WHO WE ARE

James JP Drake

In 2015, James established The Drake Calleja Trust as part of his long term philanthropy programme. The Drake Calleja Trust came into operation on 1st September 2015 under the management of Vicky Yannoula, Head of Scholarships & Artistic Planning. Since then the Trust has completed three application calls (2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017-18) and has awarded fifty-nine scholarships in total to exceptionally talented students of undergraduate, postgraduate and research level.

In addition. James is the Founder and Chairman of The Future Science publishing group and also launched The Drake Foundation in 2014. The Future Science Group focuses on breakthrough medical, biotechnological and scientific research and The Drake Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation committed to improving evidence-based measures for the understanding of concussion injuries in sport, based on scientific research.

James recently began a role as honorary science publishing advisor to the Blair Partnership, the literary agent of JK Rowling and many others from debut and established writers to broader talent across business, politics, sport and lifestyle.

www.jamesdrake.com

YolanDa Brown OBE DL

For some, world-wide touring and a hit album would be satisfaction enough. Not for YolanDa Brown who has garnered praise for her delicious fusion of reggae, jazz and soul. YolanDa has worked with The Temptations, Diana Krall, Billy Ocean and Jools Holland. She is currently composing music for the iconic Sesame Street and an animated series called Bea's Block due for release in 2023.

In July 2022, YolanDa was appointed Chair of BPI (the representative voice for record labels in the UK and organisers of the annual BRIT Awards, the Mercury Prize and co-owners of The Official Charts). A champion for the importance of music education, she is Chair of Youth Music, sits on the Arts Council National Council, a trustee of the PRS Foundation, an ambassador for the Prince’s Trust and London Music Fund and sits on the advisory board of the London Philharmonic Orchestra. She was recently invited by the Department of Education to sit on the advisory panel of the National Plan for Music Education.

She graduated with a first class degree in Operations management from the University of Kent, followed by 2 Masters Degrees and studied a PhD for four years, before taking a hiatus from her thesis to pursue her music career. Brown was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Arts by the University of East London. In 2021, she was invited by the Government to advise on the National Plan for Music Education.

A broadcaster too - working across TV and Radio, including her eponymous series for CBeebies, "YolanDa’s Band Jam", which recently won the Royal Television Society Awards as Best Children’s Programme. On BBC Radio 4, she co presents Loose Ends with Clive Anderson and covers for Trevor Nelson and Vanessa Feltz on BBC Radio 2 and presents “YolanDa Brown on Saturday” on Jazz FM.

www.yolandabrown.co.uk