julia Strong, Linden Ife (Chair), Olivia Brown, Paul Emery and Phillipa Anders (née Reive) on the Board of Streetwise Opera.