The UK-based Grierson Trust, which works “to celebrate the best of documentary and factual filmmaking from Britain and around the world,” has appointed six new Trustees following an open call for applications to join its Board.
“The appointments to an expanded Board will support the Trust’s growing role as a provider of successful industry-leading training programmes and other initiatives to identify and nurture diverse new talent in documentary and factual television making, as well as chairing judging committees for Grierson Awards, which this year includes two new categories,” the organisation writes.
New trustees are editor/edit consultant Zeb Achonu; Derren Lawford, founder of independent production company DARE Pictures; Rick Murray, CEO of Workerbee Group; director Toby Trackman; Oli Harbottle, Chief Content Officer of independent film distributor Dogwoof; and Netflix Production Executive Jessica Ross. Achonu, Lawford, Murray and Trackman join as trustees this month, while Harbottle and Ross will take up their roles in December 2025, when two of the existing trustees come to the end of their two terms on the board.
The new members join existing trustees Lorraine Heggessey (Chair), Sreya Biswas, Louisa Compton, Harjeet Chhokar, Guy Davies, Amali de Silva, Nelesh Dhand, Poppy Dixon, Tanya Motie, Rob Stapledon, Donna Taberer, and Maxine Watson. Davies and Stapledon will stand down from their positions in December.
Lorraine Heggessey, Chair of the Board of Trustees comments: “The Grierson Trust has grown its activities over the last few years, creating successful new training programmes in partnership with streamers, broadcasters and production companies to identify new talent and build the careers of creatives from a wide range of backgrounds.
“As a result, we’ve decided to expand the Board to support these activities, in addition to chairing juries for the Grierson Awards. I’m thrilled to be welcoming Zeb, Derren, Rick and Toby as Trustees this month and Jess and Oli when they join us at the end of the year. I’d also like to thank our retiring Trustees for all their hard work and assistance.”
Each year, the British Documentary Awards – known as the Griersons – shine a spotlight on the best documentaries of the year across an array of genres. This year’s competition is currently open for submissions, with the ceremony taking place November 18 at London’s Roundhouse.
The Trust also “identifies and nurtures” factual TV talent through its Grierson DocLab training and mentoring schemes in partnership with broadcasters, streamers and more than 20 independent television production companies, “helping to sustain and diversify the documentary workforce in the UK,” the organisation underlines.
