Tom Robertson has announced that he will step down as Chair of the Board of Trustees of Outside Edge in September.

Tom joined as Chair in July 2021 and has tirelessly worked to lead the company through a period of growth, helping us to navigate the challenges of Covid-19 and leading us towards our 25th Anniversary celebrations. His leadership, passionate advocacy for our work and dedication towards our unique mission have transformed Outside Edge into the thriving, vibrant theatre company that we are today.

Tom shared the following message with Outside Edge’s community:

After 4 and a half years, I’ll be stepping down as Chair of the Board of Trustees of Outside Edge in September.

It has been an enormous pleasure to work alongside the other Trustees, to whom I am enormously grateful for bringing their energy and skill to further our mission. I’m delighted that the Board is in as strong and robust a place today as I’ve known it, with an outstanding range of expertise that is hugely valuable to our work. The company is safe in their hands.

I joined Outside Edge in the midst of the pandemic, and it’s incredible to see how this singular organisation has demonstrated such resilience, ambition and creativity to reach where we are today, especially as we mark 25 years since Phil Fox founded the company. Our success is thanks in huge part to the tireless work of the staff and facilitators, led with passion and tenacity by Matt Steinberg. Our partnership has taught me enormous amounts about leadership, collaboration and creative vision, and it has been a true pleasure to work together.

Finally, I  want to pay tribute to the amazing recovery community that we exist to serve. The biggest joy of the past 4 and a half years is having had the opportunity to get to know you, our remarkable Service Users. Seeing you express your creativity so fearlessly on stage, commit to your own recovery and support each other is a reminder of the transformative power of theatre.

There isn’t a company that I know of that plays a more central role in the lives of the community that it serves. I will be forever grateful for everything I have learned over this time, and I’m honoured to have played a part in this chapter of Outside Edge’s story. I know that it will continue to go from strength to strength in the years ahead.

Outside Edge’s Artistic Director / CEO, Matt Steinberg, says:

Everyone at Outside Edge is profoundly grateful to Tom for his hard work, commitment and extraordinary leadership over the last 4 and a half years. He has worked behind the scenes, and often in front of them too, to raise our profile, grow our impact and secure a sustainable future for our work.

A familiar face at performances, social events and fundraisers, Tom is much loved by all members of the Outside Edge community. His determination and enthusiasm are infectious, and he steadfastly helped the company to navigate a period of exciting change, but also many complicated challenges.

On a personal level, Tom has been an incredible Chair to work with, and he has been my mentor, friend and trusted confidant on more occasions than I can count. I will miss working alongside him, but I also recognise that his mentorship and numerous contributions to Outside Edge will long outlast his departure from the Board.

I know I speak for all of our staff, facilitators, volunteers, Trustees and participants when I say thank you, Tom, for everything!

Recruitment for the next Chair of the Board of Trustees will begin in early July.