Our CEO, Board and Honorary Patrons

Gaynor Faye

Gaynor has a long history with Leeds Heritage Theatres, dating back to her childhood when she not only came to see productions at Leeds Grand Theatre but also performed on the stage. “I first stepped onto The Grand’s stage as an eight-year-old ballet dancer; I remember looking around and taking in the magnificence of the auditorium. Since then, I’ve appeared in several shows, including the original tour of Tim Firth’s Calendar Girls, Kay Mellor’s (my mum) Band of Gold, and Peter James’ Looking Good Dead. I also toured with The Syndicate which had its world premiere at Leeds Grand Theatre in April 2024 and which I’ve been involved with since its conception.”

Gaynor made her directorial debut at Leeds Grand Theatre with The Syndicate as a tribute to her wonderful mum, who had been so excited to bring the show to life. Rehearsing the play in the space downstairs as Kay had done with Band of Gold and Fat Friends: The Musical she said: “It’s what mum would have wanted – the perfect home for her third hit stage show”.

Gaynor recently starred as Sian in The Inheritance and is best known for playing the feisty Megan Macey in Emmerdale and Judy Mallet in Coronation Street. She has also appeared on stage and screen in: Fat Friends, Playing the Field, The Chase, Between the Sheets, Stan the Man, Coogan’s Run, Men of the World, Danni’s House, The Life and Times of Henry Pratt, The Wanderer, Downwardly Mobile and Casualty.

Gaynor is the Creative Director of Rollem, leading the direction of the company’s development slate, mentoring new writers, and working on both her solo projects and those started by Titan Kay. Her other passion is writing. She has written episodes of Playing the Field, Fat Friends, The Chase, and In the Club, as well as script-editing numerous Rollem productions, including The Syndicate.

Lucinda Yeadon

Lucinda has long supported Leeds Heritage Theatres. She was an elected member of Leeds City Council, where she represented the Kirkstall Ward. During this time, she served on the Executive Board for eight years, holding several portfolio positions, and was Deputy Leader for three years. In 2022, Lucinda was made an Honorary Alderman of the City of Leeds. She was Chair of the Board of Trustees at Leeds Heritage Theatres from 2013 – 2016.

Before starting her political career, Lucinda worked for the Royal Mencap Society in their community development team, campaigning for the rights of people with learning disabilities. She sits on various boards for local and national third sector and cultural organisations. Lucinda is chair of Kirkstall Valley Development Trust.