Meet our team
Charity Executive Board
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Phoebe Gaydon
Founder & CEO
Phoebe is the Director of A Touch Of Musicality and teaches Vocals, Piano, Songwriting and Music Theory. She also founded leads and writes all the arrangements for our choirs. Phoebe started singing at a very young age, and music has always been a massive part of her life. She got her first taste of real singing when she moved to Singapore as a young girl and her music teacher told her she was really good at it. She went on to perform all over the country in bands and as a solo artist. Musical theatre was always a big influence in her life - performing in local amateur dramatic societies and school plays, but it soon became clear that Jazz music was her main passion. She went on to Goldsmiths University, where she graduated with a First Class Honours Degree before meeting her husband Matt in a band, and their love of music and teaching grew and grew. Teaching is Phoebe's true passion, she puts everything into it, and loves to see her student's progression. In her spare time, you can find her running the streets of Godalming and helping and fundraising for local charities.
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Annabelle Lawrence
Lead Marketing Co-Ordinator
With over 20 years in marketing and events, Belle's professional experience provides a strategic background to all event promotion, sponsor attraction, volunteer engagement and audience engagement. Belle has been been a part of choir life with Phoebe for the last 6 years, and now performs with Farncombe Jazz Choir. Singing from a young age with many members of her family, Belle has appeared on stage in Fame at The Wimbledon Theatre, as part of a 50's band at Ce Roc's national event in The Winter Gardens in Weston-Super-Mare, and as part of a selected children's choir at The Royal Albert Hall, as well as many... many karaoke nights! Volunteering in the arts is something Belle loves to do, despite always being busy, she spent several years leading the Marketing at The Nomad Theatre, producing pantomimes and the well-attended Surrey Showcase event alongside James Pearce & Brooklands Radio.
George Leach
Lead Logistics and Data Co-ordinator
An unknowable enigma, George is competent and EPIC (but would never, ever say this about himself!). He is sometimes too loud (when he’s singing) or quite often too quiet (when he’s speaking). A massive softy at heart, George is always willing to help, whether it's to reach the top shelf or solve a complex spreadsheet problem. An Actuary by day and singer and Go player by night, ChoirBLAST has allowed him to not only fill part of his heart with music again, but he is also an integral part of its community, a very good ear when you need to talk, and an even better conversation driver. He is also a secret Bee 🐝 keeper so there is no limit to his skill. If you want to see him at his loudest come and hear him sing in one of our choirs, if you'd like to test your hearing, strike up a conversation with him.
Tom Stottor
Lead Volunteer Co-Ordinator
Tom is responsible for the (growing! If you want to join, we’d love to hear from you) team of volunteers that makes ChoirBLAST possible, working behind the scenes to ensure that everyone is where they need to be and supported to focus on community- and music-making. Tom brings 15 years’ experience in the publishing industry, where he has edited and published books on topics ranging from history and politics to plumbing and computer science. Tom’s work in publishing demands a keen eye for detail, meticulous organisation and planning, and a love of working with people – all things that are integral to empowering our large and diverse and wonderful community of volunteers. Tom enjoyed singing in a choir as a child but hung up his vocal chords as a teenager. He joined Guildford Jazz Choir in 2024 and loves having singing in his life again. When not in song or a book, Tom can be found at parkrun or run-exploring the endless Surrey Hills trails.
Lisa Ashe
Lead Fundraising Co-Ordinator
Lisa is responsible for fundraising for ChoirBLAST so we can spread the joy of singing as far and as wide as possible – and she’ll probably be in touch with you soon! She started volunteering at the ChoirBLAST festival a couple of years ago and found that she enjoyed talking to people about their experiences of singing and how transformative singing can be, which then made it easier to ask for donations. Lisa has spent 30 years working with businesses to help them with their financing needs so that they can concentrate on achieving their purpose and business objectives. Now semi-retired, she loves bringing her financial skills to organisations with a focus on the local community. When she’s not working, Lisa loves singing…in the car, in the shower, in the garden. It makes her happy. She sings with the Godalming Jazz Choir, which has filled her life with joy, new friends and a wonderful counterbalance to her professional life. When she’s not working or singing, you might find Lisa falling off a surfboard.
Everyone on our team is a volunteer! Find out more about what makes them so special below:
Event Team
Flossie Hunt
Stallholder Co-Ordinator
The artist behind the awesome ChoirBLAST logo and map! Flossie is a freelance Illustrator based in the Surrey Hills. Specialising in hand-created illustrations using ink pen and watercolour paints, Flossie also creates bespoke architecture paintings, such as wedding venues and first homes as well as floral letter designs - she even has her own range of greeting cards, limited edition prints and gifts. As well as being endlessly artistically talented, Flossie performs with all the Jazz Choirs, depending on where she's needed, but mostly in Godalming Jazz Choir (the OG's!) - after all, that's just what sisters do for each other.
Katie Hickey
Lead Festival Decor Co-Ordinator
Katie is the vibrant artist behind transforming ChoirBLAST into a rainbow wonderland. An award-winning illustrator, Katie graduated from Falmouth University in 2016 and has since built a successful career in children’s book illustration. Her impressive portfolio includes work with Bloomsbury, Walker Books, Hachette, and even Moonpig, as well as being blessed with the delightful honour of illustrating the beloved Paddington Bear. Katie’s unique blend of hand-rendered print processes and digital techniques brings her work to life, earning accolades like Smithsonian Magazine’s Ten Best Children’s Books and the Jane Addams Peace Association Award. In 2022, Katie reignited her passion for music by joining the Guildford and Farncombe Jazz choirs, diving headfirst into the world of singing and embracing every challenge, including a memorable tour to Freiburg. Katie's life has always been intertwined with music, from car journeys to Cornwall filled with David Bowie tunes to her teenage years in a local theatre group and endless reruns of Jools Holland. Outside of work and music, Katie loves food and travel, often planning adventures around culinary delights with her partner Marcus and their dog Sunny. She’s thrilled to see her creative vision come to life at ChoirBLAST, adding a splash of joy and colour to the festival.
Yueli Milford
Lead Festival Volunteer Co-ordinator
Yueli is the eternal optimist and a total ball of energy! Sitting still is something you rarely see Yueli doing which is why performing suits her perfectly. This year, she’s joined the ChoirBLAST team as festival volunteer coordinator, a role that fits like a glove because Yueli is all about the people. As one of four siblings, she thrives in chaos and loves it when things are buzzing. You might recognize her from the ChoirBLAST stage, where she’s been a resident MC and a powerhouse vocalist with Farncombe Jazz Choir and Guildford Jazz Choir. Yueli can often be found belting out soul tracks with her band New Dawn Soul, or doing carpool karaoke with her kids (even when they didn’t ask!). Loud, lively, and never using her inside voice, Yueli’s enthusiasm is contagious and she’s already promised extra cuddles for anyone who signs up to volunteer on festival day! By day, Yueli is a school librarian and co-founder of Sibling Skills Club, a new initiative helping children prepare for life as a big sibling. Her passions beyond singing include her awesome family, her cockapoo Honey, and a good book, so come ask her for a recommendation anytime!
Caroline Swaisland-Dyke
PR Co-ordinator
Caroline is all about communication. No stranger to the Arts, she spent 30 years as a dance teacher, with a particular passion for Ballroom and Latin, but also chalking up everything from Salsa and Ceroc to Argentine Tango along the way. Having trained at the iconic Diamonds, she opened her first dancing school at aged 21, moving on to manage the prestigious Danceworld for multiple world champion Anthony Hurley, before moving onto her own project, DanceWORXs, where she prepared others for their own careers in dance. Caroline is currently teaching GCSE and A Level English and Media - always with one foot in music and drama whenever the opportunity arises. She has been singing with the ATOM choirs for 3 years now and shares Phoebe's enthusiasm for making the Arts accessible for all, living by the famous Barnum quote, “the noblest art is that of making others happy.”
Meryl Wingfield
Festival Eco Co-ordinator
Meryl ensures the event follows environmentally friendly practices and promotes sustainability among vendors and attendees. She is currently the Director of Environmental & Social at British International Investment.
Sasha Plaché
Festival Electrical Co-ordinator
A qualified electrician based in Godalming, Sassy Does It is owned and run by the effervescent Sasha. Having grown up in Godalming and Brook her entire life, and worked in construction with their small family business over the last 15 years, Sasha successfully runs her independent female electricians business serving the local area, as well as parenting duties for her two boys alongside her husband. Bringing a creative approach to all her work, she's the perfect partner to advise us on all things POWER for ChoirBLAST and we are so grateful! Sasha is also a member of the Farncombe Jazz Choir, so look out for her singing and having a boogie, usually in the front row!
Chiara Mathews
Lead Festival Communications Co-ordinator
Chiara is our administrative and communications liaison, handling all sorts of things behind the scenes of ChoirBLAST! As an operations manager in the travel industry, she brings her knack for organisation to help our events run. Whether it’s responding to your email queries, recruiting stallholders and vendors, or sorting out spreadsheets, she’s lent a hand to many of the tasks that bring ChoirBLAST Festival to life. Born in Los Angeles, Chiara’s life has always been infused with music but after crossing the pond she found herself performing with the Guildford and Farncombe Jazz Choirs, and can’t imagine she’ll stop singing anytime soon! In her spare time, you’ll find her reading, travelling, or baking so often that her fellow choir members have become the ultimate taste testers.
Phil Beck
Festival Health & Safety Co-ordinator
On the day, Phil AKA Mr B will be heading up logistics and security, making sure everything goes without a hitch. His corporate background as a Director factored in several HSE requirements so he's the perfect choice to take charge of this! He will also be singing with Guildford Jazz Choir and never be surprised with Mr B if there’s a costume or two in places, he is one hell of a performer!
