Why did you join the Red Ladder board? I started with Red Ladder way back in 2012 as a volunteer and I’m still here today! I have a passion for Red Ladder and the work it does. I share its philosophy of community, social change and global justice.

What is most rewarding about being a Red Ladder board member? It’s the shared purpose, being able to help take the company forward and work with some great people.

Why is it important that people get involved with local arts organisations? Arts organisations, especially small scale and local ones, need all the help they can get, and volunteers are often their lifeblood. I speak as a lifelong arts volunteer. Many arts organisations would not exist without volunteer help. If that was the case just think about how much poorer a local community might be if it didn’t have the enrichment of local drama, theatre and performance opportunities.

What advice would you give to someone considering joining a board? Find your passion. One of my passions is theatre and the work RL does. I joined the Board three years ago – when the call went out for new Board members it was a no brainer. You do need to have some spare time to give to Board work so I would say have a think if that’s possible and if you do have time then don’t hesitate.

If you were describing Red Ladder to a friend, what would you say? It’s a theatre company for sure but it feels like family and where I feel like I can make a difference.

If Red Ladder were a song, which would it be and why? It might have to be Teenage Kicks – it’s punk, a classic and people still really love it.

What’s the best, or most memorable, stage production you have seen, and what made it so special? One of the most memorable productions I have seen is our production of Mother Courage to mark our 50th year. It was incredible. It was atmospheric, dark, grimy. The audience promenaded with the actors from set to set in an old warehouse. It had the fantastic Pauline McLynn as MC. It was very special.

What’s your favourite theatre/venue and why? City Varieties Music Hall in Leeds – it’s a bit of a spiritual home for Red Ladder as we’ve had many productions there in the past.

Aliens land. Where’s the first place you would recommend they visited in Leeds and why? My other passion is literature so I would send those aliens off to the Leeds Library on Commercial St. It was founded in Leeds in 1768 as a membership subscription library and it’s still going! The building is stunning too. So, literature and heritage – a perfect combination!

I can’t live without… my daily fix of chocolate!

If you think you would like to join Fiona on our board, or you know someone who does, then please take a look at our Board Recruitment Pack. This should answer most questions but if you do have more, or if you require a different version to meet specific access needs, just give us a shout! There are plain text and audio versions already available in the folder.