RED HOUSE - Key Persons
Ade was appointed to the National Trust's Board of Trustees in September 2018. She is Head of Diversity for ITV Commissioning and is responsible for delivering ITV's on-going commitment to reflecting the diversity of modern Britain at the heart of mainstream television.
Prior to that, Ade led the Creative Diversity team at Channel 4 and spearheaded the delivery of the broadcaster's 360Diversity Charter. She oversaw the creation of C4's Commissioning Diversity Guidelines and developed projects through diverse funding vehicle the Alpha Fund, including the BAFTA award winning drama Run. Ade was also part of the team responsible for C4's coverage of Rio 2016 Paralympics and London 2012 Paralympics, which broke records for employing disabled presenters and production staff.
Ade also worked in the Features commissioning team and was a Television Producer at the BBC, ITV and in the independent sector. She sat on the Board of Governors for the National Film and Television School (NFTS), is a co-opted member of BAFTA's TV Committee, on the Advisory Committee of The Edinburgh International TV Festival, and a board member of Women in Film & Television (WFTV).
Agatha Christie spent time at Greenway for holidays and for time to relax as a family. Find out how she came to purchase the property and how it became requisitioned during the Second World War.
Job Titles:
- Trustee
- National Trust Images / Arnhel De Serra
Aideen was appointed to the National Trust's Board of Trustees in September 2019. She is Deputy Chair of Carnegie UK Trust, a member of the DCMS expert Panel for UK City of Culture and a former Trustee of the BBC Trust.
Aideen has over 35 years' local and central government experience in Northern Ireland. CEO in local government in Fermanagh, she became Permanent Secretary post the Good Friday Agreement in 1999, in the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure and subsequently Department of Employment and Learning with responsibility for further and higher education, employment and skills. Reflecting her interest in rural and urban regeneration, she was seconded in 2009 as CEO of ILEX, the urban regeneration company for Derry-Londonderry, where she was instrumental in building the symbolic Peace Bridge and securing the inaugural and transformational UK City of Culture 2013 title for the city. She subsequently chaired Galway European Capital of Culture 2020.
Aideen is particularly interested in wellbeing and inclusion and has expertise in whole systems thinking, facilitating in the public and community sectors on Collective Wellbeing, Community Planning, Coproduction and Stakeholder Engagement. She is an Associate of the Future Search Network and holds a number of voluntary positions in local charities including as trustee and former Chair of Fermanagh Trust and Director of mental Health charity the Aisling Centre.
Aideen was awarded an OBE in the Queen's Millennium honours, holds an honorary doctorate from the University of Ulster and honorary membership of the Royal Society of Ulster Architects. Other awards include the Heart for Habitat for Humanity Award in 2018.
Job Titles:
- Senior Communications Manager
Job Titles:
- Director of Operations and Consultancy
Andy leads the senior Operations team, the Consultancy and the Central Operations team to ensure collaboration and joined-up working, both centrally and regionally, across operations and consultancy.
Andy has worked for the Trust for many years - most recently as Regional Director for the Midlands - and took up his current role at the beginning of January 2021.
Job Titles:
- Senior Corporate Communications Manager
Job Titles:
- Defender of the Lakes
- Founder of the National Trust
- National Trust Founder
Hardwicke Rawnsley believed passionately in the importance of protecting the natural landscape from development. His energetic campaigning earned him the nickname of ‘Defender of the Lakes'.More on Canon Hardwicke Rawnsley
As well as a founder of the National Trust, Hardwicke Rawnsley was a religious man, writer, social reformer and active campaigner for the protection of the Lake District.
Job Titles:
- Council Member
- Trustee
- Board of Trustees © National Trust
A National Trust member since her 20s, Caroline was appointed to the Board of Trustees in September 2018 and has been an elected member of the Council since 2017 (re-elected 2021), having previously served on the South West Regional Advisory Board. She is currently a member of the London and South Committee of the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
She spent 13 years as Chief Executive of Bath Preservation Trust, an amenity charity and membership organisation promoting the conservation and sustainable development of the World Heritage City of Bath and running 4 accredited museums in the city. Before joining Bath Preservation Trust as CEO in 2007, Caroline's career has been largely within the public or non-profit sector, with 20 years working with cultural organisations.
She started her career as a Clerk in the House of Lords, was Deputy Director of Arts and Business, and spent 12 years as a senior arts consultant including as an expert advisor assessing lottery applications for the Heritage Lottery Fund. She has a 1st Class MA from Oxford University in Psychology and Physiology and an MSc from Bristol University in Organisational Psychology.
Job Titles:
- Director of Communications and Marketing
Celia joined the Trust in 2018. She is responsible for communications and external affairs including media relations, marketing, public policy and parliamentary affairs. She's also responsible for the Trust's web and digital services and publishing, including books and our magazine.
Celia has spent most of her career in not-for-profit organisations, either running campaigns for UK charities or managing communications for public service organisations.
Having spent eight years working with the leading mental health charities Celia has also worked in the fields of social enterprise and social investment, urban planning and cultural heritage. Before joining the Trust she worked for Historic England.
A converted coach house surrounded by parkland, with a key to Peckover's Garden.
Job Titles:
- Interim Director of Finance
- Interim Finance Director
Dabinder is Interim Finance Director and is responsible for leading the Trust's finance functions.
Dabinder joined the Trust in May 2023, bringing extensive Chief Financial Officer experience gained in large multi-national corporations, with particular experience in renewable energy, media and technology companies.
Local artist David Peter Housden is exhibiting his artwork for the first time in over 40 years at Peckover House from 7 March to 3 November
Denise was appointed to the National Trust's Board of Trustees in January 2021. She started her career as a corporate finance lawyer with Slaughter and May and is experienced in mergers and acquisitions. She then assumed more commercial, general management roles first on the board of Asda Stores where she was Company Secretary and General Counsel during its rapid transformation and later once part of Walmart. With a retailer's focus on the customer she then applied this experience in the professional services sector, as a partner leading client development at international law firm Eversheds Sutherland.
Throughout her career Denise has been responsible for a range of functions including legal, regulatory and governance; insurance and risk; public affairs; customer service; remuneration and benefits. A consistent focus wherever she has worked has been on promoting equality, diversity and inclusion for which she has received a number of awards including an honorary doctorate.
Alongside her executive career she has held non-executive appointments as chair and board member in public, private and not-for-profit organisations in a variety of sectors including retail, financial services and reinsurance, housebuilding and real estate, the performing arts and heritage and higher education.
Lisbet was appointed to the Board of Trustees in 2021. She did her BA at the University of California Berkeley and her PhD in history at Harvard University, where she was also a lecturer and assistant professor. She has written two academic monographs as well as numerous scholarly articles.
Together with her husband, Professor Peter Baldwin (UCLA and NYU), Lisbet founded Arcadia in 2001. Arcadia protects endangered culture and nature, promotes open access, and has awarded grants totalling £780 million. Projects range from preserving near-extinct languages and endangered historical archives, to preserving threatened landscapes and the marine environment.
Lisbet and Peter also founded Lund Trust which from 2022 will be funding transformative work that greens people's lives in the UK. Lisbet also supports operational family companies such as Ingleby Farms & Forests. Her outside boards and committees have included the Harvard Board of Overseers, Yad Hanadiv Advisory Committee and the Cambridge Conservation Initiative Advisory Board.
Job Titles:
- Communications Officer, 07816 244117
Job Titles:
- First President of the USA
Job Titles:
- Director of Land and Nature
Harry has worked in a range of leadership roles for the National Trust: as Assistant Director of Operations, as Regional Director for the Midlands and then for the North, and as first interim Chief Operating Officer and then Director of Operations and Consultancy.
Harry moved to his current role in January 2021 and has found the combination of looking after nature, culture and history, all in service of the nation, to be a deep privilege.
From 2000 to 2009 Harry was Regional Reserves Manager for RSPB, with responsibility for the nature reserve operation which spans from the Peak District to Scotland. Before that, Harry led Norfolk Wildlife Trust's nature reserve team for 13 years. Harry studied Environmental Science at UEA.
Job Titles:
- Director - General
- Director - General of the National Trust
Director-General Hilary McGrady has worked for the Trust since 2006, having been Regional Director for a number of regions and Chief Operating Officer since 2014.
Hilary became Director-General of the National Trust in 2018. Hilary has worked for the Trust since 2006, when she joined as Regional Director for Northern Ireland. She later became Regional Director for Wales and the London and the South East region and in 2014 was appointed Chief Operating Officer, leading the Operations and Consultancy teams.
Originally trained in graphic design, Hilary's career path started in the drinks industry in brand and marketing. In 1998 she moved to Director of a national arts charity and was seconded in 2002 to the role of CEO for Belfast's bid to become European Capital of Culture.
Jan Lasik - Chief Legal Officer
Job Titles:
- General Counsel
- Secretary
- Trust As the Solicitor
Jan heads up the Trust's Legal and Governance directorate. He is responsible for all legal advice and legal risk management across the organisation, as well as co-ordinating and supporting the work of the Council, Board of Trustees and executive team. He provides support and advice to the executive team and the Board of Trustees on legal issues, as well as being a member of the Trust's Property Investment Board.
Jan joined the Trust as The Solicitor in November 2018 from the Bank of England, where he was a deputy head of Legal. Before that he worked in private practice for two international law firms, in London and Moscow.
Job Titles:
- Senior Communications Manager
Job Titles:
- Director of Culture and Engagement
- Ornstein © National Trust Images / Arnhel De Serra
John Orna-Ornstein is the Director of Culture and Engagement and is responsible for leading the National Trust's visitor experience and care for its historic places.
John was formerly Director of Museums for Arts Council England and Head of London and National Programmes for the British Museum, where he started his career as curator of Roman coins.
Job Titles:
- Founders
- Founders of the National Trust
- Her Life and Legacy
Octavia Hill was one of the greatest social reformers in British history. She understood the importance of access to nature for human wellbeing and dedicated her life to both improving urban housing and protecting green spaces.More on Octavia Hill
One of three founders of the National Trust, Octavia Hill is among the greatest social entrepreneurs in British history and the impact of her life and work is still felt today.
Patrick was appointed to the Board of Trustees in September 2022. His executive career was spent with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), where he held a number of senior leadership positions in addition to acting as adviser to the boards of numerous leading UK and international organisations.
He was a member of the UK firm's executive and sat on the board of PwC UK, where he had responsibility for marketing and business development and for the firm's interactions with its clients and markets. Patrick led PwC's global pharmaceutical, life sciences and healthcare business, overseeing an expansion of services offered to public and private sector organisations across the world. As a leading industry figure, he helped the development and implementation of PwC's global strategy and served on the firm's extended global leadership team.
Patrick has held non-executive appointments for over 20 years, operating across the healthcare, arts and education sectors. He is a member of the Board of Governors of Nuffield Health - the UK's largest healthcare charity - acting as a non-executive director of the company and a Trustee of this not-for-profit organisation. Patrick is Chair of the Remuneration and Leadership Succession committee as well as serving on its Audit and Risk committee.
He is a former Trustee and Treasurer of Shakespeare's Globe, the world-renowned theatre, education centre and cultural landmark. He chaired the Globe's Audit and Risk committee and contributed to the financial oversight of the Globe through the pandemic. Until recently he was also Chair of Bowel Cancer UK, the UK's leading bowel cancer charity, with its focus on saving lives and improving the quality of life for everyone affected by bowel cancer.
All Patrick's non-executive appointments have included a focus on extending reach, promoting access for all communities, encouraging greater engagement with customers and supporters and promoting equality, diversity and inclusion. He is a Life Member of the National Trust, has had a lifelong passion for historic homes and the countryside and believes strongly that we must preserve, promote and provide access to the country's rich heritage for generations to come.
Paul was appointed to the National Trust's Board of Trustees in September 2022. He has been an elected member of Council since November 2015 and served as Senior Member from September 2018 until his appointment as a Trustee.
He started his career as a strategy consultant at Accenture, and subsequently gained a wide range of commercial and general management experience, including at Cable & Wireless and Tesco.
With a more recent focus on the world of start-ups, he brings particular expertise in technology-driven transformation and innovation. He is currently CEO of GPDQ, a fast-growing primary healthcare provider, and also sits on the Board of Limalimo Enterprises Ltd, which built and runs an eco-lodge in the Simien Mountains National Park in Ethiopia. A keen hill walker and climber, Paul is passionate about conserving and sharing the enjoyment of our green spaces.
Lisbet was appointed to the Board of Trustees in 2021. She did her BA at the University of California Berkeley and her PhD in history at Harvard University, where she was also a lecturer and assistant professor. She has written two academic monographs as well as numerous scholarly articles.
Together with her husband, Professor Peter Baldwin (UCLA and NYU), Lisbet founded Arcadia in 2001. Arcadia protects endangered culture and nature, promotes open access, and has awarded grants totalling £780 million. Projects range from preserving near-extinct languages and endangered historical archives, to preserving threatened landscapes and the marine environment.
Lisbet and Peter also founded Lund Trust which from 2022 will be funding transformative work that greens people's lives in the UK. Lisbet also supports operational family companies such as Ingleby Farms & Forests. Her outside boards and committees have included the Harvard Board of Overseers, Yad Hanadiv Advisory Committee and the Cambridge Conservation Initiative Advisory Board.
Job Titles:
- Chairman
- Trustee
- Chairman of the National Trust
- National Trust Images / Arnhel De Serra
René Olivieri was appointed Chair of the National Trust in February 2022. René moved from the United States to the UK in 1980 to become first editorial director and then chief executive of the international scientific and scholarly publisher, Blackwell.
In 2007 he became Chair of Tubney Charitable Trust, a major grant maker, supporting animal welfare and nature conservation charities. He then served as chair of the Wildlife Trusts for six years, before joining the Heritage Lottery Fund in 2018, where he was initially the senior independent director and subsequently Interim Chair. He was a member of the £2 billion Culture Recovery Fund Board and continues to serve on the government's Cultural and Heritage Capital Advisory Board. Since becoming Chair of the RSPCA in 2019, he has overseen the modernisation of that organisation's governance, finances and strategy.
Through his career in publishing, René has extensive experience of scientific research and higher education and has published peer-reviewed articles himself; he was a member of the board of the Higher Education Funding Council for England for many years. René cares deeply about biodiversity and the environment but he is also passionate about our built heritage and feels strongly that the pleasure and benefits of both nature and heritage should be open to everyone.
René is an avid horseman, tennis player, and theatregoer. He and his family live in Worcestershire where they share the extensive gardens of their home with the public and host, jointly with the Royal Shakespeare Company, an annual Tulip Festival.
Job Titles:
- Trustee
- Deputy Chair of the National Trust
- Deputy Chair of the National Trust © External Image
Sandy joined the Board of Trustees in April 2015 and was appointed Deputy Chair in February 2022. He is also an elected member of the Council. Until recently Sandy was Director of the National Portrait Gallery (2002-15) where he led the transformation of a much-loved museum into an even more successful national institution. Among many achievements as Director, Sandy enhanced the creative partnership between the National Portrait Gallery and the National Trust at Beningbrough Hall and Montacute House.
He previously worked as Director of Programmes at the Tate and has served on various advisory groups from the Fourth Plinth Selection Committee to the Maggie's Art Group, supporting Maggie's cancer care centres, and the Fabric Advisory Committee of St Paul's Cathedral, which he currently chairs. Sandy is a curator and writer whose recent books include Art Theft and the Case of the Stolen Turners and an edited volume of his father's writings titled The Coincidence of Novembers. He is currently co-authoring a biography of Lord Desborough.
Over the years Sandy has contributed to the governance of several organisations including Middlesex University, the Royal College of Art and the British School at Rome. In recent years he served as Chair of the Board of the Clore Leadership Programme, developing creative leadership in the cultural and heritage sectors across the UK.
Alongside his enthusiasm and expertise in the arts, architecture and heritage Sandy has a long-standing interest in learning and cultural diversity. Sandy also includes racing-punting, competitive croquet and drawing among his various pursuits.
Job Titles:
- Director of Support and Revenue. © National Trust Images / Chris Lacey
- Trust in 2015 As Membership Director
Sharon joined the Trust in 2015 as Membership Director and quickly set out a bold ambition for growth leading to record membership numbers, retention levels and funds for conservation. She joined the executive team in October 2018 and now leads on all supporter-facing income streams and development.
Prior to joining the Trust, Sharon held a variety of senior roles across a wide range of industries, from telecommunications and utilities through to being COO in a corporate accelerator for digital start-up businesses.
Sharon has led large commercial teams and held accountability for significant business P&Ls. She has built her career on focusing on delivering great customer experiences, developing new business models and helping teams perform at their very best.
United by a common belief that nature, beauty and history are for everyone, our three founders, Octavia Hill, Robert Hunter and Hardwicke Rawnsley, set up the National Trust in 1895 so that natural and historic places could be protected for future generations.
Solicitor Robert Hunter worked tirelessly for much of his life to preserve our right to access common land and to protect the country's historic buildings. His legal expertise turned the idea of the National Trust into reality.More on Sir Robert Hunter
Tina has worked for the Trust for over 13 years and became a member of the executive team in 2010. Tina is responsible for the Trust's central Business Services team, as well as the People and Volunteering teams across the Trust. Tina is an experienced HR Director, but has also spent a large part of her career in senior commercial and operational roles.
Before joining the National Trust, she worked in both the private sector and public sector, holding both executive and non-executive director roles. Tina is based at the Trust's central office in Swindon and works part-time for the Trust.
Tony Hall CBE, Lord Hall of Birkenhead
Tony was appointed to the Board of Trustees in September 2022. He is Chairman of the children's social work charity Frontline and the film company Harder Than You Think Ltd. He is Vice-Chairman of the London Philharmonic Orchestra and a Trustee of The Paul Hamlyn Foundation and the Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra, also sitting on the Advisory Board for Qwilt.
He is former Chairman of the National Gallery, Director-General of the BBC, former Chief Executive of the Royal Opera House and former President of the European Broadcasting Union. He was appointed inaugural Chair of the industry-led Creative & Cultural Skills, was on the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games and was Chair of the Cultural Olympiad Board. He was awarded a CBE in 2006 and made a life peer in 2010. He sits on the crossbenches in the House of Lords.
Dogs are welcome on the wider nature reserve at Wicken Fen. Where there are miles of paths to explore around Baker's, Adventurers' and Burwell Fens and beyond.
Manor house associated with the family of George Washington, first president of the USA
A multi-media exhibition to celebrate Washington's past, both real and mythical, marking 60 years as a New Town.
Job Titles:
- Founder
- Founder of the Arts
- Founder of the Arts & Crafts Movement
Learn how William Morris, founder of the Arts and Crafts movement, brought the natural world indoors with his wallpapers and textiles, which are still instantly recognisable today.
Zarin was appointed to the National Trust's Board of Trustees in September 2018. She was the BBC's Chief Financial Officer and member of its Board from 2004 to 2013 during which time she helped to transform the BBC into a fully digital broadcaster. Zarin led the BBC's TV Licensing operation responsible for engaging with 26 million UK households. She also led the Digital Switchover Help Scheme which helped older and vulnerable people to convert to digital TV.
Zarin spent 16 years at KPMG working on FTSE quoted conglomerates in a variety of sectors. She is currently a non-executive director at Hays plc as well as Pets at Home Group plc, Anglian Water Services Ltd and HM Treasury where she also chairs each of their Audit & Risk Committees.
Having worked at the BBC, Zarin understands the unique and important role that an institution like the National Trust plays in the nation's life. And, personally, the National Trust has played a valuable part in helping her family, as first-generation immigrants in the 1970s, to understand and appreciate their adopted home in all its physical beauty and its history.