My husband, Tim Joss, who has died aged 68 in a cycling accident, was a social entrepreneur and chief executive and founder of Arts Enterprise With a Social Purpose (Aesop). He was a visionary and established several other national organisations.
Tim founded Aesop in 2014. The charity has gone on to pioneer arts solutions to society’s problems, most notably with Dance to Health, a falls prevention programme for older people.
A gifted pianist, Tim was profoundly influenced by his godmother and piano teacher, Pearl, who never criticised, only encouraged. That became Tim’s way, too. He studied piano at the Royal Academy of Music, then worked as a dance officer with North West Arts and as a manager for Bournemouth Orchestras. In 1995, he joined the Bath international music festival as artistic director. Enthusiastic and innovative, he brought a wide range of music, from a goldmine choir to flamenco artists. The same year, Tim also founded the Bath literature festival.
He then spent a decade as chief executive of the Rayne Foundation, a major grant giver, developing themes of bridge building, introducing choreographers to new fields and founding the National Numeracy organisation. He also set up the Arts Impact Fund, the first arts-specific social investment fund.
Born in Streatham, south London, Tim was adopted as a baby by Sheila (nee Bowen) and Dennis Joss, a company director from Switzerland. He was brought up in Radlett, Hertfordshire, and sent to Harrow school, where he excelled, winning a scholarship to study maths at Queen’s College, Oxford. After the deaths of his adoptive parents, Tim found his birth mother, Olivia Jones. He took great delight in their relationship, before her death some years ago, and the discovery of a half-brother, David.
Tim’s extensive networks across the arts and health, his encouragement and vision, his humility and determination to do good in the world, made him a truly remarkable man. In 2005 he was appointed a chevalier of the French Légion d’honneur for his services to French music.
Tim and I were introduced by a friend in London in 2006. Following a move to Brize Norton, Oxfordshire, in 2010, we were married in 2012.
He is survived by me, his daughter, Hannah, from his first marriage to Morag Wallace, which ended in divorce, two stepsons, Owen and Ellis, from my first marriage, a granddaughter, Clemency, and his half-brother, David.
