Our Anam Cara
Our soul friends
ar cairdean anam
The Celtic concept of a ‘soul friend’ (‘anam cara’) has deep meaning for us. We belong to this land and to each other.
Without an army of generosity and encouragement behind us, we could not do any of this.
There are many people who we wish to thank, acknowledge and connect you with.
But for now, we wish to say a particular thank you to Dr Suzanne Zeedyk and her Connected Baby team, without whom The Little Iceberg Musical would not have been brought to life.
We are incredibly grateful for the tremendous generosity and support they have provided and we are delighted to have capture many happy memories in the beautiful photos and films that were produced.
We advise that if The Little Iceberg Musical touched you in any way and you wish to explore the themes in greater detail, that you follow the work of Dr Zeedyk, who can be found via her website, or social media.
We would also like to give heartfelt thanks to everyone at Glasgow Acting Academy. To Caitlin Gillespie for all her advice, organisation and encouragement.
To Steve Russell for his superb direction, choreography and vision.
To Milly Sweeney, Keiren Devine, Madeline Grieve, Chloe Hodgson, Amy Clark, Alice Wylie, Jonathon O’Neil, Sam Baird and Hollie Thornton for their outstanding talent, dedication, enthusiasm and performance of The Little Iceberg.
We would also like to thank Lewis for all the recording, highly tuned ear and skill in the studio. You were a pleasure to work with in every way.
Thanks, and gratitude in abundance to Darren our perfectionist sound man, who has patience in spades. Your attention to detail was superb.
We could not have brought The Little Iceberg to life without any of you.
Sincere and heartfelt thanks,
Fiona, Siobhan, Frankie, and Simon.
Our Friends at GAA
Our collaboration with Glasgow Acting Academy (GAA) has been a joy, we have been incredibly fortunate to have benefitted from their generosity and expertise. They have championed us from the beginning and have come forward multiple times to support us and offer their involvement in everything that we do.
We look forward to more collaborative projects supporting the arts, young people and our growing community!
Follow them here if you want to find out more – Glasgow Acting Academy – GAA.
Steve Russell
Artistic Director
Steve was the artistic director on Auld Land Sing and The Little Iceberg Musical.
An incredible talent, we have been blessed with his directing skills and interpretations of our shows since the very early days.
Visit Steve’s website here.
Ryan Little
Chair
Helping to co-write Auld Lang Sing, Ryan is partly responsible for bringing Scottish folk to life.
Ryan is already involved in our next project, as the co-writer for Vintage Christmas… coming soon!
Visit Ryan’s Instagram here.
Caitlin Gillespie
General Manager
Caitlin is the stalwart behind our artistic and creative endeavours; always ready to make opportunities for the students possible.
Her advice and guidance has been invaluable in bringing our shows to life, and is always up for collaboration.
Maddie Grieve
Acting Tutor
Maddie is an Anam Alba OG, as she was part of the original Little Iceberg cast!
Bringing a wealth of experience, talent and guidance to the performances.
Rachel Campbell
Musical Director
Rachel worked with the team on Auld Lang Sing when Siobhan was unable to make rehearsals.
Always in the background, her support and encouragement has been invaluable.
Maxine Scott
Jazz Tutor
For the first musical venture, You’re On Mute, Maxine helped to choreograph parts of the show.
She brought lots of enthusiasm and energy to the show, giving it that extra shine.
Louise Stean
Louise worked in Criminal Justice Social Work for 12 years both in Edinburgh and Fife, supervising community-based sentences and working in prisons. Her job involved working with families who had been damaged by generations of poor emotional health and wellbeing, often from poor socio-economic backgrounds. In this post, she was able to see first-hand the impact that trauma can have on families and why positive, nurturing relationships are so important , particularly for children and young people. Louise has worked within Education as a mental health development officer for several years, promoting early intervention and preventative approaches to mental and emotional wellbeing. She works with multi-agency partners, including CAMHS, school nurses, third sector partners, as well as colleagues from across Fife and beyond. Much of her work is focused on universal and additional supports for wellbeing. Louise has two daughters and understands that their personal growth depends not only on the quality attachment and bonds created within the family, but also finding their place in the world around them through peer interactions, and from developing a growth mindset.
Louise Day
Louise is a qualified speech and language therapist, trained singer and voice coach. She provides 1:1 voice therapy online and in person to adults with conditions including muscle tension dysphonia, vocal nodules and the ageing voice. She is a holistic therapist who has an interest in trauma and the mind body connection. She has worked in public speakers and singers. She aims to support people to find their authentic voice and give them the tools to speak with power and ease.
Emily Laranja
Emily Laranja is a nurture teacher at Lynburn Primary School in Dunfermline, she is passionate about fostering the mental health and emotional wellbeing of children and their families. Through understanding the nervous system, Emily incorporates somatic movement and breathing techniques to help pupils reduce stress and increase engagement in learning. By developing innovative policies, supportive systems, creating relational-led resources and trauma-informed environments within the school, she cultivates a nurturing setting that fosters growth and compassion, laying the groundwork for the brighter future that every child deserves.
Dads Rock
Dads Rock is a charity, started by two Dads who wanted there to be more support for Dads in Scotland. They now work in Edinburgh, Glasgow, North Ayrshire and online. Dads Rock believes that Children thrive when Dads thrive. The aim of Dads Rock is to give Dads and families the tools they need to give their children the best possible start in life.
They run a range of services, such as Dads Peer Support, playgroups, whatsapp groups, trips and parenting workshops. To find out more about their work, click here: Dads
Suzanne Scott
Suzanne Scott is the founding director of Trauma Informed Parenting (TIP), a Scottish charity that provides fully funded workshops, as well as ongoing support, for parents, carers, caregivers, and professionals on adopting a trauma-informed approach.
Drawing from her own first-hand experiences—parenting a neurodivergent child and fostering —Suzanne shares practical, down-to-earth, and brutally honest insights that resonate deeply with participants. Her workshops have been described as “transformative,” “life-saving,” and “gold dust.”
Suzanne and the team at TIP are dedicated to ensuring this vital information and support are fully funded and accessible to all, working tirelessly to help families and professionals create safer, more understanding environments for children.
Aisling Phelan
I am aisling mum of 5 and grandma to 7, my passion is helping others find relaxation and joy, through creativity, using meditation and relaxation techniques to calm the mind body and soul.
Love crafts of all descriptions home made gifts a speciality x
Jen La Trobe
Jen is the founder of Intriguing Young Minds. She offers bespoke wellbeing sessions; one to one, or with small groups. She focuses on being flexible to the needs of children and young people, ensuring they feel seen, heard and valued. Her Youth Mindfulness training, courses through Mindfulness Association, and training on the impact of trauma on mental health, all underpin her relational approach. She has worked with children in a variety of school and care settings, both primary and secondary.
Jen volunteers with Aberlour as a Perinatal Befriender, supporting mums with mild to
moderate mental health issues. She is passionate about giving children the best start in life, having had the experience of three boys of her own, who are now adults. She has helped to support Tenderness Days run by Anam Alba and has recently trained to offer BookBug in the home which helps families have the confidence to introduce stories, rhymes and songs within the home environment.
She has thoroughly enjoyed contributing to The Little Iceberg project and is looking forward to being involved as it develops further. She has already used The Little Iceberg resources within schools and has seen how impactful they are. What she loves most about working with children is acknowledging the little interactions and moments that are truly transformational. These can often go unseen. Moments matter.
Although Jen can be found on social media (LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter) the best way to contact her for more information is by email jlatrobe@btinternet.com or phone 07765578622.
Tricia Malone
My name is Tricia Malone. I am blessed to be able to live on the beautiful island of Arran; although I’ll always be a Glasgow girl! I recently retired after 32 fulfilling years of teaching. My heart is full knowing I had the chance to impact so many lives in the classroom, and I now cherish the quality time I have to spend with family and friends. I’m so proud to be a small part of the wonderful Little Iceberg family, a community that brings so much joy and connection.
Life is a beautiful adventure, and I’m grateful for every moment.
Aileen Robertson
Aileen Robertson is a Chartered Teacher with additional post graduate training in Nurture Groups. She has continued to develop skills through Theraplay® training (level1), Transactional Analysis Psychotherapy training and CUSTTAD (collective use of sand tray talk and draw). Aileen enjoys music and expresses this through singing as part of a chorus and dabbling in playing the piano. She has worked alongside children and families for over 34 years and has a firm commitment to supporting and nurturing the uniqueness of children to enable them to thrive and blossom. Aileen uses a variety of ways to engage children using a playful, fun, child centred approach. Through working in partnership with families, she can give parents and carers support when they need it most for their child.
Paper Ball
Paper Ball makes hopeful and empathetic digital and printed reminders. These included eg. prints, cards, activity sheets and bookmarks.
They are made with young people in mind, but are relatable to anyone. I make them as reminders for kids, but also for their adults. Big feelings in kids (or anyone) can be hard to navigate, it can be hard to keep regulated. I make these so children are able to read the images with or without words, but also as a tool for adults to help remember what needs to be done when you’re finding that hard to do. Equally important is the design and print quality, and that they’re appealing, colourful and playful decorations for the home or workplace.
Paper Ball is also available for collaborations or commissions.
Find me in the various online places here https://linktr.ee/paperballscotland, and feel free to get in touch with me directly about anything.
The Why Not Trust
The Why Not Trust exists to promote, offer, and support meaningful relationships for people who have experience of care. Throughout life everyone needs support, particularly during challenging transitions like becoming a parent or a student. The Why Not? Trust creates supportive communities (The Village, for care experienced parents), and (The Wee campus, for care experienced students) where people can reach out for support from the team & each other. Having meaningful relationships through trusted social support networks increases wellbeing for all.
We are currently piloting Thinking Space, which offers a safe space for young people to reflect on past experiences and gain a better understanding of how their past experiences may be impacting on their present and their future.
The Why Not Trust? continues to grow, and we look forward to offering more wellness opportunities to our communities.
Email: hello@whynottrust.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thewhynottrust/?locale=en_GB