Amanda Watkinson

Amanda Watkinson facilitates the Blue Apple Dancers on Tuesdays.

In addition to facilitating Blue Apple’s Tuesday Dance sessions, Amanda has also choreographed for a number of Blue Apple’s Stage Company performances at Theatre Royal Winchester. Amanda studied Choreography and Dance at the University of Winchester and graduated in 2015. During her time there she participated in their study abroad programme where she spent a semester training in the US. Amanda has a passion for teaching dance within the community sector and specialises in delivering dance sessions to support wellbeing and for people with physical and learning disabilities. As well as working as a freelance dance teacher, she is also the CEO of another local charity, Move Momentum, which provides dance classes for young people, over 65s and wheelchair users. Amanda primarily teaches contemporary and street dance and enjoys being able to work with a variety of different groups of people and seeing the benefit that dance brings. "I enjoy working with Blue Apple and have seen many of the performers not only improve their dancing but also develop other transferable skills such as their communication, resilience and confidence."

Toni Foster

Toni Foster facilitates our Performing Arts sessions at Chestnut Theatre Group in Southampton on Thursdays.

Toni studied Dance at Middlesex University (BA Hons Dance Studies) and at Trinity Laban (Diploma in Community Dance studies). Toni then went on to work in education and community settings which included working with Cheshire Dance, Inter-Action MK, Anjali Dance Company & English National Ballet’s Education unit. Toni has focussed on being an early years teacher in schools for over 14 years and believes that opportunities for creativity and the arts is an important aspect of children’s learning development.  

Alongside teaching in early years Toni now works with a range of arts including dance, music, drama and visual arts and currently supports and facilitates groups with Hanger Farm Theatre, Scarf Theatre group, St Barbe Museum and Gallery and most recently as a facilitator with Blue Apple Theatre.

Gail Oakley

Gail Oakley facilitates the drama group we run in partnership with the QE2 Activity Centre in the River Hamble Country Park.

She has over 20 years of experience working with Drama and Theatre. Gail graduated from University of East Anglia with a degree in English and Drama. Having qualified as a teacher, she went on to teach GCSE and A-level Drama in local schools. Over recent years Gail has provided LAMDA exam tuition, supply teaching and bespoke workshops for both primary and secondary pupils in the local area. 

Gail is currently bringing up her three children and working as a freelance theatre practitioner. She has recently provided Drama coaching for The Kings Theatre Arts Academy in Portsmouth and Stage Coach in Liphook as well as The Young Creatives.  Gail has also enjoyed working for Red Sauce Inclusive Theatre Company. She regularly works for “Pamodzi Creatives” as a Director and Dramaturg.

Currently, Gail is running Sunshine Productions theatre group for adults with SEND at The Ashcroft Arts Centre.

Gail believes strongly in the empowerment of storytelling. She is passionate about the importance of the role of theatre within communities and feels that everyone should be able to access it.

Rebecca Godden

Rebecca Godden facilitates the Blue Apple Special Assignments Company and Wednesday’s Stage Company.

Rebecca is an experienced Multi-Disciplinary Practitioner of performing arts, communicating her talent and passion for the arts across varied platforms within theatre, education and the community across the country. She studied Contemporary Performance at The University of Winchester and holds a First-Class BA honours degree. Rebecca specialises in Devised Theatre and has collaborated with many artists and companies within the industry. Organisations and companies, she currently collaborates with include, Equity, Birmingham Stage Company, Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG London and Regional), Pineapple Dance Studios, Boo Productions and The Point Theatre in Eastleigh.

Nick Duncombe

Nick Duncombe facilitates the Blue Apple Singers.

Nick is in charge of the vocal strategy for all Hampshire Schools. She qualified as a teacher with a four-year BEd specialising in music in 1998. She spent five years as a primary class teacher before moving full time to Hampshire Music Service. Nick started teaching class music, vocal ensembles and some woodwind teaching, but she has been teaching singing exclusively for over ten years now. Nick now leads the team of vocal teachers, organises training and yearly performance reviews, plans and leads large-scale vocal events, vocal festivals, liaises and works with other agencies including the BBC Singers and children’s 10 piece proms and Music Mark.

Nick also still teaches small group and individual singing lessons for around 120 students a week, runs the Hampshire County Junior Choir, The Hampshire Teachers Choir and another workplace choir for colleagues at the county council.

Olivia Murphy

Olivia Murphy facilitates our Performing Arts sessions at Oak Lodge school.

She is a highly skilled and experienced teacher with 15 years of experience working in secondary schools, youth theatres and community settings.  Three years ago Olivia began her own freelance work and currently delivers workshops to adults with learning disabilities, play reading groups, adult acting classes as well as drama workshops to children and young people. She works with a range of theatre companies and organisations across Hampshire and Dorset.

After her degree in Drama and Theatre Studies at University of Surrey, Roehampton, Olivia trained as an actor at the London Academy of Performing Arts.  Olivia is an actor with acting work in TIE productions, theatre, independent film and commercials.

Emily Skeldon

Emily facilitates our Young Company Online Performing Arts on Saturdays.

Emily studied Drama at Liverpool Hope University and holds a First-Class BA honours degree.

Emily is an experienced Creative Practitioner who specialises in facilitating drama sessions for people with learning disabilities. Emily is extremely passionate about how theatre can be used as a form of empowerment and provide a platform and a voice to individuals who would not usually get the opportunity to be heard. Her creative practice is inspired by her favourite northern playwright John Godber who believes in ‘Theatre for the masses and an instrument for social change’.

As well as freelance work Emily is the founder of her own theatre company ‘In My Shoes Theatre Group’ which is an inclusive theatre group for young adults with learning disabilities. Their mission is to create work that promotes diversity, inclusivity and acceptance.

Charlie Teschner

Charlie facilitates the sessions we deliver on behalf of The Minstead Trust Hanger Farm Arts Centre.

Charlie is a Multi-disciplinary Practitioner, Actor and Vocalist. Charlie specialises in Jazz, Pop, Musical Theatre and Vocal technique for singers, actors and anyone looking to explore their vocal abilities! With experience in both stage and screen acting her key roles include The Railway Plays (Surrealist theatre productions by award winning playwright Nicholas Joseph), featured Singer - Actor at Tapnell Farm Parks award winning immersive theatre Panto and Special Events, feature films, documentaries, commercial and TV work. Charlie has a UWLQ 5 Diploma Music Theatre ALCM in Performance and performs regularly as a jazz singer for special events including The Winchester Jazz Festival. She has a First Class BA (Hons) Drama and English Literature from the University of Winchester where she developed a love for Physical Theatre and Voice work. Charlie has kept in regular contact with Winchester University having taught students privately through her own company Free Flow Studios and having lectured on the Acting, Music Production & Performance courses. It was at university that Charlie began volunteering for Blue Apple and has been working with us ever since! Charlie has been teaching for 5 years now for a number of theatre schools. Charlie is a advocate for freeing the authentic voice and empowering people through artistic expression. 'It is a joy to see Blue Apple members lose themselves in the joy of performing and express themselves through the arts. It is powerful to watch a Blue Apple performance and a pleasure to witness the wider skills that unfold through the creative process'.