Our Team
Our Core Team
I’ve been at Key Changes for about 5 years, initially as a volunteer before taking on an Admin role. Recently I have also become a fundraiser. I enjoy working for a small organisation that strives to better the lives of its clients
Claire Simmons,
Fundraising and finance support
Beccy trained on the first music therapy post-graduate course at Roehampton, qualifying in 1982. She then established the first music therapy post in the county of Hampshire, in Southampton and South West Hampshire Health Authority, working in adult learning disabilities. Since the late 1980’s she has pioneered music therapy in special schools, focussing on working with young people who have ASD and challenging needs. As co-ordinator of the Winchester-based charity Key Changes Music Therapy, and prior to that for Hampshire MusicSpace since 1996, she oversees the charity’s music therapy provision throughout Hampshire and neighbouring areas. Beccy is also founder-trustee of the Martin Read Foundation for Young Composers, registered in 2014.
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Beccy Read, Lead therapy coordinator
Leigh qualified in 2002 at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London, and has been in continuous practice as an outreach therapist ever since. She has worked in a number of clinical fields, including mental health, learning disability, early years intervention and dementia, and is also a clinical supervisor for other music therapists. Leigh has been part of the therapy team since 2003; she joined the core team in 2019, as Coordinator of Key Changes’ dementia services.
Leigh Warren-Thomas
Dementia Coordinator
I’ve recently joined Key changes as the finance administrator having worked in accounts for over 20 years. I am looking forward to the challenge of taking the accounting function at Key changes forward and improving the financial reporting. It will be lovely to work for an organisation whose major aim is to improve people’s wellbeing.
Jules Fullstone
Finance admin
Our Therapy Team
Susannah Wettone graduated as a music therapist from Anglia Polytechnic University in 1999, completing her MA in music therapy in 2001. She has worked with adults and children in a variety of settings, such as schools, hospitals and residential homes, both employed and self-employed. She has worked for Key Changes Music Therapy (formerly Hampshire MusicSpace) since 2004. Her main areas of experience are autistic spectrum conditions, pre-school children and, more recently, music therapy for parents and children.
Veronica trained at Roehampton University, London in 1985-86, having previously qualified as a teacher in 1982. Between 1987-2013 she worked as a music therapist and teacher in mainstream and special schools with children, young people and families with a variety of special educational needs in South-East England. Veronica was a senior lecturer on the Roehampton music therapy training course between 2006-2013, and from 2013-2015 worked on a project to deliver and evaluate the impact of music therapy on the children’s wards at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital. Since 2003 she has run a private supervision practice in Hampshire, where she also lives. Veronica has been involved with Key Changes Music Therapy service since it began as Hampshire MusicSpace in 1997. Veronica is a flautist and greatly enjoys playing and teaching the flute. She began her PhD in 2016 and hopes to complete in 2021. Her research interests are assessment and evaluation in music therapy.
After some years as a performing musician Owain Clarke began to teach music in a secure children’s home, where he was increasingly impressed by the power of music as an agent for change and healing. This led him to study music therapy at the University of the West of England, qualifying in 2001. He joined Hampshire MusicSpace, which later became Key Changes, and since then has worked in multiple settings across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. He has specialised in autism, mental health and also undertaken a training on music therapy with brain injury. Owain also teaches guitar, Celtic harp and piano, and occasionally performs with Tant - his duo of harp and tablas
Jane qualified as a music therapist in 2000 at University of Surrey, Roehampton. Prior to training as a therapist, she studied music at University of Wales, Aberystwyth and the cello at Trinity College of Music after which she pursued a career in performing and teaching. It was during this time that she developed a particular interest in working with children and went onto qualify as a teacher in 1993, working in mainstream and special schools. As a music therapist, Jane has worked in a wide range of settings including: mainstream and special schools, private practice and a community setting for adults with mental health difficulties. This experience has given her the opportunity to work with people with complex needs, ASC, communication difficulties, learning disabilities and emotional and mental health needs. Jane joined Key Changes in 2015 where she enjoys working as a member of the therapy team. She is currently working with primary aged children in a mainstream school and providing online therapy at a special school for children who are unable to attend school full time. When not working as a therapist, Jane teaches the cello and is a member of Kingston Chamber Orchestra, Ashford Baroque Ensemble and Enigma Orchestra
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Helen Pegler has enjoyed working with Key Changes since 2012, having graduated from Roehampton University in 2011. She has experience working with both children in school settings and adults in residential care and supported living. Currently, her main areas of focus have been working within the areas of PMLD, some sensory impairment and Epilepsy
Minna qualified as a music therapist in 2000 from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. She has worked as a Music Therapist with both adults and children with Learning Disabilities since qualifying. Minna works for Key Changes in a Community Special School catering for approximately 155 pupils, who have complex learning difficulties across the age range from two to nineteen years. She also works for West London NHS Community Partners, Community Team for People with Learning Disabilities, with adults with learning disabilities. Minna enjoys working with a diverse community of learning disabled people including people with profound and multiple learning disabilities, autism, behaviour which challenges, mental health difficulties, multi sensory impairment, sensory processing difficulties and severe epilepsy. She is interested in working with health, social care and education colleagues collaboratively, both in clinical work and as a mentor, coach and supervisor.
The Board of Trustees
Jim is a systems consultant in the civil service and a Fellow of The Chartered Management Institute. He has an active commitment to the charity sector as a trustee and joined Key Changes in September 2020 after relocating to Waterlooville. Jim’s an experienced business change leader and a qualified executive coach. He has a life-long love of music despite unfortunately lacking any musical ability himself. Being Chair of this amazing organisation is a great privilege.
I am an independent theatre/opera producer, consultant and publicist working within the arts and creative industries. I am a proud Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and have great passion for arts organisations and charities with social impact ethos' around equality and diversity primarily focusing on making arts accessible to all. I have extensive experience working on high profile events and theatrical experiences with organisations that Include Pegasus Opera Company, Kensington Palace, DV8, Complicite, KTM Arts, Ovalhouse Theatre, War Child, Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode and the Barbican. I am currently the Producer at Pegasus Opera Company in London, an opera company that strives to break down the elitist perceptions of opera, make opera accessible to all and champion artists and creatives of black and Asian heritage. Music has been a huge part of my life from singing to playing various instruments, composing and commissioning music projects. I am very excited to take on this role with Key Changes and am keen to offer my experience in fundraising and utilising the integral networking skills of a producer to facilitate relationships with potential funders, partners and collaborators and supporting the branding and marketing strategy for Key Changes to become a recognised trailblazing organisation for Music Therapy
Kate has worked within the investment management industry for over 17 years, having worked in the City before moving to Hampshire with her young family and joining Rathbones. She has been involved in the charity sector since moving to the area as Co-Chair of Friends of Shepherds Down school as well as involved with her children’s school and the local cricket team, Compton and Chandlers Ford. This charity work involved grant writing for music therapy giving Kate an insight into the many benefits music therapy can bring to children. Kate is looking forward to using her local knowledge of the fundraising environment for the ultimate benefit of the children and adults the charity serves.
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Kate Palmer
Trustee
Darrell has over 25 years’ experience in finance, chiefly at Barclays, Deutsche Bank and Nomura, focusing on bespoke risk management and financing solutions for corporates.
He is a Fellow of the Association of Corporate Treasurers, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers and a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment.
Initially a church chorister, he’s now a member of the Royal Choral Society and the St Paul's Cathedral Chorus.
My day job is as a local government employee - based in Winchester for over 35 years! Throughout that time, and in fact for as long as I can remember, music has played a massive part in my life. I'm so pleased therefore to be involved in supporting Key Changes. I've been a trustee for 4 years, but have known about, and been hugely impressed by, the charity's work for many years. Recently, I've particularly enjoyed attending some of the conferences, learning more about the power of music therapy, and also getting to know some of the therapists.
Our Volunteers
I’m a Final Year Student at the University of Southampton studying Music with my main instrument being my voice. Music has always been a massive part of my life, With me exploring many areas of it including Musical Theatre, Brass Band & A Capella, but it wasn’t until I went to university that I gained interest within the area of Music Therapy.
I have experience within fundraising from participating in the Somerset Carnivals throughout my life, which involves raising funds for local causes. I have also spent time in Romania with a charity, fundraising and providing for those in need.
My interest in Music Therapy & experience within fundraising led me to work with Key Changes for a summer internship, focusing on their social media & fundraising and felt that my time with the charity was not up, so will be stepping into a volunteering role.
Hey! I'm currently working with the National Museum of the Royal Navy and Portsmouth Historic Dockyard with their Digital team doing all things web. I love being able to share my knowledge with others and working with Key Changes has opened my eyes to the many great things they do.