Trustees

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• Chair - Ken Scott

  Ken is a local resident and successful entrepreneur who  has headed his own listed software business, ILX Group, for a decade. His customer base spans all sectors, from the British Red Cross and NHS Trusts to blue chip clients like Cadbury Schweppes and BT.

  Ken says, “I am very pleased to be joining Westway Development Trust at such an exciting time. Westway is a very unusual charity in that all of its extensive charitable work is carried out from funds it generates. Westway now offers millions of pounds of charitable support every year to local residents; all funded by the income from property that now sits on what was once just urban wasteland back in the 1970s. In the current economic climate, it is perhaps more important than ever to recognise that this is only possible because of the spirit of enterprise and independence which lies at the heart of this unique charitable organisation.

  “Westway is about to embark on major regeneration and property development to secure its future for the next 40 years, so I am delighted to have been offered the opportunity to play a part.”

   

• Councillor Fiona Buxton

  Fiona has lived in Notting Hill since 1998. She has been a Trustee since 2002 and is a vice-chairman of the Trust. She also chairs the Trust's Community, Education and Arts sub-committee and sits on Finance and Staff sub-committees. Fiona has had an eclectic career, starting as a parliamentary researcher, after graduating from Edinburgh University with a degree in archaeology and ancient history. She then worked as an editor and corporate communications specialist, both in the commercial and not-for-profit sectors. She took a Masters degree in business administration at London Business School. Fiona now has 3 children and is a councillor for Queensgate Ward in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and also the council's Cabinet Member for Housing Services, Adult Social Care, Public and Environmental Health. She comments: "I believe the Trust has a hugely beneficial role to play within the borough but that role is only possible if underpinned by sound management. As a trustee, I am committed to maintaining good governance, financial responsibility and an engaged, responsive and imaginative approach to local issues."

• Councillor Terence Buxton

  Terence was elected a ward councillor for Earls Court in 2000 and in the same year was appointed to the Management Committee of the Trust. He is the Lead Member for Planning and serves on the Licensing Panel and Planning Service Committee. He is also Vice Chair of the Education, Libraries & Arts Overview and Scrutiny Committee, and sits on the Earl's Court Advisory Group and the Secondary School Working Party. Professionally, Terence is Director and sole owner of a property investment and development company and Director of various property management companies. As a Westway Development Trust Trustee he is a member of the Planning and Property Management Sub-committee. Terence is also currently serving as Chairman of the Governors of Ashburnam Primary School, Chairman of the Board of the Chelsea Theatre and a Trustee of the Earls Court & Olympia Charitable Trust. His main interests are the arts, architecture, theatre, opera and classical concerts.

• Councillor David Lindsay

  David was born in Holland Park and has lived in North Kensington for much of his life. He is a chartered accountant, and has gained a wide variety of commercial, financial and professional experience in both the private and the public sectors, in Britain and abroad - Australia and Germany.  He now works as a self-employed consultant.  He has been a councillor for Norland ward since May 2002, and currently serves on the Cabinet and Corporate Services Scrutiny Committee and the Regulations and Enforcements Committee, in addition to being a council-nominated Trustee of Westway Development Trust. From 1994 to 2002, he was on the committee of the Colville Nursery Centre, including four years as Treasurer. His particular local interests are housing, community cohesion and seeking to overcome the challenges of the inner city.

• Peter Wilson

  Peter has lived in the Borough since 1990 and has been a Trustee and a member of the Finance and Staff Sub-committee since 2000. He was educated at Oxford University, where he gained a degree in engineering, economics and management and subsequently completed a Master's degree in Business Administration at Harvard Business School. Having begun his career as a management consultant, Peter is now a director of a leading private equity firm investing in management buy outs across Europe. Peter is a non-executive director of several companies, together employing over 8000 staff, including the UK's largest private sector operator of Local Authority leisure facilities. He is also a governor of St Thomas More School, Chelsea where he chairs the premises committee.

• Tim Davis

  Tim has lived in Notting Hill since 1986. He became a Trustee in June of this year and sits on the Sports and Fitness sub-committee. Tim entered the world of Advertising after graduating from Oxford University with a degree in Philosophy, Politics & Economics. During the course of a long career he has been Chairman of two major London advertising agencies - Young & Rubicam and JWT - and was co-founder of Davis Wilkins. Latterly he was JWT's Worldwide Director responsible for its global relationships with Unilever and Shell, both of them among the company's top ten clients. Following his recent retirement, Tim was keen to put all of his marketing communications experience to good use in the voluntary sector and he comments : " I believe that the Trust performs a hugely valuable role within the local community. However, not enough people are aware of the Trust and the fine work that it does. I'm hoping that my knowledge and experience can help bring about a change in this situation".

• Joanna Farquharson

  Joanna was born and has spent much of her childhood and young adult life living in Notting Hill (she has now moved to the neighbouring borough of Hammersmith and Fulham).  She has been a Trustee since 2007 and sits on the Sports, Fitness and Recreation Committee.  Joanna graduated from Manchester University with a degree in Latin and Ancient History and then went on to qualify as a solicitor, training at the city firm, Herbert Smith.  Whilst taking a career break to have her three children she took a Masters degree in Medieval History at King’s College London.  She returned to work and became the Head of Legal Services and Secretary to the Lawn Tennis Association, the national governing body for tennis in Great Britain.  She also worked closely with the LTA’s related charity, The Tennis Foundation whose remit includes promoting tennis in the community particularly disability, parks and schools tennis.  In order to spend more time with her children, she recently resigned from her role at the LTA but still maintains close links with the game and is intending on qualifying as a Chartered Company Secretary.  She comments, “The Trust is a unique and valuable community enterprise. My particular interest lies in the Westway Sports Centre and the Portobello Green Fitness Club which both are, in my opinion, superb community facilities.  In addition, my professional background means that I take a keen interest in good governance which I believe is essential to the successful running of any organisation”.

• Cynthia Dize

  Cynthia Dize has lived in North Kensington since 1974 and has two grown sons who went to school locally. She has held a number of interesting volunteering jobs, including: parent governor at Bevington Primary School, setting up Swinbrook Nursery Centre (now absorbed into the Golborne Children’s Centre), Venture Community Association, Swinbrook Estate Residents’ Association, West London Churches Homeless Concern and the Golborne Ward Panel (Safer Neighbourhoods).

   

  Cynthia has worked as a teacher in the western Pacific and in hotels in London, but most of her paid work has been in the voluntary sector. She has been the Director of Sixty Plus, the borough wide organisation working with older people, since 1998.  In 2009 she led the merger of Sixty Plus with Age Concern Kensington and Chelsea and is now the Chief Officer of the combined organisation.  She is a non-Executive Director of NHS Kensington and Chelsea and has been a trustee of Westway Development Trust since 2007.

• Mary Gardiner

  Mary Gardiner has lived in North Kensington since the early 70s and has been involved in a number of voluntary organisations locally, both as a paid worker and as a trustee. She also has experience of senior positions in medium to large organisations outside the Borough, most recently running a community arts centre in Tower Hamlets. A few months ago, Mary was appointed the Chief Executive Officer of the Kensington and Chelsea Social Council (KCSC), the umbrella body for voluntary organisations in the Borough and she looks forward to forging constructive partnerships to benefit local residents.

• David Oliver

  David Oliver is our Deputy Chairman and Chairman of the Audit Committee.  A chartered accountant, he splits his time between property investment, fundraising for smaller companies and non executive roles.  He spent 13 years as the Finance Director for Clear Channel, a multi-site outdoor advertising company with responsibility for finance, IT, HR, legal, purchasing, pensions and facilities. During that time the business more than doubled in size. Before that he worked for Compass Group (catering) and 3i, the quoted private equity group, investing in a number of different businesses. His primary interest is growing and developing organisations, people and projects. David was a mentor on the London First Police mentoring scheme, is a qualified rugby coach and has also coached children’s cricket. He is an active person playing cricket and golf as well as cycling, swimming, walking and climbing. He is a regular user of the Westway Sports Centre.

   

• Mary Roser

  Mary Roser was born and has always lived in North Kensington and is a regular user of the Westway Sports Centre and the Portobello Green Fitness Club.  She currently works as an Office Manager for an investment bank in the City.  Previous jobs have involved her in organising and delivering innovative sponsorship events, involving organisations as diverse as symphony orchestras, opera houses and the Rugby World Cup. 

  Mary enjoys raising money for charities and each year likes to take part in a variety of fitness challenges, raising funds for projects which help people with disabilities - through sponsored swims, trekking, adventure races and moonwalks!  She has been a trustee since 2003 and is Chair of the Trust’s Sports Fitness & Recreation sub-committee.  She would like to continue to put in her voluntary time into assisting the Trust to develop its activities and its support for community projects and local charities.

• Abdul Fatai Towolawi

  Abdul is a local resident and an independent fundraiser.

• Mike Jones

  Mike is a partner in Drivers Jonas, one of the country's leading firms of property advisers, where he was Chairman of the Board until 2005 and is now heavily involved in the firm's strategic cultural and heritage work. He has been advising the Trust on property matters on a pro-bono basis for many years and has now been co-opted to chair the Trust Property sub-committee.

• James Caplin

  James Caplin is an Executive Coach, workshop leader and writer.  He specialises in human communications and emotional intelligence.

  James has lived in the Borough for over 15 years and has had a long involvement with the All Saints Road Community Association, which he helped to found and which he currently chairs. In the 1990s he led the local community to close the open sex and drug market on the All Saints Road, which was – at the time – the most active in London.

  James is keen to continue his work with community organisations by becoming involved in the management of the Trust, to which he will bring his expertise in developing collaborative solutions to organisational challenges.

• Dr Ruth Hillary

  Ruth Hillary is a local resident of more than 25 years and is treasurer of the St Helen’s Residents’ Association.  She has two sons who are users of the Westway Sports Centre and is herself a keen runner.

  Ruth has a PhD in Environment and has worked for more than 20 years as a consultant in corporate social responsibility and sustainability.  She works with educational establishments, international organisations and government departments, as well as multinationals and small companies on environmental (eg carbon reduction) and social issues and would bring these skills to the Trust.

  Ruth is seeking greater community involvement and voice in the Notting Barns area.  She believes that engagement with the community in all its diversity is vital for the Trust's success. 

• Councillor Rock Feilding-Mellen

  Rock has lived in the Royal Borough his whole life and moved up to North Kensington in 2010. Professionally, Rock owns and manages a property development company, which specialises in strategic development opportunities outside of London. He joined the Trust in 2010 and sits on the Property Management sub-committee. Rock has also been a councillor in the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea since 2006, representing Holland Ward, and he is now Cabinet Member for Civil Society and Localism.

• Councillor Pat Healy

  Information to follow