Mike Morris
Co-Director
Mike is a founder member of WoW and has a background in community activity, in education - working as a Learning Mentor in Anfield CC School, and film-making as a writer on Dockers (Channel 4, 2000), and as co-director and producer of a ground-breaking documentary, Liverpool’s Cunard Yanks (Granada, 2008). He studied Literature & American Studies at Liverpool John Moores University and has an MA in Creative Writing. He is a playwright, with his first play Waiting for Brando, which he wrote and produced, appearing at Liverpool’s Unity Theatre in 2012 and 2013, followed by a short tour of UK theatres. His second play, Subterranean Theatre: The Maurie, based on a short story by George Garrett, was produced as a site-specific piece in Liverpool’s Cunard Building during the city’s Three Queens celebrations in 2915. Mike created WoW's Pulp Idol competition and is responsible for the editing and publishing of WoW's annual Pulp Idol - Firsts (a book of the finalists’ First Chapters) and leads on WoW’s publishing strategy. Mike created and directed the George Garrett Archive Project and is currently working with actor and director Raymond Waring to produce George Garrett’s second play, Flowers and Candles, for June 2018. Mike is also working with Madeline on WoW’s long-term strategic aims and development.
Madeline Heneghan
Co-Director
Madeline Heneghan became WoW’s first full-time Festival Director in 2006 and was ultimately responsible for the delivery of the annual month-long Festival and all WoW projects. Madeline has an MA in American Literature and History, and prior to joining Madeline was the Action Plan Coordinator for The Black and Racial Minority Network. As a former Equalities Consultant, Madeline gained a thorough understanding of the needs and preferences of different communities and hard to reach groups. Her excellent community engagement skills and expertise in diversity and audience development have been the driving force behind WoW’s growth and its diverse audiences. In 2017, after WoW were judged ‘Outstanding’ by Arts Council England under their ‘Creative Case for Diversity‘ criteria, she was invited to become a ‘critical friend’ for the Creative Case in the North. Madeline has organised and led on many festival events and projects. Most recently, Madeline has written and published, with Emy Onuara, a book based on the findings of the Great War to Race Riots Creative Heritage Project. Madeline is now delivering our latest Creative Heritage Project based on the archives of the Liverpool 8 Law Centre, and working to shape WoW’s long-term strategy and development.
Megan Liversey
Marketing Manager
Megan joined us at the end of 2022 when she returned to her hometown of Liverpool after 14 years of living in Bristol, London, and traveling the world. Megan has carried out several marketing roles within the charity and higher education sector and is keen to bring her expertise to WoW. In her spare time, Megan likes to explore using theatre for social change and likes to have a shot at photographing the people and places around her.
Caroline Knight
Festival and Events Coordinator
Caroline joined us in November 2023 as the Festival and Events Coordinator after first doing the Write to Work course, and later supporting us on the programme. She has a varied career history working in health and wellness freelance writing, and throughout her career has run events across various fields, from intimate workshops to retreats, conventions and conferences. She was once a prolific activist and has a passion for bringing people together in the name of worthy causes and personal development. As a writer, she favours philosophy, existentialism, poetry and spoken word and loves to showcase her work, as well as supporting others in spreading their wings creatively. She is keen to combine all of her skills together in her new role with WoW.
Helen Jeffery
Project Manager
Helen joined WoW in January 2023 and is a freelance Project Manager for Write to Work Directions and Spoken Word Power. After studying Drama at Warwick University, Helen trained as an actor before turning her focus to teaching, play-writing and poetry. In 2015-16 she completed the Playwright’s Programme at the Liverpool Everyman Theatre and subsequently wrote the plays, ‘The Brink’ and ‘Gun Metal Blue.’ During the last 5 years Helen has become a regular on the Liverpool spoken word scene and in 2022 published her first poetry pamphlet, ‘Journey.’ She has recently received a poetry commission from The University of Liverpool and is currently developing her third play for stage. Helen is a trained poetry facilitator and enjoys facilitating poetry workshops across all age groups.
Janaya Pickett
Project Manager
Janaya Pickett is a writer, local historian, and facilitator whose career began in 2014 as a volunteer on WoW's Great War to Race Riots project, namely the hugely successful 1919 Walking Tours. Since then, Janaya has gone on to perform poetry at spoken word nights across the city, worked as Curator for WoW's August 2021 installation Merseysounds, event manager for the LCRCA's Generations for Change, and most recently as project facilitator the Bluecoat's Echoes and Origins project.
Jenny Dalton
Publishing Coordinator
Jenny joined the WoW team in 2021, her main responsibilities involve working on the design, production, publication, and distribution of WoW’s books. She has worked on the development of books for Write to Work, What’s Your Story, Super Heroes: Words Are Our Power and more. Jenny has an undergraduate degree in English Literature and Creative Writing and masters degree in Creative Writing from LJMU and is currently writing her first novel. She is most likely to be found reading, writing, or annoying her pet rabbits: Rue and Rhea.
Talisha Thomas Lindsay
Write to Work Project Worker
Talisha joined the team in April 2023 and works on the Write to Work programme as Project assistant. Talisha has a passion for helping others and previous to this role Talisha supported many people across the county of Merseyside within a hate crime support role. Talisha also has a creative and performing arts background, particularly focused within dance. Talisha has taught, mentored, performed and choreographed for numerous institutions, schools, colleges and theatres across the Northwest and UK.