Our Team
Morecambe Winter Gardens is run entirely by volunteers, with support from project staff.
Our team of volunteers is the heart and soul of this magical place and there are too many brilliant people to name here.
Find out more about volunteering with the Winter Gardens here.
Trustees
Prof. Vanessa Toulmin
Chair
Professor Vanessa Toulmin is Chair of Early Film and Popular Entertainment at the University of Sheffield, and Director of City, Culture and Public Engagement. She leads on cultural led generation for the University in partnership with Sheffield City Council and has worked for several local authorities and heritage organisations on heritage, regeneration and major capital works. Her partners have included Bourne Leisure, Blackpool Pleasure Beach, Margate and Blackpool Council where she worked primarily as heritage events and regeneration consultant to the Chief Executive. As an historian and international expert of Film & Popular Entertainment, she is the author of 11 books, including four on Blackpool including the Blackpool Winter Gardens. Vanessa is a member of the Showmen’s Guild of Great Britain and her family operated the Winter Gardens fairground, where she grew up. As a Professor in the University, she curates and produces with her team over 300 events a year. The University of Sheffield supports her role as Voluntary Chair of the Winter Gardens a position ratified in 2020 after a governance review led by the Board and Lancaster City Council and supported by the Theatres Trust. Vanessa is currently external examiner on the University of Central Lancashire, MA in Building Conservation.
Paul S. Anderton
Trustee (Legal)
Paul Anderton is a solicitor specialising in commercial property and represents the Winter Gardens on all contractual, legal and leasehold matters. Born and bred in Morecambe, attending Lancaster Road Primary School then Morecambe Grammar School. During this time he was an active sportsman, captaining the Junior section at Morecambe Golf Club and playing football for Morecambe FC reserves before moving to Chester, with a BA Law Degree, to attain his Law Society final exams. After serving Articles of Clerkship in Nantwich, Paul returned to Morecambe in 1984 to practice Law in the Private Sector. He is now retired. Paul is well connected locally, having served 20 years as Governor at Greatwood Primary School and 20 years as Secretary to a local Scout Group of which he is now a Chairman having served 5 years in this position. Paul is a former Morecambe Town Councillor and Lancaster City Councillor and chaired both the HR and Scrutiny committees. He currently sits on the newly formed Morecambe Vision group and works primarily with local businesses to support the development of the Winter Gardens.
Richard Ryan
Trustee (Building Management)
Richard Ryan is an electrical engineer and member of both the ILP/IET and also holds an MBA in Business Studies. He is responsible for Health & Safety and Building Management and oversees the work of the Restoration and Maintenance volunteers. Richard has spent most of his career in the Lighting business, with the vast majority of it running the World famous Blackpool illuminations, during which he oversaw literally hundreds of both internally and externally sourced multidisciplinary projects. During his time in Blackpool he steered the illuminations from being a very traditionally delivered local authority service to a modern multi award-winning service that willingly embraced modern technology and warmly welcomed external influences be they both creative or technical in nature. Modernisations included early adoptions of led technology (20 years ago), use of digital multiplex in lighting control and large scale projection mapping- all aspects designed to modernise the illuminations while critically maintaining a strong connection with its wonderful tradition and key USP’s. Richard is currently operations Director of Baylight, Morecambe’s new annual Festival of Light and considerable interest in the Town and its ongoing regeneration.
Cihan Oktem
Treasurer
Cihan Oktem, born in Lancaster and educated at Northumbria University. Cihan is a strong, diligent and astute Contracts & Commercial Professional with a BSc Degree and a solid background in Quantity Surveying. He has 15 years of experience – 11 years working overseas for Operators in Upstream Oil & Gas, and the remainder of experience UK based in Residential, and Civil Engineering sectors. As board member, trustee and Treasurer, Cihan is working closely to restore the 126 year old Grade II* listed Theatre and Concert Hall. His work at Treasurer involves, introducing financial processes, controls and governance, visibility on financial Performance, and forecasting and fiscal & quantum input to fund and grant Applications.
Steve Matthews
Trustee
Steve is a Chartered Building Surveyor with extensive experience of working in local government and with public sector funding bodies. He was Head of Housing and Planning at Blackpool Council where he led a series of major regeneration programmes and established Blackpool’s housing company. He now leads public sector partnerships with a national affordable housing company. Steve moved to Morecambe 30 years ago and has brought up his family in the town with his wife Cary. They share a passion and a belief in Morecambe and Steve is delighted to have the opportunity to help ensure the Winter Gardens is once again a valuable asset for the town. Steve supports the wider board on procurement, building support and financial overview of major capital works.
Michael Ellis
Trustee
Michael is a teacher at a grammar school and is Head of Department for computer science. He has worked in education for over 25 years, in Blackpool, Lancashire and Cumbria. He joined our front of house team of volunteers in 2020 and became a Duty Manager in 2021 and a Trustee in 2024. Originally from the Lake District, he has lived in Morecambe for over 13 years. As a boy he worked in the family business, a small fruit, veg and flower shop, which helped to instill a sense of community. Michael is passionate about helping to facilitate the restoration of this beautiful building at the heart of Morecambe seafront. He looks forward to working with partners and sharing in the enjoyment and memories from visitors to the Morecambe Winter Gardens. His creative hobbies include lino-printing and photography.
Projects Team
In June 2024, we recruited 4 project staff, as part of a 2-year project funded by the Cultural Heritage Fund. The project aims to increase volunteer and audience engagement.
Terry Allum
Events Coordinator
Terry worked at The Platform from 2012 - 2024 as Steward, Events Officer and finally Venue Manager. Prior to this he was a Facilities Officer for Lancaster and Morecambe Town Halls. Terry loves working in events, in particular music and has a passion for the UK grassroots scene. In his free-time Terry is a musician, playing guitar, keyboard and percussion. He even played the banjo for a while but, (in his own words!), thankfully put that behind him! Terry is a Trustee and treasurer of Lancaster City Brass. The musician he would most like to work with would be Kurt Cobain, but since that’s not possible, he’d pick Mark Knopfler. His guilty pleasure is Terry Pratchett books.
Rick Woodstock
Volunteer Coordinator
Rick has worked extensively across the youth and community sector for over 20 years. He also has experience within the commercial sector in areas such as the drinks industry, finance, retail and technology. An adopted Northerner, Rick has many talents; he's a qualified youth and community worker, a qualified wine expert, has worked in various historical settings across the Northwest for the Heritage Department of Lancashire County Council and has worked in a similar role in Lancaster's oldest house, The Judges Lodgings. Outside of work, Rick enjoys spending time with his wife, two children and their devoted dog. His other passions are music, art, history, politics and sport. He is a keen writer and amateur artist.
Don Hastie
Project Support
Don is a qualified mechanical and electrical engineer who went on to run his own business for 18 years, designing and implementing data management systems for Corporate and Government clients. Don is happily married with one daughter and a "demented" 23 year old parrot called Rocky - named after Rockingham Race Circuit near to where she was hatched.
