Our team

Julie Muir (Chair)

I joined Tidelines in 2019 having previously volunteered at Aye Write in Glasgow. My first practical contribution was to facilitate and join in with the community poetry workshops and that was me hooked! 

I have a busy work life as an HR Manager with a charity but always make time to read – mainly fiction and poetry and I enjoy lively participation in a couple of book clubs. Being involved with such a fabulous local book festival and part of the dedicated Tidelines team is a great experience.

Angela Noble (Festival Co-Ordinator)

I’ve been attending Tidelines from the outset and have watched it grow into a dynamic community of readers and writers. I can’t remember life before books and I still can’t get enough reading. As a former Education Officer for Literacy and English, I focussed on taking learning ‘off the page’, so making it current and vibrant across
North Ayrshire schools and communities. In my new post as Tidelines Co-Ordinator, I aspire to extend our reach and keep sharing the magic!

Eleanor Freckleton (Treasurer)

A chartered accountant by trade, I am the designated bean counter (treasurer) for Tidelines. A post I enjoy doing, especially having seen the festival go from strength to strength since its inception. With a passion for the great outdoors, I am a keen hill-walker in my spare time, and am currently halfway through climbing all the Munros (hills in Scotland over 3,000 feet). Add to that a bit of cycling, as well as snow-shoeing in winter, and there is not much spare time left! Just enough to enjoy a variety of books, including travel stories and historical fiction.

Debby Wason (Board Member)

I’ve spent most of my life in Community Work and Public Health, first with Ayrshire & Arran Health Board and then at Public Health Scotland. My work primarily involved improving the health and well-being of children and young people. I am now an Honorary Fellow at Edinburgh University and a member of the Observatory for Children’s Human Rights. I’ve seen first-hand the pleasure and healing properties reading (and writing) can bring to people who are maybe struggling in other areas of their lives. So it is a privilege to help bring Tidelines Book Festival to life and work with volunteers and community members in such an exciting endeavour!

Martin Stewart (Board Member)

An English teacher and creative writing tutor, Martin Stewart has been a published writer for over ten years. He has written for children, teenagers, and adults, crossing genre boundaries in the process, with everything from fantasy and madcap adventure, all the way to murder and mayhem. Martin’s work has been nominated for several national awards, published all over the world, and translated into a dozen languages. His brand-new middle grade series for children – Sandy Fin – launched with Zephyr in June 2025, with a follow-up to his award-nominated crime debut, Double Proof, following in 2026.

Clare Gunn (Board Member)

Clare joined the Tidelines board in March 2022. Since graduating from the University of St Andrews, Clare has worked in marketing and administration roles with some of Scotland’s leading cultural organisations, including Glasgow Life, The National Piping Centre, and Glasgow Film Festival. She has been a volunteer reader for the Highland Book Prize since 2021 and particularly enjoys reading memoirs, essays, and literary fiction.

Elissa Wilson (Board Member)

Elissa spent most of her working life in libraries, latterly as a development officer for children and young people. Having taken early retirement to spend more time with her dog, she had time to volunteer with a number of local charities. Elissa volunteered with Tidelines for several years before joining the board in 2025. She is passionate about the lifelong benefits of reading for pleasure and is delighted to be part of the welcoming and inclusive Tidelines community.