Trustee: Hannah Smith

Hannah is a life-long Streatham resident, with her grandparents settling in the area in the 1970s after growing up elsewhere in Lambeth. Now a second-year student at Bocconi University in Milan, studying for a BSc in Economics and Management for Art, Culture, and Communication, she continues to stay deeply connected to her roots and community.

A class project on Streatham’s history in primary school sparked Hannah’s fascination with the area’s past as the ‘West End of South London.’ Growing up, she often heard family members share stories about Streatham during its heyday. In 2014 and 2015, Hannah’s parents attended Streatham Theatre Company’s Halloween nights, marvelling at how the theatre felt frozen in time despite its poor condition. Although Hannah was too young to enter the theatre back then, her interest in its future grew. In November 2018, she joined the Friends’ flashmob to campaign for the theatre’s Asset of Community Value status, and her enthusiasm for the campaign has only gone from strength to strength.

Since joining the Friends as a Communications Team member in Spring of Year 12, Hannah has balanced her studies and passion for the performing arts with volunteering.

Having attended Stagecoach for 10 years and achieved LAMDA Grade 8 Acting, Hannah became an active member of Brixton Youth Theatre (BYT) in sixth form. In Year 13, she took on the role of Brixton Youth Theatre ambassador, mentoring members and working on a range of performing arts projects, including WOW’s (Women of the World Foundation) Creative Careers programme for 13-18 year olds (September 2022 – March 2023) run in partnership with Lambeth Elevate and BYT. Hannah has performed at the Southbank Centre and the Rich Mix, Shoreditch. She has since stayed involved with BYT, helping out when and where she can.

Drawing from her experiences, Hannah understands how valuable it is to have venues where young people can express themselves creatively.
Hannah’s commitment to the performing arts extends to her ongoing roles as a Trustee and Steering Group member with the Friends, where she works to engage the younger generation in the campaign, using her experience in the UK and Italy to inspire others in Streatham and beyond.