Our Patrons

Lady Ruth Rogers

Ruth Rogers opened The River Cafe in 1987 with Rose Gray, bringing to London the flavours of Italian home cooking with an emphasis on the finest ingredients, an all-Italian wine list, and a modern, open dining atmosphere. The restaurant has since earned a Michelin star. Ruth and Rose have since written six cook books and presented a 12-part series for Channel 4, "The Italian Kitchen." Their latest book, River Cafe Two Easy, has consistently been on the best seller list since its release in May 2005.  The River Cafe has also recently won Tatler's 'Most Consistently Excellent Restaurant Award 2004'.

Both Ruth and her husband Richard Rogers, the internationally renowned architect, are highly respected and influential patrons of the arts, both in this country and abroad.

Sir Tom Courtenay

An internationally acclaimed stage and film star, Tom trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. He was a member of The Old Vic Company and among his many London successes are the title role of Billy Liar, later starring in the film version; Alan Ayckbourne's Time and Time Again, for which he won the actor of the year award; Michael Frayn's Clouds and the West End production of The Norman Conquests. He has worked for The Royal National Theatre and has appeared in many 69 theatre company productions including Hamlet, She Stoops to Conquer (which transferred to the West End), the Playboy of the Western World, Peer Gynt and Charley's Aunt (also in the west end). At the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester he has taken leading roles in The Rivals, The Prince of Hamburg, Twelfth Night and Crime and Punishment, among others.

Tom's first book Dear Tom - a collection of letters written to him by his mother - was published by Doubleday. He was Knighted in the Queens New Year's Honours list 2001.

GAYNOR OWEN
 
ISTD Examiner of Modern and Tap to FDI, and Founder/Artistic Director of Mersyside dance and drama center.

Gaynor’s love of dance and theatre performance began at the age of six with her first dance lessons and the passion awakened set the course for a remarkable life. The talent, commitment and dedication Gaynor showed to her chosen profession is wholly responsible for her stratospheric success. She passed the Advanced Royal Academy of Dancing exam during her time at the Hammond School in Chester before achieving Fellowship status of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (ISTD) in Ballet, Tap and Modern.

The call of the stage beckoned and Gaynor enjoyed a short and successful theatrical career before turning to her real vocation, teaching, by setting up a school her own school which was later to become Merseyside Dance & Drama Centre, a major force in the provision of dance performance and teacher training in the UK.

Miss Owen, is now firmly established as a major international examiner and won the ISTD award for 1999/2000 after being nominated for her life-time contribution to theatre dancing in the UK and abroad. After a number of years as a member of the ISTD’s Modern faculty committee, Gaynor received the highest honour in 2003 by being elected to the position of Chairperson of the Modern Theatre faculty.

In 2008, after more than 50 years performing and teaching Gaynor stepped down as the principal of Merseyside Dance and Drama Centre to focus on her commitments at ISTD headquarters in London. Miss Owen remains the artistic director of the college and oversees the continuing implementation of the founding philosophy.