Oliver Meek, Centre Director

Oliver trained to be an actor at the Drama Centre in London, which did not lead to fame and fortune but instead to working in various theatres and cinemas around London. This was not all bad as he saw every single film (worth watching) from 1999-2008, and some fantastic theatre.

He loves working for Arvon as he thinks writers are much more interesting than normal people but is frustrated as there are too many good book recommendations to read in one lifetime.

Claire Berliner, Centre Director

Claire studied Literature at Sussex University and then, realising that almost everyone has a degree in Literature, went and got an MA in it from King's College, London. She was Assistant Director of Jewish Book Week, then Arts Programmer and Producer for the Jewish Community Centre for London until finally she landed the pinnacle of literary jobs as Centre Director of Totleigh Barton.

A born and bred Londoner, Claire is very much enjoying life in the countryside. She spends much of her time programming courses, and when not consorting with the great and the good at Totleigh, Claire can usually be found writing, knitting, puppet-making, film-watching or writing short films for knitted puppets.

Stephanie Wardle, Administrator

Stephanie studied Fine Art and Photography at the University of Chester before moving home to pursue various creative ambitions including writing a screenplay based on her day job for the National Trust, setting up a small craft business and painting all kinds of creatures.

In 2010 she decided to return to university and studied Cultural Policy and Management at Sheffield Hallam. Alongside studying she continued to work for the National Trust and started working for Site Gallery as an intern.

Stephanie was drawn to Arvon because she believes that time to create is precious and looks forward to helping people make the best of their talents.

Eliza Squire, Centre Assistant

Eliza likes to describe herself as the “local maid” of Totleigh Barton as her family have lived in Devon since before the eighteenth century.  She has just completed her MA in English Literature, specialising in out-of-print Gothic literature from the Romantic period (she admits this sounds rather obscure but specialises in it all the same). Besides working at Arvon and reading about gothic heroines trapped in towers, she teaches ballet and the Charleston to children and adults.

Eliza looks forward to every new Arvon week at Totleigh Barton as an opportunity to meet new groups of people and is very happy to talk about ballet-dancing-gothic-Devonians in what she deems (with unabashed bias) as one of the most beautiful parts of the country.