B Sharp says farewell to Fran Williams who founded the group 11 years ago

Lyme Regis-based youth music charity B Sharp has a new chief executive and artistic director at the helm.

Ruth Cohen, who has been working with Daisi, the Exeter based arts inspired learning organisation, will take over the group at the end of November.

She succeeds B Sharp founder Fran Williams who spent more than 11 years building the organisation.

Ruth has a track record of organising music programmes and opportunities for children and young people, coupled with a knowledge of funding and youth arts, education, health and wellbeing networks.

Hannah Lovegrove, chairman of the board, said: “It is with mixed feelings we announce that after 11 fantastic years our wonderful leader Fran Williams will be leaving.

“Responding to requests from young people, Fran founded B Sharp and has been instrumental in its development and growth into the much-loved and very well-respected music charity it is today.”

Fran said: “As the founder of B Sharp I am both sad to be leaving the organisation and all that comes with it, and at the same time pleased to be handing over to Ruth a fantastic team of generous and creative people who make up the diverse workforce, its volunteers, associates, partners, funders and many individuals who form the collective.

“I am proud that B Sharp has established itself as an organisation that brings so many different children and young people together through high quality engagement work.

“B Sharp’s participatory programmes, workshops and training schemes build new pathways, raise aspirations and have created a lasting creative and vibrant youth culture.

“An organisation is nothing more than the collective capacity of its people to create value and to that end B Sharp has an exciting time ahead and its work is as important now as it ever was!”

** B Sharp is a music organisation which leads the way in inspiring a new culture of music making, events and opportunities for young people in the region, and has become well known for its young producers and leadership programme which has earned it both local and national recognition.