Meet The Team

We have a small team of staff, supported by a dedicated group of volunteers.

Our Staff
Our Trustees

Staff

Paul Scott

Interim Artistic Director

Life at Cranleigh Arts
I oversee the artistic direction and operation of the organisation and develop and deliver the programme during Sophie’s maternity leave.
Life Pre-Cranleigh Arts
I spent almost 17 years running Cheltenham Playhouse prior to which I worked in corporate PR and internal communications, mainly in the financial services industry.
Life outside Cranleigh Arts
I enjoy performing and directing, music, film, historical research, dinghy sailing and writing. 
paul@cranleigharts.org

Sophie Woods

Artistic Director (on maternity leave)

Life at Cranleigh Arts
I oversee the artistic direction and operation of the organisation and develop and deliver the programme.
Life Pre-Cranleigh Arts
I spent my formative years producing video content for global brands and then moved in to working in design for PR agencies.
Life outside Cranleigh Arts
Can be found walking or cycling through the countryside. I enjoy all things creative, social and travel.

Helen Steward

Volunteer and Community Coordinator

helen@cranleigharts.org

Ian Mortlock

Facilities Manager

Life at Cranleigh Arts
I oversee all building maintenance, health and safety compliance,  and upkeep of the premises. I am the lead on physical set up of event hire space in line with client requests.
Life pre-Cranleigh Arts
Previous to joining Cranleigh Arts I was in varied management roles for well-known high street retail companies.
Life outside Cranleigh Arts
I am a keen photographer, enjoy travel and live music.

ian@cranleigharts.org

Clive Jones

Event Front of House Manager

Life at Cranleigh Arts
I help to manage and recruit some of our great volunteers and also act as the Front of House manager.
Life Pre-Cranleigh Arts
Previously I worked for Terrence Conran, owned a couple of shops and a nightclub in Manchester and spent 20 years running a very large superstore in the north.
Life outside Cranleigh Arts
Now that I have retired to Cranleigh I am exploring my new area along with doing other voluntary work and spending time with my lovely family.
clivej@cranleigharts.org

Jane Heathcott

Event Front of House Manager

Life at Cranleigh Arts
I am Front of House/Duty Manager and am in charge of the centre during some evening events and Saturdays
Life Pre-Cranleigh Arts
I have worked in many offices: wine company, architects, retail; then a full time mother of one; retrained as a gardener and now garden for others locally.
Life outside Cranleigh Arts
I cycle around the village every day, swim with a local club, run occasionally, walk, love doing pottery, yoga and spending time with my daughter and cats.
jane@cranleigharts.org

William Lees

Bookkeeper

Responsible for maintaining Cranleigh Arts accounts.

william@cranleigharts.org

Admin Support

Penny Bramsden

Social Media Support

Life at Cranleigh Arts
I support the team with running the social media channels, uploading content and striving to maximise its impact.
Life Pre-Cranleigh Arts
I have worked predominantly in marketing, most recently using my entrepreneurial skills when founding parenting website Surrey Mummy where I won awards for business use of social media.
Life outside Cranleigh Arts
Family life is very busy with my three daughters and pets. In my rare spare moments I love to read, listen to podcasts and obsessively play fantasy football.
penny@cranleigharts.org

Chris Dubois

Contracts/Front of House

Life at Cranleigh Arts
Contracts, settlements, management information, PRS, occasional front-of-house. I enjoy “putting on a show.”
Life Pre-Cranleigh Arts
Before retiring, IT and business services career, travelling a lot. My wife Rosemary and I have volunteered here a long time, and she was voluntary Centre Manager 1985 – 1997 (the refurbishment bid to the Lottery). Later, we were both trustees for about ten years.
Life outside Cranleigh Arts
Family, theatre, music, opera, walking, learning languages, and trying to persuade Sophie to put on a Wagner Ring all-nighter.
chris@cranleigharts.org

John Coghlan

Technical and Projection Team Leader

Life at Cranleigh Arts
I manage and work in a small team of volunteer projectionists who run the presentation of our movies, our NT and ROH live theatre relays and the live streaming of our classical music concerts.
Life Pre-Cranleigh Arts
I started doing theatre work as a teenager in a small seaside theatre. Depending on the show, I would be operating the spotlights, being a stagehand or flying the backcloths. After University I worked in the IT industry, initially as an engineer and later in sales management. When I retired, the theatre, in the form of Cranleigh Arts, called me back!
Life outside Cranleigh Arts
I play tennis, work on the Watercress Line steam railway, take photographs, listen to music, and have fun with my three grandsons.
johncoghlan@me.com

Bernice Harris

Volunteer Secretary

Life at Cranleigh Arts
Since I came back after lockdown I have been volunteering in the office helping the artistic director.
Life Pre-Cranleigh Arts
In my working life I was a bookkeeper, so after I first came to Cranleigh Arts as a volunteer I spent the following 5 years in that role.
Life outside Cranleigh Arts
When I have time I enjoy walking and spending time with my grandchildren.

bernice@cranleigharts.org

Marilyn Runnalls

Handmade At Cranleigh

Life at Cranleigh Arts
I look after Handmade at Cranleigh organising a range of arts and crafts to sell all year round.
Life pre- Cranleigh Arts
I worked with people who had MS running art therapy classes. I was involved in the Ockley drama group and made all the costumes for the pantos etc. I was the secretary of the Dorking group of artists for 18 years.
Life outside Cranleigh Arts
I enjoy keeping fit by doing aqua aerobics classes and gardening. I still find time to paint and exhibit my work locally.
cranleigh@cranleigharts.org

Elizabeth Campbell

Friends Coordinator

friends@cranleigharts.org

Trustees

Cranleigh Arts is a charity and company Limited by Guarantee, overseen by a Board of Non-Executive Directors, or Trustees. The Board has a formal structure and meets every two months delegating the day to day running of the Centre to staff and volunteers. The Non-Executive Directors behave as instructed in the Articles of Association.

Chairman: Brian Freeston


Life at Cranleigh Arts
Brian was appointed as a Trustee in August 2022, becoming Chairman in December 2023.
Life Pre-Cranleigh Arts
He is a former Cranleigh Parish Councillor who helped save our Recreation Fields from development. He has worked in film and television for more than 40 years. Before that, Brian was a journalist in Scandinavia and Canada.
Life outside Cranleigh Arts
Brian still works as a feature film producer.

Trustee: Caroline Heslop

Life at Cranleigh Arts
Caroline was appointed a Trustee in July 2022 having been associated with Cranleigh Arts for many years and continues to work as a volunteer steward.
Life Pre-Cranleigh Arts
She worked for many years in event management, publishing and marketing and has organised fund-raising events for various charities including opera nights, walks, music events and tennis tournaments.
Life outside Cranleigh Arts
I love music, theatre and amateur drama. I like to paint and organise pop-up galleries. I enjoy mountain biking, tennis and travel.

Trustee: Alan Froggatt


Life at Cranleigh Arts
Alan was appointed as a Trustee in June 2023.
Life Pre-Cranleigh Arts
He has had a long career as a Chartered Surveyor and has been involved in the management of a number of property-focused businesses.
Life outside Cranleigh Arts
He has lived in this area for nearly 40 years and has participated in several community activities including the Samaritans, Friends of Thursley Common and Age UK.

Trustee: Stephanie Gallo


Life at Cranleigh Arts
Stephanie was appointed as a Trustee in November 2023.  She has been a regular volunteer at the Arts Centre for over 12 years and is often found behind the tea bar at evening events.
Life Pre-Cranleigh Arts
She has many years of recruitment, admin and estate agency experience but is now happily retired. Latterly she ran a large private estate in the area and has recently completed a huge renovation project on her own property as well as one in France
Life outside Cranleigh Arts
She loves to participate in ‘crafty’ pursuits, travel, anything to do with animals and her family – all of whom live locally.

Trustee: Simon Rabinowitz

Life at Cranleigh Arts
Simon was appointed as a Trustee in September 2018.
Life Pre-Cranleigh Arts
He grew up in a showbiz family and, through his father’s work as an orchestral conductor in radio, TV, theatre and film, Simon was immersed in the arts throughout his childhood, met many famous people and learned how the entertainment industry worked. He then studied Economics and founded several small businesses in the wine, catering and hospitality industries.

Trustee: George Scurry


Life at Cranleigh Arts
George became a Trustee in March 2024 as he never thought his guitar playing would ever get him onto the stage for a paying audience. He believes CAC is very much the jewel in the Cranleigh crown.
Life Pre-Cranleigh Arts
He has been a chartered accountant for all of his life and is currently working in that capacity and as a director of a niche award-winning property developer.
Life outside Cranleigh Arts
George and wife Jo attend events at CAC as its their preferred entertainment venue but away from here his interests include music, gardening, walking their dogs, steam railways and keeping his brain active!