What do we need to think about to turn an ED&I Action Plan into Action?

David Rees is Chief Executive of Merton Music Foundation, a South London music service and charity part of the London Southwest Hub. David studied Jazz at Leeds Conservatoire and taught classroom music at primary and secondary level before joining Merton Music Foundation in 2018.

Sam Stimpson (M.Ed/B.Ed) is the Founder and CEO of SLS 360 Ltd, a consultancy supporting organisations to build cultures where equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging are embedded into everyday practice. Working predominantly across the cultural, education and music sectors, she combines deep sector knowledge with strategic expertise to help organisations create lasting cultural change rather than short-term interventions.

Sam is a musician and former music educator, who works with Music Hubs, National Portfolio Organisations, charities, public and private sector organisations across the UK. Her work focusses on supporting organisations to strengthen leadership, governance, workforce culture and organisational strategy. In 2025, she received the Music Mark Talk into Action Inclusion Award in recognition of her contribution to the sector.

Alongside her consultancy, in 2025 Sam founded the I.D.E.A.L. Network, a growing leadership community for people leading inclusion and organisational change. Through this work, and in partnership with Sound Connections, she has supported more than 50 inclusion leaders. Sam also serves as Chair of Trustees at Sound Connections.

Known for her practical, thought-provoking and compassionate approach, Sam challenges organisations to move beyond compliance and into meaningful cultural transformation, creating environments where people can thrive, contribute and truly belong.

Bridget Whyte became CEO of Music Mark in 2017. She started her career at Arts Council England before going freelance, working with over 50 music & music education organisations. Key clients included Youth Music, the Department for Education (DfE), and she was a Strategic Advisor to the British Council, setting up and managing their World Voice Programme which supported the use of singing as a tool for learning in over 20 countries. As Music Mark’s CEO, Bridget is in demand as a keynote speaker, advocate and advisor at a national and international level. Most recently she supported the Welsh Government on writing its National Plan for Music Education which was published in May 2022, was part of the Department for Education’s English National Plan for Music Education Expert Panel, and has now joined its Hub Monitoring Board.

Hailey Willington is Youth Engagement, Diversity and Inclusion Leader at Merton Music Foundation. A passionate violinist and educator, Hailey is trained in Youth Voice work and facilitates MMF’s Youth Council as well as Leading on Equity Diversity and Inclusion. Hailey is the author of the online resource The Inclusive Music Lesson: A Pocket Guide and currently serves as an elected member of the Musicians’ Union National Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee.