The Make A Difference Trust (MAD Trust) has appointed Alastair Hudson as Charity Manager and Chris Clegg as Events Manager, in the two newly created positions at the organisation.
With a legacy of over 25 years, the MAD Trust, trading as TheatreMAD, brings together the theatre industry and its supporters to raise funds for HIV and AIDS projects that raise awareness, and provide care, support and education in the United Kingdom and Sub-Saharan Africa. The Trust also supports those in the entertainment industry facing hardship as a result of a long term illness.
Alastair Hudson, who has been appointed Charity Manager, came to London in 1998 from Glasgow to study at London Studio Centre when the HIV/AIDS landscape was a very different one to what we have today. He worked for many years in the performing arts, moving into training and sexual health in his mid-thirties. He has worked with many of the UK's leading HIV and sexual and reproductive health organisations including The International Planned Parenthood Federation, Brook Young People and the Family Planning Association. More recently he has been coordinating The People Living with HIV Stigma Index in the UK, looking at the stigma and discrimination our community is still experiencing and that affects uptake and retention in HIV services across the cascade.
Alastair said: "I am very excited to be joining The Make a Difference Trust at what I see as being one of the most exciting and critical times in our HIV response. Over the last few years we have seen significant developments in our treatment and prevention options. We have a perfect storm of opportunity to both position and strengthen our unique value add and also impact the conversation as a small but mighty charity committed to 'Fighting HIV one stage at a time'."
Chris Clegg, who has been appointed Events Manager, has numerous West End production credits to his name, most recently bringing the cult musical classic Cool Rider to the West End for two sold-out runs, receiving 5-star reviews, 9 Broadwayworld nominations, and a Top Ten album on the iTunes soundtrack charts. He produced the critically-acclaimed musical Betwixt for an extended run at in the West End, with a limited run at the Courtyard Theatre, a two-month run at the King's Head Theatre, and an all-star West End concert in aid of TheatreMAD starring
Sheridan Smith. Chris produced the UK Premieres of
Shoshana Bean in the West End, Homemade Fusion, Wolfboy, Zombie Prom, and the first ever full show of YouTube sensation
Miranda Sings! live in the West End.
Chris was Production Coordinator for the Whatsonstage.com Awards at the Prince of Wales Theatre in 2009 & 2010, at 25 became the youngest Theatre Manager in the West End when managing The
Ambassadors Theatre, runs the successful design blog 'Minimal Musicals', and has just finished working for theatre impresario and producer
Bill Kenwright as Marketing Manager.
Chris said: "I'm beyond excited to be joining The Make A Difference Trust as Events Manager. One of the first shows I produced, Betwixt! In Concert starring
Sheridan Smith and
David Bedella, was in aid of the charity and since then I have been to many events, and admired the ethos and aims of the company. I'm very much hoping to build on the history that the MAD Trust has, and to move the charity forward producing more events, making them bigger, more exiting, and more inclusive than ever before, working with incredibly talented and dedicated people on and off stage, and continuing to raise awareness of HIV and AIDS through all the work we do. I'm always about for a chat too - so reach out and let's Make A Difference!"
Comments
To post a comment, you must
register and
login.
.png)
