Leila Jones is a producer specialising in circus with 12 years experience of working with some of the most innovative and influential companies in Britain.

In this time she has lived on and crewed a ship taking theatre to remote communities around the British Isles, dug out a series of tunnels that went on to become the legendary Shunt Vaults and created massive spectaculars with a huge collective of travelling showmen at festivals all round the world.

In 2007 she became the Circus Producer Fellow at the Roundhouse, London and since then has worked specifically on British circus development. She is currently working on a season of contemporary circus – Roundhouse CircusFest which will present the best national and international circus and cabaret throughout the Roundhouse for seven weeks in April – May 2010. For the next two years she will be focusing the Roundhouse’s extensive circus programme on social circus projects – providing a professional platform for the incredible artists growing out of this sector and also with them developing a programme for the Roundhouse to bring circus education to and work with hard to reach young people throughout London.

Matilda Temperley is an award winning freelance photographer based in London. She initially trained as a scientist at the London School of Tropical Medicine and whilst living in East Africa became involved in social circus. She has since developed her work as an art form and as well as taking on commercial jobs, she undertakes personal projects that produce not only beautiful but also thought provoking images that make us reflect on the modern world.

In 2009 the Roundhouse commissioned Matilda to combine her two loves, photography and the circus for and exhibition in April 2010. With the support of the Arts Council she was able to spend 6 months exploring the diversity of the UK circus. Matilda met Leila Jones after they both spent time exploring social circus in Ethiopia and together they decide to set up Circus Child.

Harry Hoffen is a London based property developer. He has always been fascinated by the circus and has done a number of trapeze performances for charity. He became involved in social circus in 2008 and has since spent a considerable amount of time traveling around British Circuses in the name of research.

In 2001, Sam Roddick, daughter of Body Shop legend Anita Roddick, opened Coco de Mer -a luxurious erotic emporium dedicated to the celebration of sexual pleasure, empowerment, dignity and discovery.

With a background in radical activism Roddick uses her business to champion causes and support social and sexual issues close to her heart working with a network of creatives and not for profit organisations.

The campaigning arm of Coco de Mer, called Bondage for Freedom, works on a number of projects with partner organisations creating campaigns, films, art and protests to raise awareness for a number of projects currently including rape and sexual violence in the DRC, sex slavery and trafficking, teenage sexual pressure and abuse and the plight of the honey bee.

Responsible for having spearheaded the transformation of the erotic market the indomitable Miss Roddick is one of the brightest, most colourful and outspoken women in British industry today. She has a large yet refreshing presence and a natural wit, humour and authority and is happy to roll up her sleeves to commit herself to her views with an unusual simplicity and directness. 

Emma Eastwood has spent the last 20 years working in international human rights protection.

She accompanied threatened human rights defenders in Guatemala and Colombia with Peace Brigades International and currently works as Media and Events Officer for Minority Rights Group International where, as well as liaising closely with the international media and managing website content, she is involved in implementing a media skills training programme for minority and indigenous organisations in Africa, Asia and the Americas.

Felicity Simpson is director is Circo Para Todos - a professional circus school in Cali, Colombia which teaches circus skills to disadvantaged and homeless young people.

Circo Para Todos feeds into Circolombia - an agency and production company which places Colombian artists into some of the worlds leading circus companies and is currently producing their first production Urban - touring internationally throughout 2010 and playing at the Roundhouse, London 6th-9th May.

Bio coming soon