Here’s the team…
Chol Co-Directors
Mandeep Samra
Strive and Inclusivity Lead
Jess Woodhead
Youth and Social Arts Lead
Jess Woodhead
Youth and Social Arts Lead
E-mail: Jess@wearechol.co.uk
Jess is a socially engaged facilitator with over 10 years of experience, specialising in working with young people and communities to drive meaningful social change. With a strong commitment to social justice, Jess integrates this passion into all aspects of her work – professionally, personally, and creatively.
Jess’s journey began at Liverpool John Moores University, where she graduated with a BA (Hons) in Dance Practices in 2015. Since then, she has accumulated extensive experience across the creative industry, working with community arts organisations, educational institutions, and multidisciplinary performance projects. Her expertise in site-specific work, drama, and theatre facilitation allows her to blend diverse art forms into her practice, creating dynamic and impactful experiences.
An advocate for reflective practice, Jess values thoughtful evaluation, design, and delivery to ensure that all projects are meaningful and transformative. She is dedicated to engaging people through play and creativity and with a background in movement and dance, Jess believes in the power of the arts as a tool for mobilising communities and amplifying voices. Her work prioritises accessibility in the arts sector, ensuring that communities play an active role in shaping initiatives that impact them.
Clara Collett
Finance and Development Lead
Clara Collett
Finance and Strategy Lead
E-mail: finance@wearechol.co.uk
Clara is a versatile and socially engaged practitioner with over twelve years of experience working in community-led arts, and charity sector. In recent years, she has expanded her practice into finance, and organisational strategy, developing strong skills in budgeting, reporting, fundraising and strategic planning.
Clara holds a BA (Hons) in Community Drama and an MA in Professional Practice: Theatre and Drama Facilitation, both from the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts. Clara’s background spans community theatre making, creative facilitation, reflective practice and project management. As a trained coach, Clara brings a supportive, reflective approach to leadership, using coaching principles to strengthen collaboration, confidence, and learning across teams.
With a passion for socially engaged arts, theatre making, and community-led action, Clara supports Chol in building resilient systems behind the scenes – ensuring that creative ideas can thrive and communities remain central to Chol.
Chol Associates
Vicky Storey
Chol Associate
Lauren Townsend
Chol Associate
Lauren Ash
Chol Associate
Carly Ann Clarke
Chol Associate
Ruth Dyer
Chol Associate