COLLABORATIONS
KEVYN GAMMOND
As a musician Kevyn Gammond started in the Jimmy Cliff band on Island Records – worked with Robert Plant and John Bonham in the Band of Joy, which spawned Led Zeppelin and a host of other names in the music world. His experience includes spells of working for the Netherlands Hollandia Theatre Group alongside the Veenfabriek theatre director Paul Koek. He has written and lectured extensively in the performing arts, consulted on the UK music courses bringing about change in education including setting up the MAS Records Artist Development Programme with Robert Plant and Karl Hyde (Underworld) as patrons at Kidderminster College. He continues his vision with the MAS Lab – Interactions – Collaborations – Art Friction.
DAVE SHUCK
David Shuck spent over thirty-five years supplying surface coating technology to the world’s leading Automotive OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers, and Vehicle Repair and Refinishing After Markets during which time he helped design and facilitate Best Practice management system training for repair networks and team building exercises for charity volunteers. Dave’s focused on developing collaborative relationships with likeminded organizations and designing and developing innovative programmes, training, and workshops through co-operation. Mas Lab signed the Care Covenant in 2018 and is actively engaged seeking to make a difference through collaborative effort. Believing wholeheartedly that Peace should be high on everyone’s agenda he will continue to promote the Bruxelles Peace Pledge countrywide.
MARI & HETTY RANDLE
Mari and Hetty Randle are probably best known as musicians with collaboration at the very heart of everything they do.
Celebrating the spirit of activism through different genres of music and art performance, their band V.O.E. is testament to that love affair – seeing how various styles can come together. They have the power of critical thinking artists to address social issues which they recently investigated while setting up MAS Lab design team, bringing the Migrant X project to fruition by drawing from their graduate degrees in visual communications, fine art, photography and Hispanic and French studies.
JONN PENNEY
Jonn Penney aspired to acting but got distracted when he formed Stourbridge indie-rock band Ned’s Atomic Dustbin as frontman and lyricist. The band released three studio albums, produced 100+ t-shirt designs and filled multitudinous sweaty venues from 1990-1994 during their hectic and extensive worldwide touring schedule before ‘resting’ in 1995.
The band are now part-time since reforming with all five original members in 2007. They still play large rooms and sell 1000’s of t-shirts. Having worked promotions and publicity for Wolverhampton Civic Hall for 14 years, Jonn joined Kidderminster College as a mentor/lecturer in Music Performance and MAS Lab as an advocate for peace but not necessarily quiet.
BILLA NANRA
Billa Nanra is in the vanguard of those looking to effect positive change wherever the insight gained from his life experiences of alcohol abuse, drug addiction, homelessness, prison, and probation can be put to productive use.
He joins the MAS Lab family to share knowledge gained from working as a mentor in prisons with the Shannon Trust, Giving Time and Get Creative with Peace GCWP workshops with young adults on the Marcus Rashford FAV initiative (Families Against Violence) in Manchester, broadcasting a host of shows on National Prison Radio and delivering workshops in PRU schools in Leicestershire for Juniper Training.
He has recently featured in a remarkable documentary film “Slaying The Dragon”, sharing his story of incarceration and how the Peace Education Program empowered him to kick a 22-year heroin addiction and get his life back on track.
The documentary was broadcast to thousands globally. Billa is currently focused on training facilitators to deliver the tprf.org (The Prem Rawat Foundation) programme of Peace Education in the North.
He will be helping MAS Lab to plan and deliver events next year alongside Midlands Peacemakers locally and, hopefully (CLE) Celebrate Life Events, through our colleges in Southwark and Lewisham in addition to delivering regular Virtual PEP Workshops aimed at ex-offenders, BAME, and other groups and individuals at risk.
JORDAN THOMAS
Jordan Thomas is one of the worlds shining stars in martial arts, a former World Karate Champion with a history of establishing numerous fitness and karate clubs for 5–18-year-olds in England. Currently he supports young people and adults to become the best version of themselves. Jordon has tenacity, determination, and a world class work ethic common to all elite athletes, which allied to a calm but enthusiastic and measured authority that wins the hearts and minds of those who are fortunate to receive his guidance. His experience of martial arts and NLP training combined with his tremendous desire to succeed augurs well for the Mas Lab partners’ workshop design, delivery, and development programme.
LESLIE FAIRCLOUGH
Leslie Fairclough forges the links between partners and helps to develop and integrate their best practice to create flexible, bespoke courses and workshops capable of increasing self-awareness concentration, confidence, and resilience. Before the age of 18 Leslie had an accolade littered background in a multitude of sports; and whilst preparing for International Karate Competition on the World Stage was, in the earliest days of its UK introduction, trained in and positively influenced by the use of performance-based NLP. By the time he retired from elite sport Leslie had won English, British, Dutch Open, European and Olympic Cup titles; and then went on to set up and develop the Higher-Level World Success Coaching and Care Company and Inspire You Centre in Wolverhampton; from where his charity Inspire You provides his unique Martial Arts and NLP blended workshops. After being head hunted by the Government's Department of Trade & Industry (DTI) and formally invited to take up a Public Appointment in 2001 by the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and was later (2005) asked to Chair the UK Ethnic Minority Business Forum (EMBF) Leadership and Workforce subcommittee. When asked for the recipe for his success, he said “because I think and truly believe I will be successful, eventually, and I don’t give up”. Although I exchanged Karate Clothes for Business Suits I kept my focus, drive and determination for my Charity, Business and Community activities’.
TONY McLEAN
Over the last 7 years, retired businessman Tony McLean has pioneered the use of the Peace Education Programme, or ‘PEP’, in the UK’s prisons.
He has established 16 ongoing courses, run by teams of focussed and inspired volunteers in 12 of the country’s jails. These media-based, interactive workshop series are now, by far, the most effective and successful of all the ‘unaccredited’ interventions in use in our prisons. The intervention is non-religious and non-political. It is strengths-based and simply looks to focus the individual onto his/her own innate, inner resources.
Over 2,500 offenders have participated in this ‘PEP’ initiative, experiencing as a result a change in personal demeanour, which gives them a vastly improved chance, firstly of using the remainder of their sentence to positive effect and, secondly and crucially, of then making a success of their life on the outside.
During the Covid period Tony has successfully launched the ‘PEP’ initiative, in collaboration with charity organisations specialising in at-risk youth and homelessness, as well as in the PSHE curriculum in sixth-form colleges. As of now, he is actively looking to cooperate with other like-purposed charitable initiatives, to deliver into our institutions. Until now, the initiative has been provided free of charge to these institutions.
ANTONIO MEITIN
Antonio graduated in 2001 with a degree in Digital Media. After landing a few acting roles in films such as Gladiator (2000), he went on to become an editor on popular shows for the BBC. Over the years has evolved into an award-winning Filmmaker and 3D artist.
At the helm of video/Art/Photography at Kidderminster College and MAS Lab, his innovative approach integrates various disciplines within a single project.
JANE NOBLE KNIGHT
Jane Noble Knight has kindly agreed to advise and support us with our upcoming Cinema and Community Hub projects in Kidderminster, Stourbridge and across the Black Country. She brings a wealth of experience in Learning and Development, encompassing Teaching, Training, Coaching and Mentoring. She has held key leadership roles in organisations such as Barclays, The Law Society, Newton Investment Management, Mellon Global Investments and was Interim Training Consultant at (LV) Liverpool Victoria. Much of her work involved working with actors in business. Her focus has always been on supporting people to fulfil their maximum potential. We see Jane providing invaluable holistic support to our local communities.
JAMES ANDERSON BROWN
James is a game changer, a cinema and exhibition specialist with over 10 years experience in the field, and founder of two independent cinemas the Mockingbird Cinema and Lume with plans for more. We are so fortunate to have access to his experience and expertise from his role as Cinema Director of West Midlands Community Cinemas & Art Spaces CIC a not for profit organisation and the cult film company Cine-Excess Ltd. He is, for good measure also a Trustee of the Harborne Royalty Project. Welcome James.
RONI REDMOND
Roni is one of directors of CELEBRATE LIFE CiC, a social enterprise company (www.celebrate-life.co.uk) who have been behind MAS Lab since day one and who supported us in the preparation and filming of the MASLab-Midlands Peacemaker International Peace Day Event at the Birmingham Mac.
She is also Co-director of a recent documentary Power to Change, and has an active interest in social change through peace education, workshops, music, film and performance.
TONY CEALY
MAS Lab welcomes Tony Cealy – Arts Practitioner, Trainer, Producer to our collaborations team and look forward to benefitting from his experience working with, and providing support and training for the Ubunto Round Tables Project Tutu Foundation UK across London. Tony is a dynamically successful individual who, whilst his roots are firmly grounded in London, travels extensively throughout Europe. Mas Lab is excited by being able to draw upon Tony’s expertise when it comes to creating meaningful interactions across the West Midlands.
Methodology: How I Work
Workshops: Workshops
Training: Training
LLOYD STACEY
Lloyd Stacey brings breath-taking skills and expertise allied to the consciousness associated with Zen Buddhism. His Riverside House project is both humbling and inspiring and to meet those he works with is an honour and a privilege; and if that sounds a little flowery or patronising just go down to see what is happening in an oasis twixt the Stourbridge Canal and River Stour and find out for yourself.Riverside House website
SACHIA M MOONEY
Sachia Mooney is a Senior Producer, experienced Script Developer, Writer, Creative Media Producer and Digital Media Facilitator with a history of media production for the education sector and an award-winning short film and media content Producer who delivers masterclasses at the University of Wolverhampton, where he sits on the Screen School Advisory Board. He set up Inspire Kre8tive CIC as a catalyst to inspire and empower through creative media and we look forward to working with him. We are not here to blow anybody’s trumpet but it never hurts to tell the truth and with an MA in Screen Arts and his natural lateral thinking skills we are excited and humbled to welcome him on board where his ability to see projects through from the first spark of entelechy to a finished work of art will be a boon to all those on the MASLab team. Sachia’s enjoyed success in the corporate sector working through the DCT Agency where he produced and implemented content and advertising campaigns for national brands for ‘above and below the line advertising’. Check out this excellent short film about Elshera, an illegal immigrant in the UK forced into a life of crime, exploitation and oppression; a powerful, dark and gritty offering with such realistic performances from its cast that it won the ‘Peoples Festival Choice’ Award at the Palm Springs Film Festival. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyRFnl9vQ4A&t=1s
JOHN REED
John Reed is one of Kidderminster’s best kept secrets; a seasoned professional businessman, who is well known throughout the criminal justice system for earning the trust and enthusiastic engagement of those he works with, helping them to discover creative talents they did not think they had, or had buried because of the effects of their ‘ learned hopelessness’; a byproduct of a system that struggles for a myriad of reasons to place rehabilitation at the heart of all it does. John is akin to a Kidderminster stick of rock, and the thought of helping to bring back life to the heart of Kidderminster has his juices running. We feel honoured to have him on board and look forward to what he brings to the MASLab team. Especially in combatting the loneliness and isolation of some of the towns wisest inhabitants.
JOHN LYMN
John Lymn is a great believer in the value of collaborations. Having spent over 21-years with his own educational consultancy, he has created and supported many successful collabs and Partnerships. He has vast experience and knowledge of public sector funding procurement and has written many successful grant funding applications and helped to manage organisations with successful outcomes. He is an advocate of the importance the creative sector has in educational impact and well-being through innovative programmes, which support disenfranchised individuals and disadvantaged communities. John is also Chair of Trustees for a charity that supports disabled and young people with complex needs.
NOEL MORAN
MASLab welcomes the founder of Noela Yoga Wellness and Training, who is a major advocate in positive change and believes everyone has the capability to unlock their highest potential. His journey comes from an extensive lived experience in criminal justice. Noel now spends his time passionately sharing his experience and knowledge through training frontline professionals and working with people experiencing multiple disadvantages. Noel is a yoga teacher and specialist trainer in multiple fields. He has designed a unique 10-week based yoga course specifically for people with multiple disadvantages in Prisons Nationwide to share the practice and give hope to others incarcerated, he fundamentally believes we can all find the light at the end of our own tunnel. As a motivational speaker he shares his journey which is both empowering and inspiring. He talks about loss, the journey to success and staying on track. Noel is extremely forward thinking, with the attitude that personal growth can be found in any of us and within any environment.