Listening Books provides a postal and internet based audiobook library service to anyone who finds it difficult to access printed books.
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Bill Dee
Director
Bill was appointed Director of Listening Books in September 2001, having previously served as Deputy Director.
Bill is a voting member of Depaul Trust at national level and also a member of their London and South East Region Committee. He serves on the Council of Management of the Federation of Irish Societies and as an Advisor to the Board of The Charity Employees' Benevolent Fund as well as being a Trustee of Southwark Volunteer Centre. Bill previously served as a Trustee of Action Group for Irish Youth and for seven years was a member of the Independent Panel for Admissions and Exclusions Appeals for a prominent London college. Earlier in his career, Bill worked in the public and private sectors for ten years as a scientist and manager and his posts included Senior Microbiologist for London’s drinking water with Thames Water Plc. Bill is also Managing Director of a small publishing company he founded, which specializes in non-fiction books. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in 2005.
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Sarah joined Listening Books in March 2003, as a Membership Services Assistant. She was appointed to the post of
email Sarah
Andy joined Listening Books in August 2008 as Membership Services Manager. He has an undergraduate degree in Journalism and an M.A. in Marketing. Andy’s previous work experience includes a mental health charity and a cancer charity.
Education and Membership Officer
Louise joined Listening Books in April 2004 on a six month contract to cover maternity leave. Initially, she worked full time in the library and then moved on to divide her time equally between the library and our sponsored membership programme. In addition to sponsorship, Louise now runs our educational initiative, Sound Learning. Louise also volunteers during the summer months for Campaign Against Arms Trade.
email Louise
Membership Services Assistant
Jeremy has worked full time in the library for five years and previously in an adventure playground and as a chef.
email Jeremy
Cherry Gardener
Bookkeeper
Cherry was appointed as Bookkeeper to Listening Books in June 2006. Prior to this, for seven years she worked as Bookkeeper Cashier to Senior Executives for a company of Career Advisors in Piccadilly, only leaving when the business was taken over. Earlier she worked for eight years as a Bookkeeper to an American Private Investor living in Knightsbridge; this involved dealing with the everyday running of his office and household accounts until he eventually returned to America.
Jules Watkinson
Digitization Officer
Jules was appointed to the post of Digitization Officer in May 2006.
Fabrice Pougnard
Digitization Officer
Fabrice is an audio engineer with previous music recording experience and has been working as a freelance sound designer on short films and documentaries. He joined Listening Books in March 2007 as a part-time Digitization Officer.
Conrado Silva de Farias
Digitization Officer
Conrado graduated from ‘The School of Fine Arts of Parana’ in Brazil in 1996 with a degree in Music. He has recently completed a Masters Degree in Sound Design at the University of Edinburgh and has been working as a freelance on short films.
He joined Listening Books in August 2008.
Will Parker
Sound Engineer
Will graduated from the London College of Communication, which is part of the University of the Arts, with a degree in Sound Art and Design in 2006, one month before he started at Listening Books. He has worked previously in recording studios and producing music for TV. He is an active electro-acoustic composer and is passionate about American literature.
Claire Jones
Membership Services Assistant
After graduating from the University of Surrey, Roehampton in 2005, Claire worked as Publicity Officer and Administrative Assistant for Bexley Academy of Music and Performing Arts. She joined Listening Books in May 2008 as Membership Services Assistant.
Martin Hardie
Accountant
Martin has been Accountant at Listening Books since 1998. A Chartered Accountant and Finance graduate from University of Wales, Martin manages the accounts of a dozen companies, of which half are charities. He counts reading amongst his most enjoyable pursuits.
Alan Watling
Library Volunteer
Alan retired from BT in 1996 after 31 years during which he worked on the development of Data Transmission Systems. He joined Listening Books in March 1998, and works in the library where he checks in returned audiobooks and makes repairs or new copies of our tape library.
Linda Crimmen
Library Volunteer
Linda is married with two grown up children. Before volunteering at Listening Books she worked as a secretary for a film company, which she loved. In her spare time she enjoys going to the cinema and theatre and is an avid reader. Linda says, 'I enjoy volunteering...It is great that there is a way of enabling people to access books by other means.'
Brian Butler
Volunteer
Brian started volunteering at Listening Books at the beginning of 2006. Brian also runs a photography group at Connect, a charity helping people with aphasia, which means they have difficulty talking, reading and writing.
Helen Lyus
Admin Volunteer
Helen's daughter was a member of Listening Books 14 years ago, which was the reason she decided to volunteer with us. Helen has a background in teaching basic skills to adults. She is now semi-retired and has an interest in oral history. Helen says, 'This is a great atmosphere to help out in!'
Gille Howarth
Chair
Gillie Howarth has been Chairman of Listening Books for over a decade. Gillie is an English Teacher at Westminster Under School and also a Trustee for another charity.
Anne-Marie Williams
Treasurer
Anne-Marie Williams has been Treasurer of Listening Books since 2006. It is her job to make sure the Charity's money is properly looked after, something which is obviously vital for the Charity's success. As Treasurer she draws on her previous work experience in the City, firstly as an investment analyst for a stockbroker, and then as a fund manager for an insurance company. Anne Marie says 'I value my role in the Charity since I believe passionately in what the Charity does, and feel strongly that books should be available to be enjoyed by everyone, whatever their circumstances.'
Julia Eccleshare
Trustee
Julia Eccleshare is Co-Director of The Centre for Literacy in Primary Education. Julia is a writer, broadcaster and lecturer, and The Guardian’s children’s books editor. She is a judge of the Branford Boase first novel prize and was a judge for the Whitbread Children’s Book prize in 2001. She won the Eleanor Farjeon Award in 2000 in recognition of her outstanding contribution to children’s books. In addition to numerous anthologies, her books include 'Treasure Island': The Woman’s Hour Guide to Children’s Reading' (BBC Books, 1987), 'A Guide to the Harry Potter Novels' (Continuum, 2002), 'Beatrix Potter to Harry Potter: Portraits of Children’s Writers' (National Portrait Gallery, 2002) and, with Nicholas Tucker, 'The Rough Guide to Teenage Books' (Rough Guides, October, 2003)
Eleanor Updale
Trustee
Dr Eleanor Updale is an author of books for children and adults, most notably the award-winning 'Montmorency' series of historical novels. For many years she was a producer for BBC radio and television. She believes strongly in improving access to culture of all kinds, and is an Ambasssador for the Prince's Foundation for Children and the Arts.
Christopher Sinclair-Stevenson
Trustee
Christopher Sinclair-Stevenson has been connected with the world of books for nearly fifty years. First as a publisher (editorial and subsequently Managing Director of Hamish Hamilton); then as an agent after he left the company which he set up under his own name. He is also a writer, mainly in the area of history. He has been a trustee of Listening Books for over a decade, and has been able to make use of his experience and contacts built up over the years.
The Rt. Hon. Lady Warnock DBE
President
From 1949 to 1966, The Rt. Hon. Lady Warnock was a Fellow and tutor in philiosphy at St Hugh's College Oxford . Then, from 1966 to 1972 she was Headmistress at the Oxford High School for girls. She was Talbot Research Fellow at Lady Margaret Hall (1972–1976) and from 1976–84, she was a Senior Research Fellow at St Hugh's College, becoming an Honorary Fellow of the College in 1985. She then became Mistress of Girton College, Cambridge (1986–89). In 2000 Lady Warnock was a visiting professor of rhetoric at Gresham College, London.
Lady Warnock was a member of the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) from 1973 to 1981. She was chair of UK committee of inquiry into special education (1974–78). From 1979 to 1985, she advised the UK committee on animal experiments and from 1982 to 1984 she chaired an inquiry into human fertilization. She was created a life peer in 1985 as Baroness Warnock, of Weeke in the City of Winchester.