Meet the team

Rachel Skingsley - Chair

Rachel is a volunteer arts/charity facilitator, with extensive experience particularly in charities focused on education. Rachel has considerable fundraising experience and took over as Chair of Trustees in January 2019.

JAmie Anderson - trustee

Jamie Anderson is a writer, producer and director working in TV, radio and film, and also looks after the legacy of his father Gerry Anderson who created multiple cult TV shows including the Thunderbirds series. He takes particular interest in furthering the charity’s commercial sponsorship fund.

Jonathan Yong - Trustee

Jonathan Yong is a practicing lawyer specialising in international mergers and acquisitions. He is a strong advocate for equal opportunities for young people irrespective of their circumstances and, alongside his work with YPPT, is involved with a number of other charities working towards this objective. Jonathan is a member of the Law Society of England and Wales and holds an MA from the University of Oxford.

Martin Goodman - Trustee

Martin is a former HR career professional who has worked in the UK and internationally. He holds a PhD in French, an MA in Comp.Lit., an MSc in Management and a French language degree. He has a life-long interest in puppetry and theatre. He is a former member of the Punch & Judy Fellowship ( oh, yes he is!) and is current Chair of the Abbey Theatre in St Albans and its repertory company, the Company of Ten. He has wide experience in acting, directing & set design.

James Marks - Trustee

James is a teacher who works in early years, KS1 and KS2. James also has a background in the arts having trained at East 15 Acting school and performed on the stage as well undertaking various roles backstage too. James is passionate about YPPT having worked alongside them over the past few years, assisting the team with productions in his schools.

Vicky Hewlett - Trustee

Vicky is a marketing communications professional with over 15 years' experience in consumer technology, the film industry and not-for-profit sectors. Having previously led PR and Communications at the world-leading National Film and Television School, and Roald Dahl's Marvellous Children's Charity, she is now bringing her technology and charity sector experience together at point-of-donation platform, Give a Little, which has helped over 5,000 charities raise £14m in cashless donations.

Andy Cooper - Trustee

Andy Cooper is a magician, storyteller and theatrical prop maker, performing as Ashton Carter. Before following his passion for wonder working he spent 20 years working with technology in the City of London and an education charity. He is passionate about the transformative power of the performance arts for children. Andy is a member of the British Society of Mystery Entertainers and is the only ‘Wizard in Residence’ in the UK.

Rosemary Mathews - Trustee

Rosemary is an experienced and passionate people professional having worked in HR for the last 22 years after a successful career in the clothing industry. She is a fellow of the CIPD, has an MA in Employment Studies and has worked in both private and not for profit organisations covering a broad range of people related topics. A keen traveller, Rosemary loves to experience different cultures and has visited many countries.

Jeremy Duschenes - executive director

Jeremy Duschenes is the founder and Executive Director of the YPPT. His experience of marionette productions extends back to the 1960s in his native Canada. Jeremy founded the YPPT as a means of bringing projects to more children than he would be able to work with on his own. In his spare time he runs a company which produces high quality furniture.

Janet PUI-YEE Hyde - ADmINistrator

Janet works part time as the YPPT's Administrator. She has previously worked in administration across various businesses including Barnet College and the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England. Since 2007, she has been working for a furniture making company. She enjoys organising and is in charge of everything from screw eyes to puppet bodies!

Louise Lahive - Project leader

Louise Lahive is a practising artist and experienced course leader based in North Hertfordshire, and has worked with the YPPT since 2017. She has recently developed and delivered short courses for the University of Hertfordshire, The Letchworth Heritage foundation and the Milton Keynes Art Centre. In 2013 Louise became a fellow with the Digswell Arts Trust and recent exhibitions include ‘Blood Landscape’ at Westminster Ref library, ‘Reflections’ at Surface gallery Nottingham and ‘looking Deeper’ at Courtyard Arts Hertford. She currently works out of ‘Eastcheap’ studios in Letchworth where she produces collaborative and large mixed media work.

Jacqui Golding - Project leader

Jacqui studied Drama and German many years ago, then spent some decades working for a trade exhibition organiser. Her love of theatre is not confined to watching productions – she is an active member of the Company of Ten in St Albans, working onstage as an actor and offstage as Stage Manager, backstage crew, Front-of-House Manager and Steward. She began volunteering for YPPT in 2020, as part of an intergenerational project – which was rudely interrupted by COVID-19! She began again in October 2021 as an apprentice, and now works as a Project Leader.

Bianca Judd - Project leader

Bianca originally trained as a performer but moved into community arts about 20 years ago. Her work includes children’s drama & craft, family workshops, lantern making, education work and community projects including sculpting in care homes. She has also worked as a youth theatre director. In 2015 she trained in special effects and now also works in Prosthetics and creature creation. She says, "Working for YPPT brings together all my favourite things- puppets, being creative and helping others be creative. I love to see how excited people get when they see what they are capable of."

Caitlin Duschenes - associate director

Caitlin Duschenes is the YPPT's Associate Director. She has been with the YPPT since 2014 and has led projects in London, Herts Cambridge and Ipswich. In 2018 she gained a Masters in Education with the Open University, specialising in Educational Leadership and Management.

Carmela Arbelaez-McCarthy - Senior Project leader

Carmela is a prop and puppet maker for performance and has been making for theatre, film and events since 2018. She loves all creative arts and is a full supporter of creativity in education. She first started volunteering with the YPPT in 2017 and became a project leader in 2019. She studied Creative Arts for Theatre and Film and has designed and made costumes, sets, fashion shoots and mascot costumes.

Kavita Kamboz - Project leader

Kavita is a Project Leader as well as a teacher at Highwood Primary School. She has been working with YPPT since 2018 whilst teaching in the school. She has a BA Hons in Education in Context and has been a primary school teacher since 2012.

Rebecca Timmis - Project leader

Rebecca is an actor trained in musical and classical theatre. Having read English Literature and French at the University of Southampton, Rebecca undertook her theatre training at The Old Vic, London and subsequently worked in UK tours, theatre in education, BBC radio, a musical premiere in Germany and stage shows and parades at Disneyland, Paris.
Rebecca loves creating of all kinds and annually sews large installations for the Greenbelt festival of artistry, activism and belief. Rebecca writes and directs plays performed by children, has written articles for magazines (and leaflets for the NHS!) and is creating a one woman performance piece.
Rebecca runs a food surplus cafe once a week. She loves any opportunity to run, explore cities, speak French and have fun with her favourite people. By the sea is her happiest place.