WHO WE ARE
About Sing Inside
Sing Inside is a registered charity (1182678) that has been delivering workshops in prisons for over 10 years. We have a small part-time staff team that works with prison staff to plan the workshops and ensure smooth delivery. We recruit trained community music leaders to deliver high-quality singing workshops that are inclusive. We support everyone to sing regardless of experience, to learn new skills and enjoy singing well-known songs. We recruit volunteers from the local community to join the workshops to encourage participants and build positive connections.
OUR BOARD
EDWARD SMYTH
Chair
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Edward is the Chair of Sing Inside, and has been a trustee since 2021. He is an established writer and editor, primarily on issues of criminal justice; and a professional fundraiser working as Head of Fundraising and Philanthropy at the Prison Reform Trust. Edward has under- and post-graduate degrees in Music, as well as further postgraduate degrees in Theology (Durham) and Criminology (Oxford). In his spare time Edward runs a small choir which he takes to sing in cathedrals around the country. He also sits on the board of The Welcome Directory, a small charity which curates a directory of faith communities committed to offering a warm, supportive welcome to prison-leavers. Not a natural Londoner by any stretch, Edward finds himself based there nonetheless, and would be delighted to meet anyone who would like to know more about Sing Inside and its work: please contact him through trustees@singinside.org.
STAFF TEAM
Sing Inside's work is overseen by our staff team. If you have any questions about our workshops, partnering with us as a prison, funding, policy or anything else, feel free to contact them and they will happily put you in touch with the right person for your enquiry.
SAM HAWKSLEY
Chief executive
sam@singinside.org
Sam joined Sing Inside as the new Chief Executive in December 2023. He has a background leading a charity in London as well as work experience for and consulting with local authorities and in addiction recovery. He has a degree in Music from Birmingham Conservatoire and has previously worked as a freelance Community Music leader and Musician in Birmingham and London.
CAMBRIDGE COMMITTEE
SOPHIE
cambridge@singinside.org
I am a final year student reading English at St Catharine’s College and a choral scholar in their chapel choir. I love to sing wherever I can around the university, as well as at home in the North West (where I also volunteer with Sing Inside). I’ve been involved with the charity since March 2024, and I’m really excited to see how our community here in Cambridge continues to flourish over the next year!
OXFORD COMMITTEE
EMILIE
oxford@singinside.org
Emilie is a multidisciplinary performer & freelancer and giant fan of participatory arts. That's a wordy way of saying she's here there and everywhere and loves to help participants to use creativity as a tool to build confidence, make connections and be part of a community.
YORK COMMITTEE
Sarah is a music graduate from the University of York, where she is currently studying part time for her masters in vocal performance. Outside of this, she works as a GCSE/A level music tutor and piano teacher, as well as getting involved with as many outreach and musical theatre projects as she can! She is really looking forward to starting her involvement with Sing Inside!
LONDON COMMITTEE
Emilie is a multidisciplinary performer & freelancer and giant fan of participatory arts. That's a wordy way of saying she's here there and everywhere and loves to help participants to use creativity as a tool to build confidence, make connections and be part of a community.
NORTH WEST COMMITTEE
MALCOLM
northwest@singinside.org
Malcolm enjoys singing in community choirs and especially as a Sing Inside volunteer, singing every week with women in HMP Styal
OUR HISTORY
2014 - visits begin to HMP Bedford, run by Cambridge Education and Outreach (CamEO) and funded by the Faculty of Music
2015 - we expand into HMP Wayland. Funding from CamEO is reduced
2016: fundraise over £10,000, through a Three Peaks Challenge and various other events. Expand into George Mackenzie House
March 2018 - we expand into Oxford, and form our first committee.
We start visiting HMP Stafford, HMP Woodhill, HMP Chelmsford and HMP Thameside
March 2019 - we receive charitable status and become registered charity 1182678
Autumn 2019: We run our first multi-day projects in HMP Whitemoor, and HMP Huntercombe
December 2014 - expand into HMP Whitemoor
Feb 2016 - Sing Inside is founded! Initially, we were a student society at the university of Cambridge
2017: our executive committee form in February to manage expansion into Oxford.
We expand into three new prisons - HMP Highpoint, HMP Peterborough and HMP The Mount.
In November 2018, we submit an application to the Charity Commission to become a registered foundation CIO, and recruit our first board.
Summer 2019: We expand into HMP Oakwood, HMP Long Lartin, HMP Full Sutton, HMP Huntercombe, HMP Bullingdon, HMP Send
Early 2020: We begin expanding our committee model into York and Staffordshire