Our ambassadors, who come from all different walks of life and different backgrounds, enable our students to reach their potential
Our ambassador programme.
Our ambassador programme was launched in 2021, and we work with people from across the UK, from all different backgrounds and with all different areas of expertise. Our ambassadors provide our students with mentorship, primarily being positive influences and good role models for our students. They come from all different professions and walks of life, and work in partnership with our students and us as a CIC.
If you are interested in applying to become an ambassador for our CIC, please apply here.
Our Ambassadors
Joshi Herrmann
Joshi Herrmann has been a journalist for a decade, beginning his career as a staff writer at the London Evening Standard for four years, and has more recently written for The Times, The Guardian and The Daily Telegraph. He now runs The Mill, a newsletter that publishes high-quality journalism about Greater Manchester.
Joshi also mentors students at Sackville School in West Sussex, a comprehensive High School close to where he was brought up, and helps students with applications to Oxbridge universities. You can read more about this in a Guardian article he wrote last year here.
In his role as ambassador to ATQ, Joshi Herrmann will be working alongside students as a mentor, whilst providing high value careers advice to students as well.
Joshi Herrmann said, “I feel very passionate about helping these young people who have experienced adverse childhood experiences to realise their potential, especially now in light of Covid and the subsequent school closures. I have a lot of experience in this field, and it’s great that I can now be working with this CIC based in Hebden Bridge.”
Virginia Lloyd DL
Virginia was High Sheriff of West Yorkshire in 2013/2014 and is now on the High Sheriffs Association Council. In January 2014 she became a Deputy Lieutenant of West Yorkshire and is President of the RNLI Leeds Business Branch. She was appointed to the Council of Huddersfield University in January 2015.
Mrs Lloyd left school aged 16 to work in the family textile business, but returned to education in her twenties before completing a Law degree at the Leeds College of Law and qualifying as a solicitor in 1987. In 1990, along with her husband Clive, she co-founded Design & Display Limited, a specialist manufacturing business that today employs over 85 staff in its Elland factory.
Virginia’s main passion outside work are her children Freddie and Izzy, and she spends a great deal of time on her charitable interests. A music fanatic, she is a Patron of Opera North. She is also a Trustee of the Henry Watkinson Trust, a Luddenden Valley charity, providing funds to local educational initiatives. Virginia is also very much involved with the visual arts and is a Patron of the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Hepworth Gallery and West Yorkshire Playhouse.
In her role as ambassador to ATQ, Virginia will be facilitating a connection between ATQ and Huddersfield University, whilst also providing students with mentorship opportunities.
Virginia Lloyd DL said, “I am delighted to become an ambassador for this local community interest company. Ensuring that every child in Calderdale, regardless of circumstance, is able to reach their potential and achieve the best educational outcome they possibly can is a real passion of mine.”
Jo Austin, founder of ATQ, said, “We are thrilled that Mrs Lloyd will be joining our team as an ambassador. As a local business owner and as a Deputy Lieutenant, she will provide our students with the very best support and act as an excellent role model.”
Ben Faulks
Ben Faulks is an R.T.S winning & Bafta Award nominated actor, perhaps best known for playing ‘Mr Bloom’ on Cbeebies.
In his role as ambassador, he will be helping students seek out work experience within the Arts industry, as well as providing publicity for the fund.
Ben said, “I am delighted to be joining the team as an ambassador. Now, more than ever, it’s essential that we provide support to those students who most need it. Ask The Question C.I.C. is a fantastic organisation, and I very much look forward to raising awareness of the work they do.”
Jo Austin, founder of Ask The Question, said, “It’s a pleasure and privilege to have Ben join our team in the role of ambassador. His knowledge of the arts and potential career paths for our students is invaluable, and his energy and enthusiasm will be greatly valued.”
Chris Wild
Chris Wild is a published author, actor and campaigner who is originally from Halifax.
Chris, who also is a panel member on the Care Review, lost his dad when he was 11 and was entered into the care system. There, he witnessed the incessant physical and sexual abuse of vulnerable children, and found the only route of escape led to a new home on the streets. He found so many others just like him, failed by the systems put in place to protect vulnerable children, leaving them with nothing but drink, drugs, prostitution and crime to become their normality. Chris has since gone on to publish two books, ‘Damaged’ which is a memoir which relays Chris’ experience of the care system, and ‘The State of It’ which was published in June 2021 which looks at how the care system is failing young people and how we can help young care leavers.
Chris Wild said, “It’s a pleasure to be the latest ambassador for Ask The Question, an organisation which is based near to where I grew up and which provides young people with the support they need to break the cycle and achieve their potential’.