The GAMA Team

Penny

Penny Ledger

Penny

I was involved in setting up Gama after many years of camping, going to festivals and working with people with disabiliites.  I particularly like the most creative and quirky side of festivals – small venues, walkabout acts, poets and magical spaces.

My skills include accessible information, film-making, and using computers as tools for communication, creativity and information. Through my work I have been trained in first aid, risk-assessment, autism, visual impairment, epilepsy, and Makaton sign language.  I would like to develop my very basic knowledge of BSL. In 2008 I  attended a one-day workshop run by SHAPE on running accessible events.

My qualifications include teaching adults, especially people with learning disabilities.

Jos

Jos Colover

Jos

Jos is an independent social worker. Since the mid 1990’s she has organised and  developed  childrens areas at festivals, including the Big Green Gathering, Glastonbury Greenfields and many smaller festivals. This work evolved to include welfare  co-ordination at many festivals, and then also to include disability support.

She now specialises in Children, Welfare and Disability Support.  In 2004 she set up GEOFEST, the organising body for the Green Access and Mobility Areas at festivals, and acts now as an advisor, participant and organiser to festivals and outdoor events seeking the GAMA services.

Her interests include play, theatre, street performance, and the creative and visual arts.

Miki

Miki Hall

Miki

Miki studied Politics, Philosophy and Economics at Oxford University, and following a social work diploma, went on to become Director of the Oxford Simon Community developing and running day centres, night shelters and a health centre for recovering alcoholics, the homeless and those suffering from mental illness.  He also helped develop the Oxford Cooperative Training Scheme, and the Oxford Short Life Housing Group.

In the mid 1990’s he moved to Brighton and became involved in the Brighton Festival of Freedom and the Hackney Homeless Festival.  Since then he has developed his festival support work – Volunteering at Glastonbury Festival for Oxfam, Greenpeace and Green Kids Area, Coordinator for Big Green Gathering Green Access Mobility Areas  for  Disabled People, Coordinator for Green Access Mobility Area at Sunrise Festivals, Coordinator for Green Access Mobility Area at Out of the Ordinary Festival and running a dedicated telephone line and information service for disabled people wishing to attend outdoor festivals.

His interests include Disability Awareness, Ecology, Empowerment through education and training, and world music.

Mike

Mike

Mike

I’m responsible for the design and running of the Gama website, as well as working at the Glade festival alongside Seagh in the Gama area. I discovered free parties & festivals in the 90’s and have been festivaling ever since. After a stint as an elephant keeper, I worked in mental health care for almost 10 years, then I changed careers due to my knees falling apart & I’m now a designer & photographer.

When I’m not designing or photographing, I have a keen interest in the other visual arts, make the occasional bit of music on the mac & like to get out camping  – I’m also partial to a few repetitive beats and the odd fine cider.