Local People

Maggie Procopi

‘I try to support as many like-minded causes as I can’

Maggie Procopi uses her professional experience in organising arts events to support initiatives such as BerkoBeerFest and local environmental campaigns. Bringing people together for a great experience has always fascinated Maggie Procopi. ‘I think I first got the bug when I had a holiday job at Cornwall’s Trelissick Garden. We hosted a variety of outdoor […]

Clare O'Connell

‘The concerts are serious but also fun’

When cellist Clare O’Connell staged the first Behind the Mirror concert in Berkhamsted in 2011, she had little idea it would grow into one of the town’s most enduring cultural success stories. Here, we find out more about her and her music. Fifteen years since the first concerts, Clare O’Connell’s Behind the Mirror series has […]

Joanne Franceschini

‘I immediately fell in love with the town’

Former Berkhamsted resident Joanne Franceschini describes how she made her home here, before moving to France and helping UK citizens enjoy the French way of life. Brexit has not diminished people’s desire to own a home in France or spend extended periods there, according to former Berkhamsted resident, Joanne Franceschini. Joanne’s work in the French […]

Martin Hicks, Tring's Green Man

Tring’s Green Man

Martin Hicks is Tring’s very own Green Man, but his commitment to the natural environment and local rural tradition goes way beyond donning a costume for special events… Martin Hicks has spent nearly four decades immersed in the life, landscapes and traditions of Tring. Originally from Walthamstow in northeast London, on the edge of Epping […]

Jude Gray with Sir Richard Eyre (left) and Adrian Noble

A life in the wings

Jude Gray has lived a life at the very heart of British theatre. Now retired, and living in a town centre cottage with her husband, she reflects on a career that placed her alongside some of the industry’s most celebrated names. ‘I’ve been in Berkhamsted for 46 years now,’ she says. ‘But I didn’t grow […]

Dominic Cole OBE

‘It’s all thanks to Mary and her influence’

Following our story about pioneering journalist Mary Grieve in the spring issue of Tring Living, Dominic Cole OBE, distinguished British landscape architect and lead designer of the Eden Project, got in touch to share his story about the positive effect that Mary had had on his life and career. Dominic Cole’s path into landscape architecture […]

James Moir Photo © 2021 David Levenson

‘I like to be involved in projects’

As a trustee of Berkhamsted Castle Trust, Berkhamsted Local History and Museum Society and the Friends of St Peter’s, Dr James Moir is recognised as a driver of projects that boost and enhance community living. Berkhamsted Living finds out more… As testament to his dedication to community projects, James Moir spent five years delivering the […]

Corinna Chute

From Havana to Hertfordshire

Corinna Chute, manager of Berkhamsted’s Vyne Theatre, who has lived a life that revolved around dance, is bringing world-class performances to the community, inspiring new generations to devote their lives to the arts. The Vyne Theatre’s dynamic manager Corinna Chute admits her eagerness to ‘go it alone’ has got her into trouble since childhood, but […]

Anna Swannell

Just be perfectly you

Meet Anna Swannell, the name behind numerous community music ventures, including the inclusive Keep Going Choir, and Long Marston’s open mic nights. Sitting at a bar in Watford at the age of 21, Anna Swannell felt completely lost. It was there that a friend offered some supportive words: ‘Keep going, kid’. It became a mantra […]

Peter Ashman

Tring is a very special town

In the first of a new series of profiles on Tring folk, we find out more about Peter Ashman, who has recently taken on the role of chairman for Community Action Dacorum, and is also a trustee of Tring Arts Trust. Peter Ashman has become a familiar figure in Tring’s cultural and community life. A […]