Our Team - Breathe
Our Team

Our Team

Breathe is small but mighty.

Our wonderful team bring skills and expertise from a variety of industries and backgrounds, to offer a diverse range of high-quality artistic healthcare experiences for our communities year-round.

Find out more below.

Team Members

Yvonne Farquharson

Managing Director and Founder

Yvonne is a seasoned and multi award-winning social entrepreneur who specialises in developing creative, research-led programmes to improve...

Read More

Lydia Hayes

Head of Development

Lydia has over 10 years’ experience in fundraising and development for the arts and health sectors, whilst at...

Read More

Hannah Dye

Head of Programmes

Hannah has been working within the performing arts sector since 2007, developing large scale projects with schools, universities,...

Read More

Lorna Greenwood

Head of Scalability

As Head of Scalability, Lorna works on creating sustainable programmes at scale in a strategic way to benefit...

Read More

Georgia Heighway

Communications Manager

Georgia has worked in arts communications since 2015. She loves to inspire people to take part in creative...

Read More

Lilli Murdoch

Digital Communications Officer

Lilli has over 7 years’ experience in marketing and events, the last 3 years specifically in the Health...

Read More

Jo Pelly

Programme Manager, Guy’s and St Thomas’

Jo has over 18 years of experience working in theatre access and education, designing and managing programmes for...

Read More

Drew Potter

Programme Manager, Breathe Magic

Drew has worked within the arts sector since 2014, and most notably has worked for two national touring...

Read More

Tim Osborn

Engagement and Support Officer, Breathe Melodies for Mums

Tim combines nearly 3 decades of experience in the health and disability world with his lifelong interest in...

Read More

Eleanor Holden

Project Manager, Breathe Sing for Lung Health Warwickshire

Eleanor combines over a decade’s experience in education and community engagement with a passion for health services...

Read More

Hannah Abraham (Han)

Company Administrator

Hannah (Han) has been working in the arts sector for 10 years, managing multiple departments at independent theatres,...

Read More

Claire Austen

PA to the Managing Director and Project Coordinator, ICS Arts for Staff Wellbeing

Claire brings multiple years of experience within the arts sector to her work at Breathe, as a performer,...

Read More

Dieter Deswarte

Film maker

Alongside filming and editing his own personal work, Dieter is also a Senior Teaching Fellow on the MA...

Read More

Marjan Alexander

Bookkeeper

Marjan has a First Class Honours Degree in Business and Economics. For many years she has worked in...

Read More

Rebecca Fortescue

Clinical Lead, Occupational Therapist

Becca joined the Breathe Magic team as a Magic Trainer whilst completing her Occupational Therapy degree, and continued to...

Read More

Rebecca Johnson

Clinical Lead, Occupational Therapist

Rebecca has over 14 years of paediatric experience as an occupational therapist. Rebecca assesses and treats children with...

Read More

Our wider team

We have a small core team, but much of the reason why Breathe can achieve such incredible things is because we are surrounded by an amazing team of artists, researchers, clinicians and volunteers.

Meet just a few of the fantastic people we work with, below.

My main passion is the voice, but also plays the piano, ukulele, flute and the tin whistle. I'm also the lead singer in the Hyundai Tucson (2018) and Allianz (2021) adverts.
Singing Lead Elisa Jeffery is a professional singer and vocal coach. As a lead singer, backing vocalist, choir and workshop leader, Elisa has developed a strong passion and love for the voice and especially enjoys helping others unleash their true potential.
I have loved performing at prestigious venues including the Royal Albert Hall, Wigmore Hall and Queen Elizabeth Hall.
Breathe Resident Musician, Havana-born Ahmed Dickinson Cardenas's recent projects include the world premiere concerto with Docklands Sinfonia, recitals with Malta International Arts Festival and live performances at the Royal Opera House with ballet star Carlos Acosta.
I love working with Breathe. It is the most progressive, supportive arts organisation I have come across with a wonderfully open, across the board attitude towards staff and participants alike.
Singing Lead Cleo Lane has performed at the Royal Albert Hall and has worked with George Michael, Duran Duran and Cliff Richard. She wears many hats, including singer, songwriter, choir director and singing for health practitioner.
I have a passion for developing communication skills in others, and aim to include this wherever possible in the Breathe Magic programme
Breathe Magician Richard McDougall has been working with Breathe Magic since its very first day, and has helped deliver the programme to every young magician who has been through the camp or online. In his own work, he has been a World Open Champion for Close Up Magic, and award winner at FISM (the Olympics of magic), and is a Member of the Inner Magic Circle with Gold Star.
I’ve been lucky to work with many amazing magicians including Dynamo and James Freedman, and I’m honoured to be The Magic Circle Triple Crown Champion; the only person to win all three of the society’s competitions!
Breathe Magician Edward Hilsum's performances feature ground-breaking magic, presented in a refreshingly contemporary style. His original stage shows have received critical acclaim at the Edinburgh International Fringe Festival and for five years, Edward starred in the record-breaking 'Champions of Magic' spectacular, touring theatres throughout the UK and North America.
I use magic to create more than momentary astonishment. I explore how magic can convey information and teach practical skills to varied audiences. My one-man‎‎ show shares stories from the extraordinary history of conjuring.
Will Houstoun is a Breathe Magic Magician and has also written and edited thousands of pages of specialist magazines and books for magicians, including over 100 issues of The Magic Circle’s private Members' magazine.
Once I performed for Steven Hawking and after the performance, he started to reply on his computer. When he finished, he had replied: “How in the world did you do that?”
Breathe Magic Magician Christopher Howell, has performed at prestigious venues Hollywood's Magic Castle and Berlin's Wintergarten. He also plays play a Vaudeville magician character called Norvil who once magicked Ant & Dec's trousers into Union Jack boxers on ITV.