Meet the team at Believe. Founded by Emily Edwards in 2023, the team has a real diverse range of talent but all share the same passion in making high quality Performing Arts tuition accessible to children from care experienced backgrounds.
Emily Edwards
Founder. Teacher and Trustee
I am absolutely thrilled to be the founder of Believe Performing Arts. I have worked with young people for many years teaching Performing Arts and have really enjoyed helping to nurture the life skills that this subject naturally encompasses. I have seen first-hand the difference that Performing Arts can make to a young person’s sense of self esteem, confidence and social skills and have always found it particularly magical watching this change happen to a child from a care experienced background or who has experienced Developmental Trauma.
Believe Performing Arts was dreamt up many years ago when I saw that, for a mixture of reasons children from care experienced backgrounds were not always able to consistently attend one group. Up until now, there have been no regular fully funded Performing Arts classes for children from care experienced backgrounds in the Dorset, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole areas and I am so excited that this charity has finally become a reality! Now, children are able to attend Performing Arts classes and reap the benefits, without having to worry about the financial implications. Making these classes accessible to everyone!
A little more about me… I am a mum of two very energetic and lively children plus two fur babies and when I am not teaching, you can find me getting outside as much as possible!
For the past 11 years I have been working hard in my current role as Principal to Stagecoach Performing Arts Ringwood, Wimborne and Bournemouth, a job which I love and has allowed me to see so many children achieve and thrive whilst developing their skills in the Performing Arts. I could Dance before I could walk and have been lucky enough to teach, choreograph and perform in a wide variety of dance styles that include RAD Ballet, Contemporary, ISTD and IDTA Jazz, Modern, Disco and Rock & Roll. This has allowed me to teach, perform and compete in the UK & different countries!
Alongside this, I am a qualified Secondary School Dance teacher; holding a BA Honours degree in Dance and Choreography and have taught Nursery-KS5 Performing Arts lessons including GCSE, BTEC First, BTEC National, A-Level Dance and Rock School LTD qualifications.
Lydia Graham
Teacher and Trustee
Hello I’m Lydia and I am so thrilled to be part of the Believe team as a trustee and teacher. I’ve worked in performing arts for over 20 years now, starting off as a performer myself and then discovering my love of teaching. I’ve taught all over the UK and in Singapore where I spent 7 years as head of musical theatre as a large drama school. I now work with Emily at Stagecoach where I have been for the past 8 years and I also teach with RJSD for their home educated musical theatre and drama classes. I have a performing arts degree and an LTCL in teaching musical theatre and over the years, I have developed a keen interest and subsequently undertaken training on working with children and young people with SEN. I enjoy teaching all ages of children and young people and have taught children from a huge variety of backgrounds, cultures and abilities. One of my main desires as a teacher is making performing arts accessible to all children, no matter their circumstance or ability as I’ve seen first hand the difference it can make to a child’s life.
Believe holds a particularly special place in my heart as I am able to combine my two passions of performing arts and supporting care experienced children. I adopted my daughter back in 2016 and I then adopted for a second time with my son in 2019. Since starting to look into adoption, and then going on to bring my children home, I have learned and researched a huge amount about trauma and the impact it has on care experienced children, participating in various training courses and learning as much as I can. As a therapeutic parent, I am constantly learning and striving to have a better understanding of how to help and support my children and I have taken many of the ideas and strategies into my teaching. Completing the trauma informed training for professionals working with children by Beacon house has deepened my knowledge and allowed me space as a teacher to implement and support a trauma informed, therapeutic classroom.
I look forward to welcoming you along.
Beth Barbrooke
Trustee
Following a degree in Photography I’ve spent the last 10 years working in agency roles across global brands in the retail, property, finance and insurance sectors as well as 3 years as a Product Lead at cosmetics brand, Lush. I’m now proud to bring this mix of creative and project management experience to the marketing of Believe.
Simon Edwards
Trustee
With over 20 years experience in business management and the last 11 years involvement with Stagecoach performing arts, I am excited to see what we can achieve as a team at Believe to advance the education of care experienced children in the Dorset, Hampshire and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole areas.
Isobel Hayward-Langrish
Trustee
I have over a decade of experience in Fundraising and the charity sector, coupled with extensive years in events management. I am excited to harness this background at Believe to enhance funding support.