QUARTET COMMUNITY FOUNDATION - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Head of Operations
- Member of the Senior Management Team
Aidan is a member of the Senior Management Team and manages a wide range of operations. This includes overseeing the IT and digital infrastructure and processes that underpin all of Quartet's work. He manages the charity's operations including office administration, human resources, asset management, logistics, and the development of internal processes and policies. Aidan is Quartet's Data Officer and also the charity's Company Secretary.
Aidan has been working in the charity sector since 2009, previously working for a decade in the operations teams of Bristol Old Vic, and as Deputy Director of Spike Island Artspace in Bristol from 2019 to 2024.
Aidan lives in Bristol with his wife and two young children. He enjoys cycling, jogging, films (especially horror!), and loves cooking and baking bread.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Philanthropy
- Philanthropy Officer
Andy is a member of the Philanthropy team with responsibility for Quartet's grants programmes. He also manages a number of donor funds.
Angela is a Philanthropy Manager based in Bath, job sharing with Claire Wynne Hughes. Her role is to build relationships with our fund holders across Bath & North East Somerset, connecting them with local causes that match their interests. She has a specific focus on Quartet's work with Professional Advisers.
Before joining Quartet in August 2020, Angela worked as a fundraising manager for 25 years, at the NSPCC, The Rainbow Centre for Children and Action for Children.
Outside of work she is a keen baker and loves being outdoors, walking, cycling, swimming, skiing, camping, and taking photographs.
Job Titles:
- Trustee
- Member of Quartet 's Philanthropy
- Trustee & Chair of Quartet 's Philanthropy, Marketing and Growth Committee
Caroline Hagen founded her Bristol brand design consultancy, Reach Brands, over 25 years ago; prior to that she worked for leading advertising agencies in London. She thrives on helping organisations use design to connect audiences and staff with brands to engender engagement and loyalty. Her clients are multinational corporations as well as small emerging entrepreneurs. Caroline's commercial life has been counterbalanced by volunteering in several trustee roles in Bristol and London, as well as taking part in mentoring programmes, such as Babbasa's.
Caroline is a member of Quartet's Philanthropy, Marketing and Growth committee.
Job Titles:
- Operations Officer
- Member of the Operations Team
Charlene is a member of the Operations team providing valuable support to the organisational infrastructure.
Charlene has worked in the Voluntary & Community sector for over 15 years, and in events sector for around 10 years. Before joining Quartet she was part of the planning team for St Pauls Carnival, helping to organise the annual event for over 100,000 attendees.
In her spare time she is Chair of the PTA at her son's school, helping to fundraise and plan fun events. She also tries (and fails) to enjoy the gym but loves spending time with friends & family and watching Netflix.
Chris is a former Trustee of Quartet and was Senior Partner of law firm Osborne Clarke when it became one of the first businesses to engage Quartet to manage its charitable fund. He is Chairman or Director of several businesses and a past Master of The Society of Merchant Venturers (2015).
Job Titles:
- Member of the Philanthropy
- Philanthropy Manager
Claire is a member of the Philanthropy team and, working with Angela Emms, is the lead on Quartet's work in Bath & North East Somerset.
Claire spent many years working in the commercial sector in marketing and customer insight roles before moving into the charity sector. She feels very fortunate to work for Quartet Community Foundation and is continually inspired by our fund holders and the organisations we work with.
Claire lives in Bath and enjoy walks in the local countryside. She is proud to be a Trustee of a charity and a member of the Bath Women's Fund. Spending time with friends & family makes her happy, as does visiting new places and revisiting favourite spots.
Dan is a dynamic leader with a rich professional background in various sectors. Currently serving as the Chief People Officer at the University of the West of England, he has also held key positions at Avon and Somerset Police and the UK Sector Skills Council for Health. In addition to his paid roles, Dan actively contributes to the community through multiple non-executive directorship and trustee positions, including with organisations such as the National Fire Chief's Council and Quartet Community Foundation.
Despite being a Bristol native, Dan now resides in rural Gloucestershire with his partner, Louis, and their dog, Atticus.
David is responsible for Quartet's grant making policy and procedures and manages a few of the grant programmes.
He has previously worked in the public sector and Housing.
Emma is a Grants Officer within the Philanthropy team where she is responsible for grant assessing and administration.
Originally from North Yorkshire, Emma arrived in Bristol in 2017 after 8 years of living in London. Following many years working in live events, she moved into the charity sector to work in the Development team at Bristol Old Vic Theatre before moving to Quartet Community Foundation in mid-2020.
Outside of work Emma enjoys going to the theatre, concerts, cinema and is an avid fan of the Miami Dolphins American football team.
Geoff is a businessman who has spent most of his life in Bristol and international businesses, and is a former Trustee and Chair of Quartet, and a former President of Young Bristol.
Job Titles:
- Trustee
- Trustee, Chair of Quartet 's Programmes Committee
- Trustee, Chair of Quartet 's Programmes Committee / President
With a background working with young people in a variety of educational and health settings Jo is passionate about young people going through the care system and in particular the difficulties they are up against on facing independence. Having fought for their rights whilst working Jo wanted to continue to offer support in a different way by setting up a fund with her husband to continue to offer support.
Jo has volunteered with a mentoring project in Bristol and is active in visiting projects within the region.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Philanthropy
- Philanthropy Officer
Julie is a member of the Philanthropy team with responsibility for Quartet's grants programmes, she has special responsibility in North Somerset and manages a number of donor funds.
Julie has worked for Quartet for over 15 years as a Philanthropy Officer, overseeing the work in North Somerset. Prior to this she worked as an Account Manager for a large printing company in Bath, before taking time out to raise her two children.
Outside of work she is into health, fitness and female strength training. As an avid gym-goer Julie lifts weights for fun…
Kristen is a professional fundraiser, specialising in philanthropy and corporate partnerships. As a resident of Bristol since 2014, Kristen has had the pleasure of working and volunteering for a number of the city's charitable arts organisations, including Watershed, Arnolfini, and the RWA. She has also worked for UWE Bristol and volunteered with the former South Gloucestershire charity, Survive. She is a Philanthropy Manager with the Trussell Trust and, outside of work, enjoys cooking, reading, live music, and spending time in nature.
Kristen is a member of Quartet's Programmes committee.
Founding Chair of the Ambassadors of Quartet Community Foundation in 2003, Trustee of St Monica's Trust, Patron of The National Eye Research Centre, Patron of Arnos Vale Cemetery and Chair of the South West Appeal for Teenage Cancer Trust.
Laura is a member of the Philanthropy team with responsibility for Quartet's grants programmes.
Over the last 20 years she has worked for a number of voluntary sector organisations in Bristol, often working in roles supporting volunteers.
Outside of work Laura enjoys gardening, has an allotment and is part of a community gardening group. She also volunteers for a mentoring scheme for refugees and asylum seekers and helps coordinate a group which links local community organisations with people who would like to help them.
Job Titles:
- Trustee
- Head of Corporate Finance at GS Verde Group
Lauren is Head of Corporate Finance at GS Verde Group. She has spent the last 22 years working in Banking, Private Equity and latterly a board member of a Venture Debt fund.
She has time volunteering at the BRI through her work with the Royal Voluntary Service
Job Titles:
- Funds Officer
- Member of the Philanthropy
Leiza is a member of the Philanthropy team with responsibility for funds administration. As Funds Officer, part of her work is on grants that our fund holders ask us to make. She takes pleasure in letting groups and charities know that within days a donation they weren't expecting will be on its way to them.
In her free time Leiza enjoys reading, writing and listening to music.
Job Titles:
- Head of Research & Learning
Lucy is responsible for Quartet's research and learning activities including producing our social needs reports and is involved in some of our collaborative work.
Lucy has a degree in Social Anthropology from Cambridge and a master's in development studies from Manchester. She joined Quartet in 2014, before which she worked in mental health and homelessness services and spent time living in Egypt.
In her spare time she is a trustee of a small international development charity. Lucy also sings in an a cappella close-harmony trio and tends to her unmanageably large allotment.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Philanthropy
- Philanthropy Officer
Luke is a member of the Philanthropy team and is responsible for managing a number of donor funds and grant programmes.
Mary is the former Lord Lieutenant for the City and County of Bristol and Pro-Chancellor of the University of Bristol. A former Trustee of Quartet and currently Patron or President of numerous local Voluntary Organisations. Mary was Sales and Marketing Director of Alexandra plc until retirement in 1997 and President of the Dolphin Society in 2007.
Matthew has lived in Bristol for over 50 years and was educated at Bristol Cathedral School. After school he studied Accountancy at what was then Bristol Polytechnic (now UWE) and then embarked on a career in Accountancy initially with a small local firm, Gordon Wood, Scott and Partners .
On qualifying he moved to Deloitte Haskins and Sells ( now PWC) where after a spell as an Audit Manager he moved into the management consultancy division . In 1990 he moved to leading West Country Accountancy Firm Bishop Fleming where he was made a Partner at the age of 28 and was subsequently appointed Managing Partner - a role he held for 18 years. He left the firm in 2018 and operates as a non executive director on a number of local businesses that he has worked with for many years. In addition to this he is Treasurer of the Cotswold Canals Trust and a Trustee of The Denman Charitable Trust. Outside work he is a keen walker and reluctant gardener and groom for his wife and daughter. Matthew is a member of Quartet's Finance committee.
Job Titles:
- Vice - President
- Professor Emeritus at the University
Murray is Professor Emeritus at the University of the West of England, with experience at the Universities of Glasgow, Kent and Bristol he has researched and written widely on urban and regional governance. A former Trustee of the Lloyds TSB Foundation, is currently Chairman of the Bridge Foundation in Bristol and was for six years a Trustee of Quartet and a former Board member of the UK Community Foundations.
Job Titles:
- Trustee
- Trustee, Deputy Chair of Trustees
Nick is a Costs Lawyer and Managing Director of Paragon Costs Solutions. In 2018/19 he was the President of the Bristol Law Society which represents over 4,000 members in and around Bristol.
He sits on Bristol City Council's One City Economy Board and on UWE's Law Advisory Board.
Nick has been a school Governor at Christ Church Infants since 2016, chairing the Finance, Staffing & Premises Committee. He is an enterprise Advisor for WECA supporting the City Academy with their career advice for students. Nick is a member Quartet's Philanthropy, Marketing and Growth committee.
Job Titles:
- Trustee
- Trustee, Chair of Quartet 's Governance Committee
Oliver spent 28 years in the RAF retiring in the rank of Air Commodore. He subsequently worked for Clifton College and the Bar Council before setting up his own company as a trainer and coach in human behaviour.
His particular focus is helping Veteran and serving military personnel and their families who have mental health challenges. He has extensive experience as a charity trustee including that of being the previous Chair of 1625 Independent People.
Peaches is the Lord-Lieutenant for Bristol, having lived in the City since 1983. In 2010-2011, Peaches was High Sheriff of Bristol.
Penny Johnstone was our first director. Her courage, empathy, determination and charm sets the standard on which Quartet's work is based.
Job Titles:
- Trustee
- Managing Director of Bristol
Raj is currently Managing Director of Bristol based Which? Trusted Traders. He has over 25 years of experience in delivering results, and developing people in the financial/commercial sector to both corporate and medium-size businesses. He's been part of the Bristol business community for over 15 years. Raj is also Trustee for the Creative Youth Network in Bristol.
Raj is a member of Quartet's Programmes committee.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Senior Management
- Philanthropy Director
Ronnie is a member of the Senior Management team. He leads the Philanthropy team and is responsible for the strategic development of Quartet's philanthropy services relating to grant making and fund management.
Ronnie has worked with Quartet for 28 years in different roles, prior to which he worked on African overseas development projects.
Outside of work he enjoys spending time with family and sport (watching more than playing).
Job Titles:
- Member of Quartet 's Philanthropy Team
- Philanthropy Officer
Rowena is a member of Quartet's Philanthropy Team. As one of our Philanthropy Officers, she promotes effective community philanthropy by providing support, services, and advice to some of our fund holders.
Previously, Rowena worked in fundraising for charities supporting a wide range of communities: from homeless individuals, to people affected by cleft lip and palate, to inner city young people.
In her spare time Rowena enjoys reading, writing and performing poetry, and going to gigs.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Philanthropy
- Philanthropy Manager
Sabita is a member of the Philanthropy team with responsibility for managing a number of donor funds and grant programmes.
Sabita previously worked in the arts and homelessness sectors in London before moving to Bristol.
Outside of work she spends most of her time entertaining her young son and in her spare time she volunteers for a national grant-making charity.
Job Titles:
- Trustee
- Trustee, Chair of Quartet 's Finance & Investment Committee
Job Titles:
- Chairman of Trustees
- Trustee
Trevor led the management/employee buy-out of Badgerline Bus Company in 1986, which subsequently became FirstGroup. He continued to grow the business as Executive Chairman until his retirement in 1999, from which time he has dedicated himself to local causes, particularly supporting causes in North Somerset. He is a former Chair of Trustees of Quartet and has made an immense contribution to the foundation over the years.
Will has lived in Bristol since 1990 when he moved to the city to manage Barton Hill Settlement. He has been active in voluntary organisations and disadvantaged communities since then. A former Trustee of Quartet Will chaired our Grants Committee from 2000 to 2005. Will is employed by South Gloucestershire Council as Equality Coordinator and is a member of the Disabled Person's Transport Advisory Committee.