Our Patrons

“It’s an honour to become a patron for Tomorrow’s Warriors. I owe so much to the many people who poured time, energy and resources into my creativity.

It’s inspiring  to see how Tomorrow’s warriors have continued to do this selflessly for decades, I’m thrilled to be able to contribute in some small part to this wonderful organisation.”

Moses Boyd is a drummer, producer and composer, and a defining voice of the UK’s forward-facing jazz movement. Moving fluidly between jazz improvisation, electronic experimentation and sound-system culture, he has established himself as one of the most inventive rhythm architects of his generation. Emerging through collaborations with Zara McFarlane, Soweto Kinch and Denys Baptiste, Boyd went on to release Displaced Diaspora and the Mercury Prize-nominated Dark Matter. He has worked with artists including Sampha, Ed Motta and Lonnie Liston Smith, founded his own record label, and held a BBC Radio 1Xtra residency, cementing his role at the forefront of contemporary jazz and cross-genre music.

“It has been a privilege to serve as a Trustee of Tomorrow’s Warriors for nearly a decade and to witness first-hand the extraordinary impact of its work. Tomorrow’s Warriors strives for equity, expands possibility and helps ensure that the UK’s cultural landscape reflects the brilliance and diversity of its talent. As I step into the role of Patron, I do so with deep admiration for Gary and Janine’s stalwart work and dedication across a 35-year journey, and with unwavering belief in the continuing power to transform lives and shape the future of British jazz.”

Margaret Busby CBE Hon. FRSL (Nana Akua Ackon) is a Ghanaian-British publisher, editor, broadcaster and cultural activist. In the 1960s she became Britain’s youngest and first Black woman publisher when she co-founded Allison & Busby, serving for two decades as editorial director and publishing more than 300 authors, while reviving the work of writers including C.L.R. James and George Lamming. She edited the landmark anthologies Daughters of Africa (1992) and New Daughters of Africa (2019), championing over 400 women writers of African descent and establishing the Margaret Busby New Daughters of Africa Award at SOAS, University of London. She has also edited Firespitter: The Collected Poems of Jayne Cortez and written numerous radio dramatisations and reviews. A long-time advocate for diversity in publishing and a founding member of Greater Access to Publishing (GAP), she has judged major literary prizes, including the Booker, served on leading cultural boards, appeared on BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs, and was appointed President of English PEN in 2023.

Margaret Busby’s own collected writings, Part of the Story: Writings from Half a Century, will be published by Hamish Hamilton in March 2026.  

“Tomorrow’s Warriors has been directing, inspiring, and teaching aspiring young people, free of charge for 35 years and it is no understatement to say that their students have completely re-energised British jazz with originality. It’s a testimony to TW to see how many alumni stay connected to the charity to come back and teach the next generation.

It gives me great pleasure to be Patron of this great organisation and I pledge to do all I can to help it survive in this incredibly difficult environment.”

Guy Chambers is one of the UK’s most successful living songwriters having worked with artists and writers including Tina Turner, Kyle Minogue, Will Young, Scissor Sisters, Busted, Melanie C, Diana Ross, Tom Jones, James Blunt, Marlon Roudette, Rufus Wainwright, Mark Ronson and many more. Guy is perhaps best known for his work with Robbie Williams, co-writing some of Williams’ most iconic hits including Angels, Millennium, Feel, Let Me Entertain You and Rock DJ.

“Tomorrow’s Warriors are our collective hope for the future. They represent the very best musicianship, culture, community, but most importantly humanity. I consider it a great honour to call myself a patron.” 

Robert Elms is one of the most distinctive voices in the British media. A journalist, author, TV and radio presenter, his multi award winning daily radio show which has run for 32 years on BBC London, covers all aspects of life in the metropolis.

Educated at the LSE his career began at the Face magazine in the 80’s where he became a noted cultural commentator and he has written for most of the major British magazines and newspapers. As a Broadcaster it was on Radio 4’s Loose Ends that he first rose to prominence. He was a succesful Travel writer for the Sunday Times and GQ magazine as well as presenting Channel 4’s Travelog series. He is the author of six books including the Penguin novel In Search of the Crack, his sartorial memoir The Way We Wore and London Made Us, a love letter to the city he calls his own. His latest book is Blitz The Club That Created the 80s, published by Faber.

Robert lives with his wife in a 34th floor flat in the Barbican, and a 1000 year old Moorish house in Andalucia. He still loves London, QPR, jazz, Spain and brutalist architecture.

“Tomorrow’s Warriors helped me realise my vision to be fully myself as an artist. It nurtures not just musicianship, but confidence, voice and identity.

I’m honoured to stand alongside this organisation as it continues to uplift new generations.”

ESKA is a composer, producer, vocalist, actor and educator whose interdisciplinary practice spans music, film and theatre. Born in Zimbabwe and raised in South East London, her work draws on classical training, jazz improvisation and contemporary experimental traditions, resulting in a compositional language that resists fixed genre categorisation. 

Her critically acclaimed, Mercury Prize–shortlisted debut album ESKA established her as a distinctive voice in British music, integrating folk, jazz, classical and electronic influences within an expansive vocal framework. She has composed for screen, including the BBC drama This Town, and collaborated with a wide range of artists across contemporary music and performance. 

Central to her practice is voice as a site of narrative, texture and collective expression. Her recent work, including The Ordinary Life of a Magic Woman, explores themes of identity, domesticity and transformation, situating personal experience within broader cultural and social contexts. 

Nick Hornby is an Oscar-nominated screenwriter and award-winning author.  He has written eight novels including Just Like You, Funny Girl, Juliet Naked, A Long Way Down, Slam, How to be Good, About A Boy and High Fidelity.   His non-fiction books include Dickens & Prince: A Particular Kind of Genius, 31 Songs, Fever Pitch and The Complete Polysyllabic Spree, a collection of his columns in The Believer magazine, for which he continues to write. 

Nick received an Academy Award nomination for the screenplay he adapted from Colm Toibin’s novel Brooklyn.  He adapted Cheryl Strayed’s memoir for Wild and was Oscar and BAFTA-nominated for his screenplay adaptation of Lynn Barber’s memoir An Education.  He adapted Nina Stibbe’s memoir Love, Nina for the BBC television series and both seasons of his TV series State of the Union won Emmys. 

Nick received the EM Forster Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters.  In 2010, he co-founded the children’s writing charity Ministry of Stories in East London. 

“Tomorrow’s Warriors was a community and space that helped me grow in more than just music. It was a place where you turn up and get to be yourself. 

Becoming a patron is all about being able to give the next generation more space and opportunities to express themselves creatively.”

“As jazz lovers and long standing fans of Tomorrow’s Warriors and their brilliant team, we are delighted to support their mission and their music.”

Lizzie Ridding is a board member, philanthropist and consultant with over 25 years’ experience in management, communications, partnerships, events and fundraising across the UK and internationally. Her current roles include Chair of ORA Singers, UK Board member of Room to Read, Development Board member of the London Symphony Orchestra, and Co-Chair of the Cancer Research UK Carol Concert. Lizzie was the Founding Managing Director of the City Music Foundation, an organisation that supports emerging professional musicians in the UK, and previously led the Lord Mayor’s Appeal for the Lord Mayor of London, Sir Roger Gifford, with the Foundation as its principal beneficiary. Earlier in her career, she was Global Head of Events and Partnerships at the Financial Times, having previously worked at Credit Suisse and in consumer PR. A trained musician with a degree in music from the University of Bristol, Lizzie remains an active supporter of the arts and a committed advocate for charitable causes.

John Ridding is Hon. Chairman of the Financial Times Group and Special Executive Advisor to Nikkei Inc, the FT’s parent company. John served for almost 20 years as the Chief Executive Officer of the FT Group, one of the world’s leading news organisations recognised internationally for its authority, integrity and for its global perspective. Prior to that he was an award-winning journalist in the FT newsroom, working as a foreign correspondent in Paris, Hong Kong, and Seoul. Under his stewardship, the FT transformed its business to become a multi-media, digital-led publication with a global audience and almost 40 international bureaux. The FT now reaches its largest ever readership and has established a reputation for business innovation and digital transformation as well as editorial excellence. Having overseen the FT’s acquisition by Nikkei in 2015, John continues to work closely with the Japanese media group in an advisory role. He also serves on the board of Bonnier, the Swedish media organisation, Wilshire, the US-based investment and index business and Room to Read, the global charity that supports literacy, especially for girls, in low-income countries.

“I am honoured to become an Inaugural Patron. Tomorrow’s Warriors epitomises my enduring belief in the power of live performance to inspire, connect and enrich diverse communities.“

Michael Watt is a New Zealand–born philanthropist and theatre investor with a varied international career spanning television, sport and the performing arts. His work in theatre has been recognised with three Tony Awards. As co-owner of Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, he plays an active role in sustaining one of the world’s most iconic live music venues, supporting internationally renowned artists and emerging talent alike. 

Through his philanthropic activity, Michael champions initiatives that widen access to high-quality music-making, support arts education, and invest in the next generation of performers. He has backed scholarship programmes, community outreach projects and opportunities for young artists from underrepresented backgrounds. In recognition of his services to philanthropy, he was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM). 

His appointment as an inaugural patron reflects his enduring belief in the power of live performance to inspire, connect and enrich multicultural communities. 

Richard is Chair of the investment business he founded 20 years ago , he has chaired numerous private and public companies in different sectors, and has served as a global partner at both Rothschild and Co and Lazard. He is also Chair of a “B Corp “The Trampery which is London’s largest affordable start up workspace and service provider.  

But he’s mainly just a massive jazz fan, he is a partner in the 606 Club, a sponsor of various elements for the Royal Academy Jazz Programme and one of the co-founders of Jazz in the Round.  “  

“It’s an honour to be a Patron of Tomorrow’s Warriors, it is simply in my opinion the most important jazz institution in our country, the work it has done is invaluable to the music and inspirational to those who have benefited from it.”