I am the Director at Club Soda, a charity based in Croydon that provides opportunities for people with learning disabilities and autism to access and enjoy music and the arts.

Back in 2007, I travelled to Odisha in eastern India to live with Natya Chetana, a (street) theatre company whose work is topical and heavily inspired by local folk culture. What drew me to Natya Chetana was an interest in their working methods, in particular their success at involving non-actors, performers with no theatre background or formal training, and being able to deliver very powerful, visceral performances.

Natya Chetana's work inspires, empowers and changes the individuals and communities who engage with them and I was deeply impressed by them. I took away with me a strong conviction about what I wanted to do when I returned to the UK.

My Fellowship experience definitely helped develop my practice but it also inspired me to aim higher, reach out wider and not be afraid of taking risks. The theatre group I ran before my Fellowship grew into a charity several years later but I didn't do anything alone – I worked with the community and responded to their needs just like Natya Chetana.