Chairman of Worcester Theatres Board John ‘Muff’ Murfin To Retire After 24 years
11 December 2025
After 24 years, Worcester Theatres Chairman John ‘Muff’ Murfin is stepping down and will retire in early 2026.
As the Chairman of the Worcester Theatres Board retires, the team extends its heartfelt gratitude to John ‘Muff’ Murfin for his exceptional leadership and over two decades of commitment to the organisation. John ‘Muff’ Murfin has been a valued member of the Worcester Theatres Board, serving in numerous roles including Trustee, and most recently as Chairman alongside Chief Executive Officer Sarah-Jane Morgan.
Over the past six and a half years, Sarah-Jane Morgan and John ‘Muff’ Murfin have formed a close bond during significant challenges such as the Covid-19 pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis. During this time, Worcester Theatres has flourished thanks to their partnership and their dedication to making the arts accessible and affordable for everyone in Worcester. John ‘Muff’ Murfin retires after a distinguished career spanning both the theatre and music industries, and as a passionate advocate for the arts he has inspired and motivated the team throughout the decades, now leaving Worcester Theatres in its strongest position in its history.
John ‘Muff’ Murfin, Chairman of Worcester Theatres said, "I have never known 24 years to pass so quickly. The last six and a half years working with Sarah-Jane have been a wonderful experience—it has been fantastic to watch the theatre grow, and to leave a business that is financially successful is every chairman's dream. I will never forget Sarah-Jane and her wonderful staff, and there has to be a big thank you to all the dedicated volunteers, without whom the theatre could not exist."
Sarah Jane-Morgan, Chief Executive Officer of Worcester Theatres said, “Muff has been a wonderful Chairman to work so closely with, he has always been a great advocate for the organisation, willing to support us in seeking out opportunities to enable us to advance our mission. He is everyone’s Chairman. As he retires from what has been a significant commitment to Worcester Theatres spanning more than two decades we all thank him for his great contribution during this time. I am so proud of all we have achieved together for Worcester Theatres over the past six and a half years, and I look forward to continuing this work knowing how proud Muff will continue to be.”
John ‘Muff’ Murfin has chosen the 60th anniversary year of the Swan Theatre to retire from his role, and updates regarding the new chairman of Worcester Theatres will be announced in early 2026.
The Swan Theatre is celebrating its 60th Anniversary this year and we have set ourselves the whopping target of raising £60,000 in the next 12 months to support some of the really important projects we run at the venue whilst also hopefully enabling us to make vital improvements to our facilities that we feel have been overlooked recently. Want to donate to our fundraiser? Click here for more information on how you can help!