Devon Diamond: Judith Morgane

Originally an opera director and performer from rural Austria, Judith Morgane manages St Nicholas Priory, Exeter’s oldest building, and is also a co-opted member of the board of trustees at the Devon and Exeter Institution, as well as founding member of Devon and Exeter Medial Heritage Trust.

Judith is a community engager for the Co-op, supporting a network of local charities and causes. For Devon Communities Together, her current projects include research for the University of Plymouth and the University of Birmingham into the relationships of health services and the voluntary and charitable sector. She is passionate about digital inclusion and excited to be part of a project which helps people “get online” to address health inequalities and limited access to public support systems.

Judith says that growing up in central Europe on the Austrian-Italian border provided an endless stream of possibilities, and after attending high school in the United States, she moved to London. “I worked in musical theatre production all over Europe, as performer, stage manager, script writer and director and finally got a job as company manager for Cambridge Handel Opera.”

Judith says that she has always been prepared to get ‘stuck in’: she took a job at Tiverton High School teaching Drama, English and Art. Following this, she took a role at the tourist board in Exeter, enabling her to represent the city at local and regional events, and working across the heritage and tourist sites. It was this that enabled her to successfully apply for her post at St Nicholas Priory in 2018 and connect even more closely with the city’s communities.

Judith is particularly proud of having been instrumental in turning St Nicholas Priory, Exeter’s oldest building, into a community and events venue, and making the building accessible to the public after many years of closure. She has recently been appointed as an Honorary Research Fellow at Exeter University, where she is contributing to the Hidden Exeter app, which offers free walking trails to make the city’s heritage more accessible.

Why I love Devon

"This beautiful county has so much to offer – the moors and national parks, the unspoilt stretches of coast, quiet villages and thriving cities. I saw so much potential in engaging with communities, and I wanted to be part of creating resilient and sustainable systems of support, accessible to all of us.”

NOMINATE YOUR DEVON DIAMONDS

Each week during our 60th anniversary year (until March 2022) we will be sharing a story, profile or memory from one or more of our 'Devon Diamonds'. Devon Communities Together's Devon Diamonds are people who have played a part in our story since 1961. They could be ex (or current!) employees or trustees, people who have achieved amazing things in their own communities, representatives from partner organisations we've worked with over the years, village hall committee members, Councillors, and more ... the list is endless! 

We plan to create 60 Devon Diamonds throughout the year! If you know of somebody who would make a great Devon Diamond profile, please get in touch by calling 01392 248919 or emailing info@devoncommunities.org.uk.