Music support is delighted to announce the appointment of Claire Haffenden to its Board of Trustees
Haffenden brings extensive experience in artist welfare and industry-wide mental health advocacy to the charity’s leadership team, having spent 30 celebrated years at Universal Music UK before founding bespoke events management and artist services company Haffenden & Co. Known across the industry for her discretion and commitment to well-being, Claire has long championed the integration of mental health support within high-pressure creative environments.
As the charity celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2026, it has reported unprecedented demand for its services, with a 71% rise in people seeking help. With more than half of those reaching out assessed as being in crisis.
Matt Thomas, Co-Founder and Chair of Trustees of Music Support, said: “Claire was one of Music Support’s earliest supporters, and her belief in what we were building helped establish our credibility at a crucial time. Claire understands from the inside, the pressures, expectations and vulnerabilities that can come with working in the industry. If we are serious about duty-of-care in music, it must be embedded into leadership and strategy. Claire embodies that principle. Her experience, integrity and deep empathy make her an exceptional addition to our Board in our 10th year. I couldn’t be prouder.”
Claire Haffenden added: “I have long admired the vital work that Music Support does for our community. Throughout my 30 years in the industry, I have seen first-hand the unique pressures faced by artists, crew and industry professionals. I have always believed that professional excellence and personal wellbeing must go hand in hand. I am honoured to join the Board of Trustees and look forward to helping ensure that anyone working in music has access to high-quality, empathetic support.”.
%20100vw,%20750px%20/h2Music%20support%20is%20delighted%20to%20announce%20the%20appointment%20of%20Claire%20Haffenden%20to%20its%20Board%20of%20Trustees/h2pHaffenden%20brings%20extensive%20experience%20in%20artist%20welfare%20and%20industry-wide%20mental%20health%20advocacy%20to%20the%20charity’s%20leadership%20team,%20having%20spent%2030%20celebrated%20years%20at%20Universal%20Music%20UK%20before%20founding%20bespoke%20events%20management%20and%20artist%20services%20company%20Haffenden%20&%20Co.%20Known%20across%20the%20industry%20for%20her%20discretion%20and%20commitment%20to%20well-being,%20Claire%20has%20long%20championed%20the%20integration%20of%20mental%20health%20support%20within%20high-pressure%20creative%20environments./ppAs%20the%20charity%20celebrates%20its%2010th%20anniversary%20in%202026,%20it%20has%20reported%20unprecedented%20demand%20for%20its%20services,%20with%20a%2071%%20rise%20in%20people%20seeking%20help.%20With%20more%20than%20half%20of%20those%20reaching%20out%20assessed%20as%20being%20in%20crisis./ppMatt%20Thomas,%20Co-Founder%20and%20Chair%20of%20Trustees%20of%20Music%20Support,%20said:%20i“Claire%20was%20one%20of%20Music%20Support’s%20earliest%20supporters,%20and%20her%20belief%20in%20what%20we%20were%20building%20helped%20establish%20our%20credibility%20at%20a%20crucial%20time.%20Claire%20understands%20from%20the%20inside,%20the%20pressures,%20expectations%20and%20vulnerabilities%20that%20can%20come%20with%20working%20in%20the%20industry.%20If%20we%20are%20serious%20about%20duty-of-care%20in%20music,%20it%20must%20be%20embedded%20into%20leadership%20and%20strategy.%20Claire%20embodies%20that%20principle.%20Her%20experience,%20integrity%20and%20deep%20empathy%20make%20her%20an%20exceptional%20addition%20to%20our%20Board%20in%20our%2010th%20year.%20I%20couldn’t%20be%20prouder.”/i/ppClaire%20Haffenden%20added:%20i“I%20have%20long%20admired%20the%20vital%20work%20that%20Music%20Support%20does%20for%20our%20community.%20Throughout%20my%2030%20years%20in%20the%20industry,%20I%20have%20seen%20first-hand%20the%20unique%20pressures%20faced%20by%20artists,%20crew%20and%20industry%20professionals.%20I%20have%20always%20believed%20that%20professional%20excellence%20and%20personal%20wellbeing%20must%20go%20hand%20in%20hand.%20I%20am%20honoured%20to%20join%20the%20Board%20of%20Trustees%20and%20look%20forward%20to%20helping%20ensure%20that%20anyone%20working%20in%20music%20has%20access%20to%20high-quality,%20empathetic%20support.”./i/p){kind=link}