ABOUT IN FOCUS

WHO WE ARE

In Focus Education and Development is a small Southampton-based charity run by creatives with professional experience across photography and the arts. We help young people across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight to connect, grow and thrive through creativity.

WHAT WE DO

We create safe, inclusive spaces where young people can express themselves freely, build confidence, wellbeing and social connections, while developing skills for life and work through our shared passion and experience in photography and the visual arts.

OUR VISION

We want to see a world where everyone feels safe and confident to express themselves creatively, where differences are recognised as strengths, everyone has opportunities to grow and shine, and we raise each other up, together.

OUR VALUES

INCLUSIVITY

To be inclusive, fair and equitable in everything we do. In Focus is a safe space for everyone. We are committed to removing barriers to access, being adaptable and making any adjustments needed.

GROWTH

To offer high-quality creative learning that supports the development of the people and communities we work with, building confidence and pro-social connectivity. Provide opportunities and pathways for young people to collaborate and progress, including into work.

RESILIENCE

To support the development of creative wellbeing skills, helping young people to develop confidence and agency. This also means supporting communities to connect and become stronger, and working as an organisation to grow our own resilience and sustainability.

OUR TEAM

  • MY PRONOUNS: they/them

  • MY LIVED EXPERIENCE: Autistic, ADHD

  • MY TRAINING: Physical + Mental First Aid

  • MY ROLES: Session Delivery Team + Safeguarding Lead

  • EMAIL: kristianne@infocusedu.co.uk

Kristianne Drake

Chief Executive Officer

💡 My Work
At In Focus:

You can expect to meet me leading Tuesday LGBTQIA+ groups, online sessions, in Portsmouth + at external events, or working from our Southampton Creative Space.

🖼️ My Favourite Art Form:

 Music, Photography, Zine/book making

🐾 My Favourite Animal:

Dog!

🍿 My Favourite Film:

Empire Records because it's a film about overcoming challenges by working together. And having a massive party at the end!

📗 My Favourite Book or Fictional Character:

Little My from the Moomins is my spirit fictional character. She's high spirited and a bit naughty but I don't think she means to be all the time, maybe some of the time...

🌍 My Environmental Pledge:
I contribute to In Focus’ sustainability mission by:

Never shopping on Amazon. Keep paying everyone who works with us a fair wage, maintaining our status as a Real Living Wage employer.

View Our Environmental Sustainability Mission Here

✏️ Other:

I am one half of The Stationary Cupboard a space for artistic failures and explorations!

Rob Francis

Chair of Trustees

  • MY PRONOUNS: he/him

Rosanna Foster

Data & Evaluation Lead

  • MY PRONOUNS: she/her

Olivia Priestley

YOUTH PARTNERSHIP PATHWAYS & PROGRESSION LEAD)

  • MY PRONOUNS: she/her

Francis Meadster

People & Culture Lead

  • MY PRONOUNS: he/him

Day Martin

Young Volunteer & TRUSTEE

  • MY PRONOUNS: she/her

Jon Gardner

Finance Lead

  • MY PRONOUNS: he/him

Lorna Digweed

Safeguarding Lead

  • MY PRONOUNS: she/her

Louise Govier

Fundraising Lead

  • MY PRONOUNS: she/her

Tom Slevin

Fundraising Lead

  • MY PRONOUNS: he/him

Faye Phillips

Operations manager

  • MY PRONOUNS: she/her

  • MY LIVED EXPERIENCE: ADHD

  • MY TRAINING: First Aider

  • MY ROLES: Session Delivery Team + Safeguarding Lead

  • EMAIL: faye@infocusedu.co.uk

💡 My Work
At In Focus:

You can expect to meet me leading Southampton open sessions, school /education workshops + at external events, or working from our Southampton Creative Space.

🖼️ My Favourite Art Form:

Mixed media, paper crafts, zine and book making

🐾 My Favourite Animal:

Foxes

🍿 My Favourite Film:

Shaun of the Dead, I can probably recite the whole script.

📗 My Favourite Book or Fictional Character:

Perfume: The story of a Murderer - because it's very, very strange and dark.

🌍 My Environmental Pledge:
I contribute to In Focus’ sustainability mission by:

I pledge to turn off all plug sockets when not in use and leave no charging cables on and nothing on standby.

View Our Environmental Sustainability Mission Here

✏️ Other:

I am one half of The Stationary Cupboard a space for artistic failures and explorations!

  • MY PRONOUNS: she/her

  • MY TRAINING: First Aider

  • MY ROLES: Session Delivery Team + Isle of Wight Lead

  • EMAIL: holli@infocusedu.co.uk

Holli Kalina

Project Coordinator - Isle of Wight

💡 My Work
At In Focus:

You can expect to meet me leading Friday groups, our Isle of Wight activities and sessions + at external events.

🖼️ My Favourite Art Form:

Photography

🐾 My Favourite Animal:

Too many to choose just one! 🌍

🍿 My Favourite Film:

Mama Mia – I don’t normally do favourites, but I have watched this film more times than any others.  I went along to the “sing along” viewing at the cinema twice!

📗 My Favourite Book or Fictional Character:

Any murder mystery.

I love trying to work out who the murderer is. 📕🕵🏼‍♀️

🌍 My Environmental Pledge:
I contribute to In Focus’ sustainability mission by:

To use my car as little as possible and walk whenever I can🚶‍♀️🚗

View Our Environmental Sustainability Mission Here

✏️ Other:

Every week, I spend a day helping out at a small farm at home, on the Isle of Wight 👩🏼‍🌾

  • MY PRONOUNS: she/her

  • MY LIVED EXPERIENCE: Autistic, ADHD

  • MY TRAINING: First Aider

  • MY ROLES: Session Delivery Team + Social Media Manager

  • EMAIL: dev@infocusedu.co.uk

Dev Place

Marketing & Communications Manager

💡 My Work
At In Focus:

You can expect to meet me leading Wednesday and Thursday Southampton + at external events, or working from our Southampton Creative Space.

🖼️ My Favourite Art Form:

 Music, Photography, Zine/book making and collage

🐾 My Favourite Animal:

My lil guy, Dexter Dog!

🍿 My Favourite Film:

Hot Fuzz & School of Rock

📗 My Favourite Book or Fictional Character:

Buffy The Vampire Slayer! In Focus kind of feels like my own Scooby Gang…we even have a signed James Marsters (Spike himself!) print in the office!

🌍 My Environmental Pledge:
I contribute to In Focus’ sustainability mission by:

To choose more sustainable products, remain vegan, and protect my garden pond to support biodiversity!🐟🦋🪷🐸

View Our Environmental Sustainability Mission Here

✏️ Other:

I love music, record collecting, and work as a music/events photographer when I’m not at in Focus! @devplacephotos

  • MY PRONOUNS: he/him

  • MY LIVED EXPERIENCE: ADHD

  • MY TRAINING: First Aider

  • MY ROLES: IT Lead & GDPR Lead

  • EMAIL: devin@infocusedu.co.uk

Devin Valentine

Systems & Technology Lead

💡 My Work
At In Focus:

You can expect to meet me throughout the week working from our Southampton Creative Space. While I do not lead sessions, I may be at my desk when you visit us!

🖼️ My Favourite Art Form:

Music and crafting!

🐾 My Favourite Animal:

Parrots just make me really happy! 🦜

🍿 My Favourite Film:

Right now, it’s RRR. I just rewatched it and it shows a rare sweet male friendship refreshingly outside of Western media tropes

📗 My Favourite Book or Fictional Character:

Humankind – A Hopeful History—it made me believe in humanity again and feel more hopeful about human nature.

🌍 My Environmental Pledge:
I contribute to In Focus’ sustainability mission by:

To see waste as un-purposed materials I can creatively repair and reuse! ♻️🛠️

View Our Environmental Sustainability Mission Here

✏️ Other:

I am a luthier – which means I make, repair and set up musical instruments. Also, I’m trans and queer! 🏳️‍⚧️🎻🏳️‍🌈

  • MY PRONOUNS: she/her

  • MY TRAINING: First Aider

  • EMAIL: nazma@infocusedu.co.uk

Nazma Chowdhury

Finance Manager

💡 My Work
At In Focus:

I'm still writing my fact file!

🖼️ My Favourite Art Form:

I'm still writing my fact file!

🐾 My Favourite Animal:

I'm still writing my fact file!

🍿 My Favourite Film:

I'm still writing my fact file!

📗 My Favourite Book or Fictional Character:

I'm still writing my fact file!

🌍 My Environmental Pledge:
I contribute to In Focus’ sustainability mission by:

I pledge to reduce, reuse or recycle where I can ♻🗑️🪵

View Our Environmental Sustainability Mission Here

✏️ Other:

I'm still writing my fact file!

  • MY PRONOUNS: he/him

  • MY LIVED EXPERIENCE: ADHD

  • MY ROLES: HR Policies Lead , GDPR lead, DBS, Training and Safeguarding Lead

  • EMAIL: steve@infocusedu.co.uk

Steven Simpkins

People and Culture Lead

💡 My Work
At In Focus:

You can expect to meet me working from our Southampton office.

🖼️ My Favourite Art Form:

Music! 🎹🎤📷🎨

🐾 My Favourite Animal:

Dogs 🐕

 

🍿 My Favourite Film:

Star Wars- I saw it when it came out and was life-changing even back then. 🌌

📗 My Favourite Book or Fictional Character:

Winston Smith - 1984

🌍 My Environmental Pledge:
I contribute to In Focus’ sustainability mission by:

I will always look out for even the smallest of creatures.

View Our Environmental Sustainability Mission Here

✏️ Other:

I sing in Pegasuses and write fiction

HR policies Lead , GDPR lead, DBS, Training and Safeguarding Lead

  • MY PRONOUNS: she/her

  • MY ROLES: Session Delivery Team

  • MY TRAINING: First Aider

  • EMAIL: becki@infocusedu.co.uk

Becki Needham

Artist Educator

💡 My Work
At In Focus:

You can expect to meet me leading school/education sessions + at external events, or working from our Southampton Creative Space.

🖼️ My Favourite Art Form:

Photography, Printmaking & Music 📜🎧

🐾 My Favourite Animal:

My cat, Ivy 🐈

🍿 My Favourite Film:

The Iron Giant – I love animated films and I remember watching it over and over with my younger siblings so brings back a lot of feelings of nostalgia!

📗 My Favourite Book or Fictional Character:

Many are influential -it’s hard to choose just one! But Orwell and Ursula K. Le Guin are favourites!

🌍 My Environmental Pledge:
I contribute to In Focus’ sustainability mission by:

I pledge to reduce, reuse or recycle where I can ♻🗑️🪵

View Our Environmental Sustainability Mission Here

✏️ Other:

I love photography, visual arts, education, heritage, gigs, and helping others explore creativity!

  • MY PRONOUNS: he/they

  • MY ROLES: Session Delivery Team

  • MY LIVED EXPERIENCE: ADHD

  • MY TRAINING: First Aider

  • EMAIL: dan@infocusedu.co.uk

Dan Wilson-Stone

Freelance Artist Educator

💡 My Work
At In Focus:

You can expect to meet me during some creative sessions or events, across our Hampshire locations.

🖼️ My Favourite Art Form:

Music, Photography, Videography

🐾 My Favourite Animal:

Blue Whale 🐳

🍿 My Favourite Film:

Everything Everywhere All At Once. It’s a miracle of a movie! An interdimensional martial arts adventure that’s all about how you’re the best version of yourself and that love is the answer.

📗 My Favourite Book or Fictional Character:

One Piece. Started reading it in lockdown and got up to date with it’s 1000+ chapters and boy! What a journey I’ve been on.

🌍 My Environmental Pledge:
I contribute to In Focus’ sustainability mission by:

continuing to not eat meat 🪴

View Our Environmental Sustainability Mission Here

✏️ Other:

I play guitar and sing in a few bands: Buds., Petty Squabbles and Pain Itself. I also do photography and videography when I find the time. I try my best to keep up with music and anime.

  • MY PRONOUNS: she/her

  • MY LIVED EXPERIENCE: Autism

  • EMAIL: laura@infocusedu.co.uk

Laura Lamb

Evaluator / Advocacy Writer

💡 My Work
At In Focus:

I work remotely for most of my hours

🖼️ My Favourite Art Form:

Music, literature, photography & surrealism! 🎹🎤📷🎨

🐾 My Favourite Animal:

Dogs and seals (dogs of the sea) 🐶🦭

🍿 My Favourite Film:

Haven’t decided just yet! Thinking...💭

📗 My Favourite Book or Fictional Character:

I Love literature, I haven't chosen just ONE! 💭

🌍 My Environmental Pledge:
I contribute to In Focus’ sustainability mission by:

Traveling as sustainably as I can and to turn lights / electronics off when I’m not in use 🧳💡

View Our Environmental Sustainability Mission Here

✏️ Other:

I sing in Pegasuses and write fiction

  • MY PRONOUNS: she/her

  • MY ROLES:

    Session Delivery Team, Zine Workshops, Social Media support

  • EMAIL: amelia@infocusedu.co.uk

Amelia Smith

Operations Assistant

💡 My Work
At In Focus:

You can expect to meet me during our creative sessions or events, across our Hampshire locations, + at external events, or working from our Southampton Creative Space.

🖼️ My Favourite Art Form:

Collage, scrapbooking, music

🐾 My Favourite Animal:

most animals scare me!

🍿 My Favourite Film:

Challengers because, Zendaya. Plus, tennis (and love the ACL tear representation!) 🎾

📗 My Favourite Book or Fictional Character:

Orlanda by Jacqueline Harpman because it's a wacky exploration of gender and sexuality

🌍 My Environmental Pledge:
I contribute to In Focus’ sustainability mission by:

buying clothes second hand

View Our Environmental Sustainability Mission Here

✏️ Other:

Still thinking...

  • MY PRONOUNS: she/her

  • MY ROLES:

    Isle of Wight Team Session Delivery Team

  • EMAIL: nikki@infocusedu.co.uk

Nikki Olley

Artist Educator, Isle of Wight

💡 My Work
At In Focus:

You can expect to meet me in sessions and activities on the Isle of Wight + at external events

🖼️ My Favourite Art Form:

I couldn't live without music but love photography and making stuff.

🐾 My Favourite Animal:

I love a tarsier,  cute and weird in equal measure.

🍿 My Favourite Film:

I love any of Wong Kar-Wai's films mainly for Christopher Doyle's stunning aesthetic vision.

📗 My Favourite Book or Fictional Character:

Waterlog by Roger Deakin because it captures the joy of swimming.

🌍 My Environmental Pledge:
I contribute to In Focus’ sustainability mission by:

Buying secondhand clothes 👕

View Our Environmental Sustainability Mission Here

✏️ Other:

Still thinking...💭

  • MY PRONOUNS: he/him

  • MY GROUPS: And There It Was...for the curious! Details here

  • MY ROLES: I help the running of Monthly Creative Writing Group called 'And There It Was...for the curious!'

Andy White

Creative Partner

💡 My Work
At In Focus:

You can expect to meet me at 'And There It Was...for the curious!'; our free, monthly creative writing group workshops for ages 16+ Check out all details here

🖼️ My Favourite Art Form:

Poetry, Printmaking, Performance Art.

🐾 My Favourite Animal:

Octopus 🐙

🍿 My Favourite Film:

The Garden (Derek Jarman)

📗 My Favourite Book or Fictional Character:

When I'm feeling uncanny: Deborah Levy

When I want to Laugh: Terry Prattchet

When I want a warm hug: Tove Jansson

🌍 My Environmental Pledge:
I contribute to In Focus’ sustainability mission by:

I pledge to reuse where i can, recycle as much as I can, travel sustainably, eat consciously. 

View Our Environmental Sustainability Mission Here

✏️ Other:

I'm a queer/gay man. aspiring poet. voracious reader.

Stephen
Muldowney-Mizen

Creative Partner

  • MY PRONOUNS: he/him

  • MY GROUPS: And There It Was...for the curious! Details here

  • MY ROLES: I help the running of Monthly Creative Writing Group called 'And There It Was...for the curious!'

💡 My Work
At In Focus:

You can expect to meet me at 'And There It Was...for the curious!'; our free, monthly creative writing group workshops for ages 16+ Check out all details here

🖼️ My Favourite Art Form:

Poetry & Paintings

🐾 My Favourite Animal:

frogs! 🐸

🍿 My Favourite Film:

Hundreds of Beavers - The film with the most imagination and biggest sense of fun I have seen in a while. 

📗 My Favourite Book or Fictional Character:

I Love It by Stephen King, 1100 isn't enough with compelling characters and chilling ghosts

🌍 My Environmental Pledge:
I contribute to In Focus’ sustainability mission by:

I pledge to buy form local vendors and buy food with the shortest flight path possible

View Our Environmental Sustainability Mission Here

✏️ Other:

I love meeting people, listening to them and giving them the strength to tell their own stories. I also once had a sword fight with Kate Winslett's young son

Rob Francis

Chair of Trustees

  • MY PRONOUNS: he/him

Rosanna Foster

Data & Evaluation Lead

  • MY PRONOUNS: she/her

Olivia Priestley

YOUTH PARTNERSHIP PATHWAYS & PROGRESSION LEAD)

  • MY PRONOUNS: she/her

Francis Meadster

People & Culture Lead

  • MY PRONOUNS: he/him

Day Martin

Young Volunteer & TRUSTEE

  • MY PRONOUNS: she/her

Jon Gardner

Finance Lead

  • MY PRONOUNS: he/him

Lorna Digweed

Safeguarding Lead

  • MY PRONOUNS: she/her

Louise Govier

Fundraising Lead

  • MY PRONOUNS: she/her

Tom Slevin

Fundraising Lead

  • MY PRONOUNS: he/him

TRUSTEES

  • “As Chair of the Board of Trustees I feel it is very important to bring together a diverse group of people from a mix of different professional and cultural backgrounds to represent In Focus, and I am extremely proud of both the depth and breadth of knowledge and experience we have on the Board. We are here to guide, support, and challenge the delivery team, and are keen to ensure In Focus is governed appropriately and responsibly, so it can continue to build a strong legacy and work hard for our communities.”

    Rob Francis, Chair of Trustees

     

    We are always open to additions to our Board, so if you would like more information on becoming a trustee with In Focus, or would like any more information on the group please email – rob@infocusedu.co.uk

    The trustees meet at least 4 times a year

Rob Francis

Chair of Trustees

  • MY PRONOUNS: he/him

Rosanna Foster

Data & Evaluation Lead

  • MY PRONOUNS: she/her

Olivia Priestley

YOUTH PARTNERSHIP PATHWAYS & PROGRESSION LEAD)

  • MY PRONOUNS: she/her

Francis Meadster

People & Culture Lead

  • MY PRONOUNS: he/him

Day Martin

Young Volunteer & TRUSTEE

  • MY PRONOUNS: she/her

Jon Gardner

Finance Lead

  • MY PRONOUNS: he/him

Lorna Digweed

Safeguarding Lead

  • MY PRONOUNS: she/her

Louise Govier

Fundraising Lead

  • MY PRONOUNS: she/her

Tom Slevin

Fundraising Lead

  • MY PRONOUNS: he/him

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