TOWNANDMANOR - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Property and Buildings Maintenance
- Trustee, Honorary Secretary of the Buildings Committee
Alistair Fyfe was elected as a Trustee in 2022 and is a member of the Land & Commons, PR and Communications and is Honorary Buildings Secretary and manages the buildings we own, including the John O'Gaunt pub and the Town Hall.
As a Lieutenant Colonel in the Army, Alistair's responsibilities included managing 22,000 acres of training land (including SSSIs), more than 500 buildings and accommodation for 2,000 soldiers.
In addition, he was Chairman of four specialist conservation groups, including an £880K regional ecological improvement and carbon reduction programme.
On leaving the Army, Alistair managed a portfolio of residential properties in London before moving to Hungerford. He has been a Councillor on Hungerford Town Council since 2019.
Job Titles:
- Trustee
- Trustee, Water Bailiff, Overseer of the Common, Keeper of the Keys to the Common Coffer
Bruce Mayhew has been a Trustee since 1992 and was Constable from 1996 to 2000. He serves on the Fishery, Land and Commons and PR and Communications Committees. His responsibilities have included acting as Water Bailiff, Overseer of the Common, and Keeper of the Keys to the Common Coffer.
Bruce has also served on Hungerford Town Council, was Chairman of Newbury Round Table, and is currently President of Hungerford Rotary Club.
Job Titles:
- Trustee, Honorary Secretary of the Land & Commons Committee
Chris Scorey was elected as a Trustee in 2012. He is currently the Honorary Secretary of the Land & Commons Committee, of which he has been a member for 10 years.
He has over 35 years' experience in international trade, both as business owner and CEO. He was also a General Manager with a large multi-national corporation and winner of a Queen's Award for Export.
Chris has undertaken a series of volunteer roles in the local community for over 25 years, including as Chairman of the Hungerford Town Plan and tennis club.
Job Titles:
- Trustee, Water Bailiff, Tutti Pole Dresser, Overseer of the Common and Assistant Steward
Fiona Hobson's family has been involved with the Town and Manor for generations; her great-grandfather was Constable in 1921, and her mother was a Trustee and the first lady Constable. Fiona was elected as a Trustee in 2016.
She has been the Honorary Secretary of the PR and Communications Committee, and has recently taken up the role of Assistant Steward and in addition serves on the Fishery, Land & Commons and Buildings Committees.
Fiona is also active in the local community, as Secretary of the United Reformed Church and by serving on the Synod Pastoral Committee. She has also served on the Committees of the Historical Association and the Chamber of Commerce.
Job Titles:
- Trustee, Steward and Water Bailiff
A former Constable, he is currently the Steward of the Town and Manor, responsible for advising the Board of Trustees and the Committees on all procedural matters relating to the governance of the charity, and for safeguarding its ancient traditions. He has served on every Committee of the charity.
Job Titles:
- Chartered Accountant
- Trustee, Honorary Secretary of the Finance Committee
Jon Dennis is a Chartered Accountant. His practice serves large corporate clients, SMEs, sole traders and charities. He also manages the personal financial affairs of numerous local clients, many of whom are high net worth individuals.
Jon was elected as a Trustee of the Town and Manor in 2017 and is the current Treasurer responsible for overseeing the accounting processes and providing advice to the charity on all financial matters. He is a member of the Investment Committee.
Jonathan Welfare has been a Trustee since 2014. He has been Fishery Secretary and a member of the Buildings, PR and Communications Committee and Investment Committees.
In addition, Jonathan has been a Trustee, Chairman and CEO of a wide range of charities for over 50 years, including the Northmoor Trust (now the Earth Trust) and the £86m Bristol 2000 science and natural history development.
He is currently a Trustee of Berkshire Historic Churches Trust and a Council Member of the North Wessex Downs AONB. He was previously Deputy Chief Executive of South Yorkshire County Council, and a Director and Chairman of numerous SMEs.
Julian Dickins is the senior partner of a firm of solicitors in Hungerford and has been a Trustee since 2016.
Julian serves on the Commons committee and has previously been Honorary Buildings Secretary. Following the flood in the Town Hall, Julian oversaw the refurbishment work.
Julian is also a Trustee of the Miss Lawrence Trust and the Camburn Trust, a member of the Newbury Rotary Club and the Churchwarden at Enborne, near Newbury.
Job Titles:
- Pr and Communications
- TRUSTEE, HONORARY PR and COMMUNICATIONS SECRETARY
Kate Edwards was elected in 2022.
Kate has had a long career in education in several roles, including as a teacher of geography, biology and ecology in a number of large comprehensives, as a teacher in pre-schools and primary schools, and as a specialist in Early Years Education and Special Educational Needs and Inclusion.
Kate has recently taken on the role of Honorary Secretary of the PR and Communications Committee.
She is Forest School trained and has been much involved with its children's field centre education, from the youngest, the Beavers, to the oldest, the Explorers.
Kate has also been a member of the Scouts Association, a School Governor and has served on a number of Parent-Teacher Associations and Committees.
Job Titles:
- General Accounts Enquiries
Job Titles:
- Trustee, Hayward, Overseer of the Common and Honorary Secretary of the Fishery Committee
Philip Porter was elected in 2019. He is currently the Honorary Secretary of the Fishery Committee and the Hayward. He is a member of the Land & Commons and Investment Committees.
Philip had a 30-year career in the City in wealth management, sales and marketing and capital markets, including managing and training experts in these disciplines.
He was also engaged for five years in managing a commercial property portfolio. Latterly a professional coach in public speaking, presentation and negotiation skills.
Job Titles:
- Instructor
- River Keeper and Assistant Bailiff
- Water Keeper ( Fisheries )
Robert Starr has been River Keeper on the Kennet for 30 years. His background is in fish farming and fishery management.
He is an advisor to the Fishery and Land & Commons Committees, a member of the Executive Committee of ARK, and contributes to the River Kennet Steering Group.
Robert has been a qualified casting instructor for 25 years. He is a widely acknowledged expert on chalkstream habitats, and hosts meetings, seminars and visits from RCA Cirencester, DEFRA, and the World Wildlife Fund.
He also advises UK Government organisations on the management of riverine and wetland SSSIs and European bodies on Special Areas of Conservation (pasture and invertebrates).
Job Titles:
- Consultant
- Consultant to the Town
Sally has been a consultant to the Town and Manor since 2008. Her focus is Freeman's Marsh, where she has special responsibility for the development of access and education, which includes annual study programmes of the river life, wild birds, plants and wildflowers, bats and insects.
Sally has more than 25 years of experience in conservation and land management.
Job Titles:
- Trustee
- Member of the PR and Communications Committee
- Systems
Simon Lee-Smith holds an Executive MBA from Said Business School, Oxford and post-graduate MBAs from Heriot Watt and Kingston Universities.
He is currently a Global Commercial Director with Vodafone. His career has included over 30 years' experience in business planning and development, finance, procurement, sales, corporate management and governance.
Simon is a member of the PR and Communications Committee. He was elected as a Trustee in 2022.
Tara joined the Town and Manor in November 2020 and provides administrative assistance to the Trustees and the CEO. She is a member of the Buildings Committee and also co-ordinates and manages the bookings for the Town Hall. Prior to joining Town and Manor she worked for Accenture for eight years as a Senior Analyst.
Tara lives locally and lives with her husband Iain, having two sons away at university.