Megan Baker House

Trustees

The following are our trustees:

David Hunt - Chairman

I am a Chartered Mechanical Engineer and studied at Bristol University and then for an MBA at Cranfield University. I am responsible for the capital expenditure programmes at the Cadbury Marlbrook site near Leominster. Previously I have worked in manufacturing and IT and as a management consultant for a variety of businesses in the manufacturing, electronics and food processing sectors. I have also set up and run my own confectionery manufacturing business. I became a trustee of MBH following the establishment of a link with Cadbury Marlbrook as part of Cadbury UK's Community Programme.

Vicky Nicolson - James

Vicki Nicolson James

Parent-Trustee of MBH. My daughter, Clementine, and I attended an intensive 6 week block placement at MBH, 4 years ago. My husband and I were so impressed with the progress that Clementine made in that short space of time, we moved from Hertfordshire to Herefordshire in order to attend the centre regularly. I feel that my role as Parent-Trustee to be essential to the charity, as I have personal experience of the difficulties facing parents and families with a disabled child. As an actual service user myself, I am able to give valuable feedback to the Trustees. I work in sales and marketing for a local lifestyle magazine and I am the Secretary of the PTFA of Westfield Special School in Leominster. I also enjoy close fundraising ties with Marches Family Network, a Leominster based charity for disabled children and their siblings.

Barry Jones

Barry Jones I was educated at the Royal Grammar School Worcester and qualified as a chartered accountant with Kendall Wadley. My audit experience was acquired with a ‘Big 4’ firm in Birmingham, working on the Post Office Corporation, GEC, Rolls Royce and Peugeot, rejoining Kendall Wadley and becoming a partner in 1976, which I have now retired from. Since then my experience has been supporting local and international businesses including the not-for-profit sector particularly charities including a number of Polish national charities.

Anne Sinclair

Anne Sinclair Born and educated in Glasgow, I have a Business Studies degree and a Masters in Employment Law. I worked in personnel and training before becoming self employed as an HR and employment law consultant and have experience across all sectors, including not- for- profit. I am a Chartered Fellow of CIPD, a member of Employment Tribunals and a serving Magistrate. My interest in charities involving children led me to become a Trustee in 2010 in the hope that my background will be useful to Megan Baker House.

Len Vidler

Trustee As a Parkinson's disease sufferer, I have been coming to Megan Baker House for more than two years and I am a great believer in Conductive Education. As an Architect I have been able to help with the newly opened "Wooden Spoon Suite", which provides additional accommodation. I was delighted to accept the invitation to become a trustee and am looking forward to playing my part in the future of the centre.

Barbara James

My connection began with MBH in 2004 when our family was looking for help for my granddaughter, Clementine. I was approached to become a trustee in 2006 and have been involved with fundraising and the friends of MBH. My knowledge of the difficulties experienced by the families is beneficial in my role as grandparent/trustee.

I am retired and have many interests including travel, family history, gardening, entertaining, grandchildren and of course MBH.

James Duffield

I am a school master at Moor Park, Ludlow. I specialize in Geography and Religious studies and am also a houseparent in our junior boarding house. After reading Geography at Oxford Brookes I did a P.G.C.E. with the Marches consortium in Herefordshire teaching in several local schools.

I have worked with various charitable organizations in the past both raising funds and coordinating projects in the UK and overseas.

I am delighted to be a trustee of MBH and very much look forward to helping in its continued growth.

John Gibson

I live in Worcestershire, am married and have two children. I trained as a Quantity Surveyor and am now a partner at Firmingers LLP Chartered Surveyors. The practice is 40 strong and specialises in retail schemes and historic projects.

I have been the Wooden Spoon regional chairman for 8 years; a charity which supports young people through the rugby community. I am also a keen Rotarian and patron of the Worcestershire Breast Care Unit.

Outside of work I enjoy watching Worcester Warriors and playing golf.

Grant Simmonds

Having worked in London all my professional life, I moved to the Worcestershire/Herefordshire border in 2006. In my role as a City Remembrancer I received an MBE, (as well as similar national honours from, amongst others, France, Germany and Spain), for arranging many state occasions, Lord Mayor's Banquets and national celebratory parades, as well as such events as the Booker Prize. I currently run Grazzla Arts and Entertainment, dedicated to promoting the young talent of the region. It is a privilege to associated with such a worthy and worthwhile cause as Megan Baker House.