Patron & Ambassadors

The musician Bruce Dickinson is the first patron of The Blake Cottage Trust. Bruce is renowned as the lead singer of the band Iron Maiden and as a solo artist.  He has had a life-long passion for the writing and visual imagery of William Blake which has frequently provided inspiration for his own work.

As Patron Bruce will be prominent in the fund-raising campaign and has generously offered to auction memorabilia from his career in support of the cottage and to play a fund-raising concert.

Jan Woolf is an artist, writer and political activist. Four of her plays have been produced and two of her short story collections published. She sits on the theatre committee of the Writers Guild.   Jan has held writers’ residencies at the Hackney Empire, Marx Memorial Library and Hampstead school of Art. She has worked as an art and special needs teacher, events producer, political activist, film classifier, editor and publisher and writes regularly for several papers. She has also painted throughout her life. Like Dorothy Parker,  Jan 'hates writing, but loves having written.’

An Alabama native, Amy Weldon is currently Professor and Head of the English Department at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, USA, where she also serves as Dennis M. Jones Chair in the Humanities and co-director of the Luther College Writers Festival. Amy is the author of five books, most recently Creature: A Novel of Mary Shelley and Frankenstein (Sea Crow Press, 2025). Her work as a teaching writer is based on the belief that to preserve the literature, history, and art we love in what's been called the “post-literate,” AI-infused twenty-first century, we must raise our voices, lovingly, to carry beyond our own scholarly communities into the public sphere and speak, as clearly as we can, about why our artists (such as William Blake) matter now. Her website is amyeweldon.com →.

Nick Wadham-Smith attended Bognor Comprehensive school in the nineteen sixties and seventies, living a couple of miles from Felpham at Middleton-on-sea. After teaching English in Port Said and Cairo he joined the British Council, building connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and countries worldwide. For ten years he edited publications and staged conferences for those exploring British Cultures in schools and universities around the world. He also co-founded a think tank in the organisation. His last work before retirement was encouraging a better understanding of the arts and history of Iran. He passionately believes in the power of culture to transform lives.

Nick founded The Regency Town House project in Brighton (www.rth.org.uk →) and still works as the institution's Curator. He has a strong interest in traditional building materials and practice and extensive experience of conducting historic building analysis.  Nick has led the development of several innovative IT-based systems for use in the cultural heritage sector and has interests in topics such as biochemistry, molecular genetics, the history of science, and Georgian trade and commerce, and when not working Nick spends much of his free time, on, in and under the sea.

Joshua Tompkins is an early-career writer, broadcaster and journalist based in London, supporting The Blake Cottage Trust with communications and social media. With a strong interest in Blake’s vision of creativity and collectivity and its relevance today, as well as a family connection to Bognor Regis, he is proud to support both local heritage and Blake’s legacy by preserving the cottage.

Liz Thiel is a former academic in English Literature with a strong interest in social history. She has researched nineteenth-century family life and representations of childhood. She is also the author of a children’s book. Originally trained as a journalist and music business PR, Liz later returned to education as a mature student, where she encountered William Blake in depth. She was captivated by his visionary philosophy, poetry and illustrations, and counts among her favourite lines: “If the doors of perception were cleansed every thing would appear to man as it is, infinite.” Liz brings valuable heritage experience through five years as a National Trust volunteer. Now based in West Sussex, she was thrilled to discover Blake’s local connections and the restoration of his Felpham home.

Jane Summerville grew up in Felpham and has since returned, living close to Blake Cottage. She remembers visiting it as a child and looking through a window towards the sea. She has degrees in English and Drama, and also Psychology. She worked at English National Opera, Carlton Television and the University of Sussex. She now volunteers with Felpham Village Conservation Society and St Mary’s Church in Felpham, (which has the beautiful Blake Window). Jane says she feels very connected to Blake through the cottage and his work.  She admires the way he was his own person, outside the establishment. She has recently discovered his letters and loves reading those!

Truda is the founder of Collective Wisdom, a PR and marketing agency for culture and creative industries. She has worked in the sector for over 30 years. She specialises in integrated communications strategies and leading teams for complex projects. With extensive connections, she loves to make fruitful connections for clients. Campaigns have included HOME Manchester and the Library of Birmingham, Get Into Theatre for the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation and Future Skills for Kingston University.  She has developed the prestige of the International Booker Prize and the Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction. She is a trustee of Theatres Trust and on the committee of The Book Society. She read English Literature at Trinity College, Cambridge, where her Part I dissertation was on Blake.

Delia is a humanistic psychotherapist, with a practice spanning Chichester, London, and online, specialising in neurodivergent clients. Her connection to William Blake runs deep and began in childhood — from first reading The Tyger to singing Jerusalem — and grew into something more profound as she encountered his artwork and singular way of seeing the world. Almost every day, she walks the same stretch of beach Blake once walked, finding the same beauty in it that inspired him. She’s continually moved by his compassion for those in need, and it’s an ethos she carries into both her therapeutic work and everyday life. Delia is delighted to support The Blake Cottage Trust as an ambassador, helping preserve and share this remarkable piece of local and literary history.

Gary Parselle is Founder and Creative Director of The Private Press, a Brighton-based screen printing studio, with a contemporary, collaborative approach, specialising in printing fine art editions for artists, designers and illustrators. He has printed work for high profile artists such as Yoko Ono, David Shrigley, and Jeremy Deller, and prints he has made have been exhibited at the Design Museum, the Royal Academy, the Saatchi Gallery and in galleries around the world.

Alongside running The Private Press, Gary works as a Creative Producer in the world of art and design, a position he has held for more than 20 years, working with some of the UK's top design agencies and brands.

Dr Mark Mason is Interim Provost at the University of Chichester, where he holds strategic responsibility for learning, teaching, research, and student experience. His academic background is in the philosophy of history and critical theory, with research that explores the intersection of continental philosophy with historical representation and pedagogy. Mark plays a central role in shaping student-focused policy and enhancing academic quality, contributing to the University’s national recognition for outstanding teaching and learning. He brings to the Trust a deep commitment to education, critical inquiry, and the cultural value of the humanities. He grew up in the Chichester/Bognor Regis area.

Dr Rebecca Marks (FSA) completed her doctorate at the University of Cambridge in 2025, focusing on William Blake's reception of Michelangelo. She has published widely on Blake - in The British Art Journal, The Cambridge Quarterly, and Classical Receptions Journal - and is on the advisory board for Blake: An / Illustrated Quarterly. Currently, she is under contract with Penguin (Ebury) for a book on the Gothic, due for publication in 2027.

Gawain Little is General Secretary of the General Federation of Trade Unions, a democratic organisation responsive to the needs of affiliated trade unions. It aims to improve the lives of working people and their communities.

He has written widely on education and trade unionism, and co-authored a number of books including Global Education Reform: Building resistance and solidarity and Beyond the Blockade: Education in Cuba and Lessons in Organising: What Trade Unionists Can Learn from the War on Teachers.

John Higgs is a distinguished writer, novelist and cultural historian who specialises in finding previously unsuspected narratives, hidden in obscure corners of our history and culture.   He is the author of the acclaimed books William Blake Now: Why He Matters More Than Ever (2019) and William Blake vs the World (2021), of which Terry Gilliam said: “Absolutely wonderful! This book managed to make Blake’s mind and mythology understandable to me at last – for that I am truly grateful.”.

In June 2024, after a visit to the cottage, John wrote on his blog → about the cottage, its importance and the parlous state it is in.

Jeremy Deller is a British conceptual, video, performance and installation artist known for collaborative, politically engaged works exploring history, culture, and collective memory. Winner of the 2004 Turner Prize and recipient of the 2010 RSA Albert Medal, his projects include Acid Brass, The Battle of Orgreave, and Sacrilege (an inflatable copy of Stonehenge). Jeremy represented Britain at the 2013 Venice Biennale.  He blends art and activism through public participation and social commentary. Blake’s images and poetry still inspire him.

Tacita Dean says: "My first engagement with William Blake, like many children of my generation, was to learn the first verse of The Tyger off by heart in primary school. The words ‘What immortal hand  or eye,/ Could frame thy fearful symmetry?’ do something interesting to a young mind because they propose the idea that God is an artist." She describes Blake as a maverick in the canon of British art - someone who was embedded in the Romantic tradition, but produced deeply radical work. Blake’s illustrations informed her designs for the Royal Ballet’s 2021 production of The Dante Project. Her film Paradise was projected in the last act of the ballet. It adopted Blake’s colours by combining light filters in front of the lens to achieve the depth, dirtiness and intensity of his watercolours. She says: "It will be an honour  and a privilege to be an Ambassador to help save and protect Blake’s Cottage."

Steven Connor is Director of Research of the Digital Futures Institute, King’s College, London. He is Grace 2 Professor of English Emeritus in the University of Cambridge, and an Emeritus Fellow of Peterhouse, Cambridge. He was born in Bognor not far from Blake's cottage.

Andy Bliss, QPM is the former High Sheriff of West Sussex (2023-24).  He's the former Chief Constable of Hertfordshire Constabulary and National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for Heritage Crime. In 2018 he graduated with a Master’s degree with distinction in Archaeology from York University and now undertakes consultancy and research including advisory work for Historic England on crime risks to the historic environment. As High Sheriff he had a central role in supporting the Crown, the Judiciary and the maintenance of law and order, but he is also particularly keen to promote the diversity and heritage of West Sussex.

Born and raised in Felpham, Aidan has long been immersed in the local literary tradition. A long standing fascination with William Blake, kindled by his undergraduate encounter with The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, led him to delve deeper into the poet's work. His Masters thesis explored Blake's visionary experiences in Felpham, and he is currently pursuing a PhD researching Blake's engagement with Christian Mysticism. As a poet and songwriter, Aidan is passionate about bringing Blake's work to life through music and performance, connecting younger generations with their local literary and artistic heritage. He believes that the mythic and religious dimensions of Blake’s work offer profound insights and inspiration, and that preserving Blake Cottage is essential for fostering a vibrant cultural legacy in Felpham.

Billy Bragg is an English singer, songwriter, musician, author and political activist. Raised in Barking, East London, he formed the punk band Riff Raff in 1977 before launching a solo career as Spy vs Spy, touring with just an electric guitar and giving his protest songs a raw punk edge. His 1983 debut reached the UK Top 40, including "A New England." Politically galvanised by Thatcherism, he helped form "Red Wedge," a socialist musicians' collective. Later acclaim came with the Mermaid Avenue albums with Wilco. He remains a lasting voice of conscience in British music.

Tom Ball is a professional copywriter and former journalist with a passion for literature and history. Having relocated to Felpham from London in 2024, Tom now supports the efforts of The Blake Cottage Trust as a local ambassador. From designing leaflets and posters, to raising awareness and providing hands-on support, he is keen to help the Trust deliver on its important mission.