Craig Tyrie, Digital Inclusion Lead
Craig writes the majority of content for the Digital Sentinel, the local news website for Wester Hailes, keeping up to date with community news and finding out what’s on in the local area. He runs weekly adult digital support drop-ins, here at WHALE or at Clovenstone Community Centre, as well as creative digital clubs with young people.
Dawn Borthwick, Support Worker & Cleaner
Dawn supports a variety of our adult and young people’s groups. She also makes sure the building is clean and tidy.
Emma McDowall, Business Development Lead
Emma leads on all things enterprise, supporting and developing our social enterprise projects, such as the community café (Pod Café) and the Riso printing press (Pod Press). She’s also here to help members nurture and develop their own business ideas.
Fabien Merville, Front of House Administrator and Volunteer Coordinator
Fabien is one of the first points of contact for visitors, participants and tenants, on the phone or in person. You can contact him if you need to book a room or have an enquiry about WHALE Arts activities, or to find out about our volunteering opportunities. He works part-time and splits his shifts between reception duties and his volunteer coordination role (usually on Thursdays).
Fin Russell, Community Development Lead
Fin is the Community Development Lead, building connections between the team, partner organisations and local people to develop community ownership in WHALE Arts. Fin loves attending the community meal in our space (every Friday from 1-2) so if you see a jolly 6 foot South Asian with an afro there, please introduce yourself and say hello!
Helen Leigh, Café Project Assistant / Project Administrator
Helen has been working with the Café team to setup and open The Pod Cafe. She is excited to welcome people to the café, for them to use the space as a base, as a place to be, or to meet other people – not to mention to eat our delicious food! As a relatively new member of the WHALE team, Helen has loved getting to know community members, witnessing the amazing work that this organisation does.
Kat Prior, Arts & Wellbeing Programme Delivery Assistant
Kat assists with the delivery of our WHALE Arts core Adults groups including: SmartCraft; Let’s Create; Open Studio; Stitch N Time; Men’s Makers; Craft Café and Art in the Open. She also leads one of the groups of SmartCraft.
Kirsty Frankland, Art & Wellbeing Manager
Kirsty runs our Arts and Wellbeing programme including WHALE Arts core Adults groups including: SmartCraft; Let’s Create; Stitch N Time; Men’s Makers; Let’s Dance and more. She manages a team of freelance artists who facilitate these groups and works with partner organisations to deliver a wider range of creative projects at WHALE. Kirsty is also involved with developing progression routes through WHALE Arts with our newest project Grow Your Own Artist.
Kate Griffin, Interim-CEO
Kate is responsible for WHALE Arts’ strategic and operational development. Broadly she ensures the organisation achieves its objectives by overseeing all aspects of WHALE’s programming, building, staffing and finances. Kate works on fundraising, funding reporting and building networks with funders, HR, organisational policy development, governance, strategic projects, capital development and developing and diversifying income streams through enterprise development. Kate also works on area-wide networks through being co-chair of Living Well Wester Hailes, Go Beyond and sits on the Community Planning Partnership.
Michael Bowdidge, Community Development Lead & Street Arts Coordinator
Michael is the newly appointed Community Development Lead and he is responsible for managing the Street Arts team, programming exciting and innovative creative activities with partner artists, while engaging with young people as part of our award winning Street Arts project.
Michelle Robson, Front of House Assistant
Michelle is one of first points of contact for visitors, participants and tenants, on the phone or in person. You can contact her if you need to book a room or have an enquiry about WHALE Arts activities. She works part-time and supports with the distribution of marketing and social media materials additionally.
Susan Gibson, Cleaner
Susan takes care of the building and everyone in it. Susan ensures Whale Arts stays a clean, safe and tidy place. Not only that but Susan is an avid crafts person and goes the extra mile by making clocks and designing whale motifs around the building.
Tiki Muir, Creative Community Hubs Project Lead
Tiki leads and facilitates the Creative Community Hubs Network project with freelancer Morvern Cunningham. Together they co-authored the Working Better Together report on partnership working.
Zoë Squair, Head of Operations & Development
Zoë is a key member of the management team working closely with the Interim Chief Executive in the running of the organisation. Zoë supports general operations, finance, funding, HR, and related operational project management.
Leah Black, Chief Executive (currently on secondment with EVOC)
Leah is currently on secondment leading the development of the new Regenerative Futures Fund for Edinburgh, working alongside the team at EVOC.
