Our Vision

Founder Managing Director

Laura Atyeo

• Diploma in Music Therapy, Centre of Excellence

• Arts in Health Practitioner training, Birmingham Centre for Arts Therapies

• Music Theory and Practice (Violin, Clarinet), ABRSM

• MSc Information Systems Engineering, UMIST

• BSc (Hons) Physical Science, Open University

• BSc (Hons) Medical Informatics, University of Manchester

• Mental Health First Aid training, Shropshire Council

• Safeguarding Lead training, Shropshire Partners in Care

Laura brings twenty years health and social care experience, leading complex, multi-organisational, county-wide projects to transform patient care and care pathways through improved information and communication.

Music is her lifelong passion, she is a versatile and engaging Music Leader, passionate about fulfilling a transformative impact on people and local communities.  She loves playing ukulele, keyboard, violin, viola and percussion.

Laura has lived experience of mental health issues and trauma, which she uses to inform her work and approach.   She uses her broad range of skills and experience to work with Open Harmony community members and partners to coproduce exciting and innovative programmes that go far beyond improving wellbeing and confidence, to help bring about a truly integrated, inclusive, and empowered society.

Email: laura@openharmony.co.uk

Tel: 07753 381908

Co-Director and Director of Strategic Partnerships

Debbie Gilmore

• PRINCE2 Practitioner accreditation (Project Management)

• Project experience: digital technology and digital inclusion, complex service and pathway redevelopments, research, stakeholder engagement and clinical training

• BA (Hons) Art & Design, University of Suffolk

• Safeguarding Adults training

• Music Theory and Practice (Piano) ABRSM

• ABPI Qualified (Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry)

Debbie has worked over 17 years with health and social care stakeholders, users and suppliers, to deliver health improvement programmes that are sustainable long-term.  Several of her projects across the NHS are still going strong today.

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Through her passion, creativity, organisational, communication, networking, and process skills, she achieves tangible benefits in improved efficiencies, patient care and cost savings.

Debbie brings extensive experience through her work to deliver projects in the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise sector and from her

volunteer role at Healthwatch.

Debbie is also an avid pianist and has a vocal range to rival Adele!

Steering Committee Chair

Carl Cheesman

• Social Enterprise Leadership Programme, Social Heart CIC

• Mental Health First Aid training, Shropshire Council

• Adult Safeguarding Awareness, Shropshire Infrastructure Partnership

• Exploitation & Vulnerability training, West Mercia Police

• Building a Media Presence training, Third Sector Network

• First Aid courses, Red Cross

• Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) Accreditation, Job Centre

• Carpentry course, Allison

• NVQ Levels 1 & 2 Football Coaching, Soccer Skills Community Coaching
   

Carl has been chairing the Open Harmony Steering Committee meetings for nine months (at November 2023).  He sets the agenda and calls meetings every two months, or more frequently during times of organisational growth. 

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His role as Chair involves helping ensure robust policies and procedures are in place to safeguard the wellbeing of members, staff, and volunteers, and to get involved in many different aspects of the organisation such as fundraising, finance, and promotion of Open Harmony via the website, local and social media.  

Carl’s 5 years of supervisory experience (leading volunteers at the Orchard, Oswestry), have helped him to encourage voluntary contributions from members of the Open Harmony community to make group music sessions go as smoothly and enjoyably as possible, whilst creating real community spirit. 

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Carl has a deep appreciation of the music-learning process as he progresses with the guitar and brings many insights and ideas to the Music Programme design, planning and delivery.  He is a budding visual artist too, working with Designs in Mind, Oswestry, to produce unique designs for the Habitat homeware collection.  A skilled painter and decorator, Carl has been generous in lending his time and skills to redecorate the Designs in Mind studio and shop.

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Carl says:

“I have been a part of the Open Harmony music group, for almost four years.  Started off during the testing times of lock down.

My role as Chair is to organise Steering Committee meetings and think of ways to take the pressure off our Exec Director, Laura.  

At times it can be a challenge, but I feel we are getting there as a team.  If someone said to me at the start that someone would give you an opportunity to be a vital part in the day-to-day workings of their company, I would have laughed at you.  Because back when I first started, I wouldn't have thought I would have lasted this long.  At times it can be challenging due to me being on the Autism spectrum, but the whole experience and group workings are proving to be more rewarding than you can imagine.

Plus I have a better sense of myself, and in the last couple of years, been a keen lover of the guitar.  So it's an amazing adventure.”

Steering Committee Treasurer

Chris Owen

• Social Enterprise Leadership Programme, Social Heart CIC

• Adult Safeguarding Awareness, Shropshire Infrastructure Partnership

• Developing a Positive Safeguarding Culture, Shropshire Partners in Care

• Exploitation & Vulnerability training, West Mercia Police

• How to be a Fabulous Director/Trustee, Shropshire Infrastructure Partnership

• Volunteer Management & Peer Support training, Shropshire Infrastructure Partnership

• Fundraising Strategy & Fundraising Management training, Get Grants

• Bid Writing training, Community Resource

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Chris has many years’ experience playing and teaching guitar, in sound mixing, recording and production.  

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Chris ran his own business in retail so is well placed to act as our Treasurer and review and assure our financial and governance procedures.  Chris also helps shape overall strategy and direction, with the aim of ensuring sustainability of income and leadership, and judicious use of resources.

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Generous in lending his time to help research, design, organise, setup and teach as part of the Music & Support Programme, Chris is a highly valued and popular member of the community.  His empathy, intelligence, knowledge and commitment to creating an equitable and supportive community adds incalculable value to Open Harmony.

Steering Committee Secretary

Jan Ward (a.k.a. Jan Daniels)

Jan has a wealth of experience as a music leader, singer songwriter and as an administrator.  Her 18 years’ administrative experience in the agricultural industry make her very well placed to manage all the administration of the Steering Committee.  Her adroit notes of each meeting help everyone stay focussed on the priorities to help Open Harmony be effective and grow.

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Jan is a prolific singer songwriter, having written her first song aged 11 and produced several albums since then, her latest being ‘My Songs My Heart’ (under the name Jan Daniels).  Jan writes songs that tell the story of her extraordinary life experiences; for example, her near death experience inspired her album Long Time Coming.  She is also phenomenally quick at coming up with an original song, having penned a Eurovision-hopeful song, Haunted Memories, whilst driving to the studio!

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She worked in Benidorm for 8 years as a karaoke leader and, later with her husband, as a highly popular cabaret act.

Back in the UK she has sung in care/nursing homes, playing guitar, and working as a music leader and activity organiser for people living with dementia.  It always delighted Jan to see how they'd light up with a familiar song and she is skilful at evoking their happy memories through her sensitive song choices.

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Jan was a young infant when she had a hole in the heart operation in 1963; in 2013 she had a mitral valve replacement due to heart failure and she is now pacemaker dependent, but despite this, is one of the most courageous and resilient people we know!

Steering Committee Strategic and Artistic Lead

Vicki Edwards

• Safeguarding for Leaders

• Data Handling and Protection

• Mentoring Volunteers

• First Aid in the Workplace

• Certificate of Higher Education in English Studies; Creative Writing and Critical Practise, Ruskin College, Oxford

• Extensive classroom training / live skills practices / online modules in:

  • Equality, Diversity and Inclusion;

  • Safeguarding;

  • Talking About Suicide;

  • Self-Harm and Suicide

  • Handling Difficult Contacts;

  • Implementing Key Policies;

  • Leader training

As Strategic and Artistic Lead, Vicki works with other volunteers to find innovative ways to help members of the group sessions to be involved to the best of their ability, ensuring that the group is cohesive despite the diverse backgrounds and abilities of the group.  It's quite a challenge to achieve that session after session but Vicki manages it effortlessly and naturally, and despite having lost her sight completely.

Vicki is unapologetically competent and an example to women leaders. 

With Open Harmony, she was instrumental in helping fundraise, review and transform our website, and shape the strategic direction of Open Harmony over the next few years and beyond.  She is a very energetic and influential member of the Committee.  Her creative problem-solving skills and ability to synthesise disparate and rapidly changing information about a situation into something positive and practical is second-to-none.  

Vicki is an experienced musician who has played guitar for almost 30 years.  She has been helping lead group music sessions for two years.  The instruments we play, such as guitars and drums, require a high level of technical skill, and Vicki generously imparts her knowledge and expertise to those who are less familiar with the technicalities and the art-form of music itself.  Through her guidance and enthusiastic involvement in the sessions, she helps people to build their confidence in playing, and in trying something new - skills that they can then employ in multiple ways and areas of their lives, thus creating a life-enhancing experience for all involved.

In her professional life she helps blind and visually impaired people to identify how technology can be made accessible to help them in their everyday lives, and assists them in learning how to use and make the best of that technology.

Vicki has always been severely sight impaired, but lost her sight completely in 2013. She came to Open Harmony in 2021.

Vicky says:

“When I first found Open Harmony it was a lifeline.  I’d recently moved back to Telford, Covid lockdowns were in full swing and I felt utterly lost.  I’d had a really difficult few years after losing my sight and my confidence and self-esteem was on the floor.  I’ve always known I have a lot to offer but felt like I was too broken and nobody would want anything to do with anything to do with me.  Open Harmony really picked me up.  The people I met gave me belief that I am worthy of self-belief and self-respect, and that I do have the right to strive for better and achieve what I want in my life.  It’s because of Open Harmony that I had the impetus to apply for and get a job, and the conviction that I have the right to be there, and the expectation of myself that I will succeed.”

Music Session Co-Leader as a Supported Internship

Toby Arthur-Hammond

• Adult Safeguarding Awareness, Shropshire Partners in Care

• Diploma in Music Technology and Performance, levels 3 and 3-extended, Shrewsbury Colleges Group (formerly known as Shrewsbury College of Arts and Technology, SCAT)

• Diploma in Music Technology and Performance, levels 1 and 2, Liverpool City College

• A-level Art and Photography

Toby was referred to Open Harmony by Enable and has been with us since April 2022 on a Supported Internship as a Group Music Session Co-Leader.  Since then, he has gone from strength to strength and is now leading drumming and singing tutorials with great aplomb. 

Toby is passionate about supporting other people through his greatest passion in life: music.  His enthusiasm and dedication to creating great music are evident in every session he supports, and he keeps the group entertained and inspired with his tales of his live performances and creative exploits.  Toby has a unique, genre-fluent sound and a great stage presence, and his talents are a great asset to our community.    Toby has also recently begun volunteering to support the running of the weekly Hive Music Club sessions.

His ambition is to be a music industry professional and to help other artists and bands to produce quality products and get out there gigging.