Who We Are
St John’s Community Enterprise Project Team
Derek Thomson, Creative Coordinator
Derek is the project’s creative genius. The idea for an enterprise project began in 2008 as a way to develop the Scottish Government’s Curriculum for Excellence agenda and promote the musical talents of the youngsters that attend St John’s. This idea became the Enterprise through Music project which is now known as St John’s Community Enterprise Project. Derek’s main role is to work with pupils to help showcase their talents, to release their potential and develop their skills in performance, composition and recording of music, making them more responsible, successful, effective and confident.
Mr Thomson started his musical career in the late 1970s playing keyboards with a variety of local musicians and bands. He quickly found his creative side and worked in various recording studios composing adverts for television, radio and film. It was at this time he also began working with Michael Marra becoming involved in gigs and recordings and forged a good working relationship which still continues today.
In the Eighties he toured extensively, playing in America, Europe, Canada and Switzerland with acts such as Danny Wilson, Simply Red, The Christians to name a few. His list of venues includes The Beacon Theatre in New York, The Montreux Rock Festival, Ronnie Scott’s and Wembley Arena.
Colin Stewart, Music Coordinator
Colin is the project’s musical maestro. He works with pupils to develop their musical talents and compose musical arrangements. He manages the orchestra, plays in the band, creates and adapts the arrangements for the musical scores and liaises with the pupil’s Music Instructors. Colin also helps pupils to record, mix and produce their own music and ideas.
An avid follower of the ‘Shed’ Mr Stewart will be helping the school develop strong links with Dundee United Football Club and other organisations to support learning outcomes through our project.
Starting out with local Dundee Soul Band Mafia, Colin has worked with many of Dundee’s local bands and artists including the late great Jazz Trumpeter Jimmy Deuchar, Michael Marra and Kevin Murray. A graduate of the City of Leeds College of Music, he returned to Scotland in 2003 to work at St. John’s High School.
Laura Mill, Business Manager
Laura is the business brain of St John’s Community Enterprise Project. Her main role is to provide project management support to the project to enable it to become a sustainable entity for the school. This includes the planning and managing of individual events, marketing, public relations, fundraising, contract negotiation, merchandising, website development and generally keeping the creative side of the team under control.
Laura started her career in Dundee University, Department of Law working on international law projects and then went on to work in the School of Medicine as part of medical research project team. Following this she became part of the Managed Clinical Network involved in modernising and redesigning NHS Tayside’s acute services for CHD. This led to a post with NHS Tayside’s Board working in service development for Children’s Health Service and Child Protection.
Having spent most of her career in Dundee she left in 2007 to take up Community Planning post with North Lanarkshire Council but missing home to much she came back in May 2009 to St John’s RC High School as the new Business Manager.
Mr Haggarty, Head Teacher
Mr Haggarty is the Head Teacher of St John’s RC High School. He is involved in all aspects of the project.
Mr Harry Lennon, Drama Coordinator
Other team members
Miss Vicky Watson, Choir Coach
Mr Bryan Gould –Photography & Press
Ms Vicki Black – Community History
