Education and experience:

Lucy founded Tommy’s, a national charity funding medical research into the reasons why babies are born too soon and too small, stillbirth, miscarriage, poor foetal growth and prematurity. It now raises around £4million each year. She was Tommy’s CEO for 10 years, a Director of Mark Birley Associates for 20 years and a Director of the Catholic Building Society.

Lucy was also a Governor for 20 years and finally Chairman of Governors for Port Regis school in Dorset. Lucy was High Sheriff of Somerset 2015-16. She is particularly interested in mental health and raised a fund for 4 mental health charities (Well Wessex) in Somerset during her year as High Sheriff. She is also a Trustee of Somerset Community Foundation.

Further information:

She has lived in Penselwood, Somerset for 20 years and runs a small stud, breeding horses for eventing and dressage.

Education and experience:

Following education at Dean Close School Cheltenham and Sandhurst, Mike was commissioned in to The Gloucestershire Regiment. At unit level he held several posts including command of a Reserve Battalion. He also carried out Army and NATO staff appointments as well as a tour at The Royal School of Signals.

Having left the Armed Forces in 2007, he served briefly with the South West Regional Assembly’s secretariat before commencing regimental secretary duties with The Rifles; responsibilities fall within Somerset, Bristol, Gloucestershire and Herefordshire.

Appointed as a Deputy Lieutenant of Somerset in 2012, his other voluntary work includes being a founding trustee of the South West Heritage Trust.

Further information:

Mike and his wife Bente have 2 sons and 2 grandchildren.

Education and experience:

Ian became a DL in December 2014. He graduated from the University of Keele in 1977 with a Joint Honours Degree in Geography and Geology. A former Chief Executive of the UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) from 2011 to 2015, he was also UK National Hydrographer as a Rear Admiral from 2006.

Serving in the Royal Navy for 35 years, he accumulated over 20 years’ practical seagoing experience in 11 warships and the Royal Yacht HMY BRITANNIA. His senior roles included Joint Command as Commander British Forces South Atlantic and he commanded the ice-breaker HMS ENDURANCE and destroyer HMS NOTTINGHAM and was executive officer of the aircraft carrier, HMS INVINCIBLE.

Appointed CBE in HM The Queen’s 2010 Birthday Honours List, he is now mostly retired. He was a Non-Executive Director on the Port of London Authority Board from 2015 to 2021 and was on the Operational and Safety Advice Panel for British Antarctic Survey from 2016 to 2024. He has two other voluntary roles besides being a Deputy Lieutenant: as an Elder Brother and Member of the Court and The Corporate Board of Trinity House London and, since 2016, as a Governor of Taunton School.

Further information:

He is a Master Mariner and member of the Naval and Military and Antarctic Clubs. He is married to Marion lives in Exmoor National Park along with their working cocker spaniel Fergus. They have two married sons: Andrew an Army officer in the Royal Dragoon Guards, and James, a Partner with Meridiem Investments in London. They have three grandchildren. His pastimes are wildlife photography and river fly fishing.

Education and experience:

General Sir Gordon Messenger served as a Royal Marine from 1983 to 2019, latterly as the Vice Chief of Defence Staff.

His career was notable for two reasons: he was the first Royal Marine to be promoted to 4–star rank for 50 years, and the first member of the naval service since the Korean War to receive a Bar to the Distinguished Service Order.

His operational tours include Northern Ireland, Kosovo, Iraq, Lebanon and Afghanistan, culminating in command of 3 Commando Brigade in Helmand from 2008 to 2009. He spent many years in 40 Commando RM in Taunton, including as Commanding Officer from 2001-2003.

Since retiring in October 2019, he has established a portfolio career. Among other things, he is a Non-Executive Director of QinetiQ plc, a Board member of UK Health Security Agency and a Patron of several military charities. He supported the DHSC on the Community Testing and Managed Quarantine programmes as part of the pandemic response. In Oct 2021, he was commissioned by the Government to lead a Review into leadership and management in the Health and Social Care sectors, which reported successfully in June 2022.

He was appointed Rear Admiral of the UK by the Sovereign in December 2021. He was installed as Constable of HM Tower of London in October 2022, a role which includes trusteeship of Royal Historic Palaces.

Further information:

He and his wife Sarah live near Taunton with their English Pointer, Peggy.

Education and experience:

Born in 1955 in Bath, David was educated from 1962-72 at King Edwards School, Bath. He graduated from Salford University and completed his professional qualification as an Environmental Health Officer at Tameside Metropolitan Council.

In 1979 he joined Hebron and Medlock, an engineering design company started by his father in 1951. He is now Managing Director of the Group renamed Sitec, which employs 600 staff, turns over £45m and consists of a technical recruitment arm and a design consultancy. Since leaving school, he has always been involved in the voluntary sector ranging from work with Shelter and adult literacy in Manchester to the Centre for Voluntary Services and the Gateway Club in Bath.

He is now Managing Trustee of the Medlock Charitable Trust set up in 1985 by his father, which has contributed over £35m to various causes throughout the country, including a Chair in Mathematics, a Chair in Engineering and Design and the Chair of Dean in the Faculty of Engineering and Design at the University of Bath.

Further information:

David has been Deputy Lieutenant of Somerset since December 2008 and was Vice Lord Lieutenant from 2012-18. He was High Sheriff of Somerset from 2007-08. He has 3 children. His outside interests include rugby and masonry.

Background:

Holt Farms consisting of 150 acres, next to Blagdon Lake was purchased in 1961 by his parents, Roger and Mary Mead. Today, they farm 1,250 acres of mainly dairy and arable land, split between the Yeo Valley and the Mendip Hills.  All of the land is certified organic and all the milk from their Lakemead herd of British Friesians is used is by Yeo Valley in their dairy products.

Trained as an accountant with Edward Moore & Co (1983-87) after leaving Sherborne School (1976-81), Tim’s passion is for the land and his commitment to conservation is considerable. He and his wife, Sarah, and their four children live at Holt Farm. One of his favourite expressions is “live for today but farm for tomorrow”.

Education and experience:

Tim joined the family business in the Yeo Valley in 1987 and piloted the company through rapid growth. He established an organic range of dairy products, under the Yeo Valley brand, using milk sourced from The Organic Milk Suppliers Co-operative.  Today, Yeo Valley has four manufacturing sites and two distribution centres in the South West and employs 1,400 people.

In recognition of his contribution towards the development of the Dairy Industry, he was awarded The Dairy Industry Award for 2002.  The company attained the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in 2001 and 2006; both times for sustainable development.

Background:

Sarah Mead was brought up in London but educated in South West England. She spent 3 years at Dance School in London where she formed a dance troupe with Liz Hurley touring the capital and regularly getting pelted with food. Luckily she met Tim Mead, and moved to Somerset to become a farmer’s wife.

Education and experience:

In between raising 4 children, she opened Holt Farm Gardens under the National Gardens Scheme before taking the plunge 8 years ago to open as the Yeo Valley Organic Garden, part of Yeo Valley’s Venues in Blagdon.

She now works full time alongside Tim for Yeo Valley and as part of their marketing strategy is responsible for creative input at Yeo Valley HQ and the Organic Gardens, as well as curating the many events run by Yeo Marketing in and around the Valley. Outside of Yeo she is part of the team that organises and run ‘Valley Fest’, a local Organic Food and Music Festival raising money for Teenage Cancer Trust and is a supporter of various other charities such as Valley Arts project and Key4life.

Further information:

She doesn’t get much time to spend gardening now, but when she does you will often find her in the herbaceous border with her pug Mabel or throwing some shapes at any festival she can manage to get tickets for.

Education and experience:

Tom Mayberry has lived and worked in Somerset for most of his life.

From 2004 he was responsible for Somerset County Council’s Heritage Services, including Museums, Archives and the Historic Environment, and led the projects for the creation of the Museum of Somerset and the Somerset Heritage Centre in Taunton as well as the redisplay of Somerset Rural Life Museum in Glastonbury.

He was appointed Chief Executive of the South West Heritage Trust on its creation in 2014. He is a former chair of the Friends of Coleridge, and in that capacity led the partnership group for the redisplay of the National Trust’s Coleridge Cottage.

Further information:

He is a trustee of Arts Taunton, an organisation committed to promoting the role and relevance of the arts in Taunton and its area. He is deeply committed to community-based heritage and has taken the message of Somerset history all over the South West.

Education and experience:

Captain Polly Marsh was born in Kingston-upon-Thames in 1970. She attended Aberconwy secondary school in North Wales and took an engineering foundation course at UMIST before reading Molecular Biology at Manchester University. She joined the Officer Training Corps in 1990, and first attended The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in 1992, commissioning as a reserve officer into general service. She joined 101 Royal Engineers (EOD) in 1994, and after returning to RMAS on a regular commission course she joined 16 Regt Royal Artillery. During her time in the army she was responsible for the welfare and training of 30-60 soldiers.

After leaving the army in 1998, she moved to New York and worked in luxury brand management, as well as being involved in wildlife conservation. After the birth of her first child in London, she founded Cuddledry Ltd with a friend and moved to Somerset, where she led the company to become an established brand in the global nursery market. She has a teaching Diploma and a Masters Degree in genetic health, among other professional business and education qualifications. Polly rejoined the army reserves and recently spent four years at The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, working with the Youth Engagement team, working with Education nationally, busting myths about the military for young people and their gatekeepers, as well as giving talks on self-awareness and values-based leadership.

Polly has a passion for Youth Development, and over the years has worked as a freelance facilitator and expedition leader, specialising in teamwork and leadership, working with young people of secondary school age. She is a Governor of The Castle School in Taunton, specifically supporting senior leadership teams in curriculum and careers development. She is a Trustee of Somerset Army Cadet Force and was Operations Trustee for The Ulysses Trust before being given the role of Chief Executive Officer. The Ulysses Trust offers guidance, advise and financial support to cadets and reservists – enabling them to take part in adventure training and expeditions, prioritising those most in need, in order to develop courage and resilience in young people through challenge and adventure.

Further information:

Polly works with educators, politicians, charities, industry and youth organisations supporting personal development of character and values, physical and mental health and wellbeing, and bringing enormous social impact to those who may not have had many opportunities in life. She supports many other charities that support help young people globally.

Polly has a passion to help young people be the best they can be – to make sure every child is aware of their opportunities, and helps to develop their self-awareness and values, to have courage to take them on, and resilience to see the challenge through – to become confident, valuable members of society.

Education and experience:

Pradeep was born in Madras (now Chennai) in India and was educated at Don Bosco’s School and Madras Medical College. He was a surgical trainee and medical officer in the Indian Railways with a public service commission before coming to the United Kingdom to pursue further surgical training and take the FRCS.

He was a registrar in Trauma and Orthopaedics on the Bristol rotation before doing a fellowship in spinal surgery at the John Radcliff Hospital and Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Oxford. He was co-author of the chapter on The Spine in Bailey and Love’s Short Practice of Surgery 25th edition.

He was appointed Consultant Spinal Orthopaedic Surgeon on the NHS at Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton in 2000 and is in post. In addition, he is now the Clinical Director for T&O and Ophthalmology at Somerset Foundation Trust.

Further information:

His wife Mala is a doctor in the Emergency Department at the same hospital. They have one daughter who is a trainee surgeon in New Zealand.

Pradeep’s hobbies include road cycling in the UK and abroad, trekking, ballroom dancing and music. He is guitarist and backing vocalist for a covers band called Ultrasound that was originally formed by staff at the hospital.

Background:

Clare Jordan was brought up in Hatch Beauchamp and follows in the footsteps of her grandfather Commander Hubert Gore Langton who was also privileged to be appointed a DL for Somerset.

Education and experience:

After reading Latin at Exeter University Clare went into the City and has just retired after a forty year career in investment management with companies such as Lazards, Rathbones and most recently JM Finn.

Clare has served as a Trustee of her company’s pension fund and on various boards and committees over the years.

Clare is one of the original trustees and directors of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investments (CISI) which is now the leading professional body for securities and investment practitioners with an international membership. She was awarded an Honorary Fellowship in 2005.

Further information:

Apart from chairing the CISI Educational Trust Clare has served as a member of the Multiple Sclerosis Society Investment Committee and as a trustee of The Calvert Trust Exmoor the charity which offers outdoor actives for people with disabilities and their families.

Education and experience:

Ian was born in Newcastle and studied Medicine at Leeds University.

He took on a failing, single-handed GP’s practice in Porlock in 1996. Over the next 20+ years, he developed the practice into a highly successful, multi-centred GP partnership which was rated as outstanding by the Care Quality Commission. His medical interests included palliative care and he set up a charity to improve home care for terminally ill patients in West Somerset.

Ian has a long-standing interest in education. He became Associate Postgraduate Dean for the Severn Deanery with responsibility for recruitment. He established, and organised, the appraisal process for GPs in Somerset.

From 2013 to 2021 Ian was the Assistant Medical Director for NHS England South West.

Following the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, Ian joined the NHS Covid 111 helpline in April 2020 and the Coronavirus Vaccination Programme, both as a Clinical Lead and as a vaccinator, in early January 2021 and that role continues to the present day.

Further information:

Away from the medical arena, Ian is the Safeguarding Governor for Taunton School, as well as the Safeguarding Lead for the Porlock Benefice. He and his wife recently became directors of ‘Stacked Wonky’, a site-specific dance company based in West Somerset.

In his spare time, he enjoys walking with Penny on his beloved Exmoor, growing large quantities of vegetables, and working to restore his orchard. He is a proud father to his daughter, Charlotte, a vet working in Somerset, and his son, Oliver, a criminal barrister in London.

Education and experience:

Colin has an MA from Oxford University and an MBA from Harvard Business School where he held a Harkness Fellowship. He is a Licentiate of Trinity College of Music and was organist and choirmaster of St John the Baptist Wellington from 1993 to 2006.

He has been Chairman of Somerset NHS Foundation Trust and its predecessors since 2014 and was Pro-Chancellor and Chair of Governors of the University of Plymouth from 2016 to 2022.

From 1992 to 2014 Colin was Chief Executive and then Chairman of Viridor, which grew over this time from its Taunton base to become one of the UK’s leading recycling and renewable energy companies, and an Executive Director of Pennon Group PLC. He was then Chairman of Viridor until the end of 2014.

Prior to joining Pennon, Colin was Chief Executive of Coats Viyella Yarns Division, an Executive Director of Renold PLC, a consultant with the Boston Consulting Group and an official at the Bank of England.  Between 2007 and 2015 Colin chaired various government committees relating to environmental change, and to innovation and trade in environmental goods and services. He was Master of the Worshipful Company of Water Conservators for 2007/08 and 2022/23 and is a Liveryman of the Worshipful Companies of Gardeners and Musicians.

Further information:

He was appointed OBE in 2012, for services to technology and innovation, and Deputy Lieutenant of Somerset in 2016. Colin has lived in Somerset for the past thirty years, and his main hobby is growing vegetables.

Background:

Robert and his wife Celia live on the Mendips above the Chew Valley.

Education and experience:

Having read law at New College, Oxford he trained in the City of London and remained there after qualifying as a solicitor. In 1987 he joined Osborne Clarke in Bristol and stayed with the firm until 2014, when he and his team moved to Womble Bond Dickinson. He retired as a partner in 2021 but still acts as Senior Counsel on a part time basis.

Robert is the High Sheriff of Somerset for 2023/24.

Appointed a DL in 2005, Robert has been involved with a variety of charities within the county. His most active involvement has been with the Royal Bath & West of England Society, where he started stewarding in 1978. He joined its Council in 1984 and its board in 1995 and was chairman from 2013 until 2022.

He is also a trustee of the Langford Trust for Animal Health and Welfare and the Wells Cathedral Preservation Trust and previously was a trustee of Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance Trust, Sight Research UK and chairman of Folly Farm Limited, the trading company of Avon Wildlife Trust and a Church Warden.

On a wider stage he is a trustee of the Royal Agricultural Society of England, Innovation for Agriculture, the Royal Agricultural Society of the Commonwealth and the Grateful Society.

Further information:

He and Celia have 3 children, all now working elsewhere in the country as an engineer, a land agent and an agronomist respectively.

Background:

Neil Dowdney was born in 1953, grew up at Queen Charlton and was educated at Kingswood School Bath.

Education and experience:

He trained as an auctioneer and qualified as a Chartered Surveyor before joining a local firm of stockbrokers and becoming a member of the London Stock Exchange within Godfray Derby & Co. He spent most of his career in Bath retiring in 2015. He was for many years a Chartered Member of The Chartered Securities Institute.

He joined 6th Battalion The Light Infantry when they reformed in Bath in 1971 and subsequently served in The Wiltshire Yeomanry prior to commissioning into The Royal Artillery serving with The Gloucestershire Volunteer Artillery (266 Bty) and Central Volunteer Artillery HQ until retirement at the end of 42 years’ service in the rank of Major.

For 9 years was an Independent Custody Visitor for Avon and Somerset Police and is now acting as a Lay Observer for The Ministry of Justice. He has served for some years on the Disciplinary Panel of The Chartered Securities Institute and more recently their Appeals Panel. He served as Chair of Marksbury Parish Council.

Further information:

His other interests include being a Friend of Iford Opera, member of The Royal Bath and West Society, Friend of The Royal Hospital Chelsea and of The Royal Academy. Sports include skiing, shooting and cycling. He lives at Marksbury with his wife Rosy and keeps donkeys as a pastime.

Background:

Chris was born and brought up in Swansea and came to Somerset to his first job as a social worker in 1972. He and his wife, Katy, have two children and four grandchildren and have enjoyed a lifetime of making music together.

Education and experience:

Chris became Director of Social Services in Somerset in 1989. Whilst in that post, he also served in national roles, advising government and select committees, representing his peers as their President, leading task forces, and contributing to research programmes. He made several visits to Russia immediately after perestroika to advise on child protection and adoption.

He moved to Cardiff as Corporate Director of Social Care and Health in 2003 to lead their recovery from major service failures and reputational damage.

He retired from full-time work in 2005, and then worked across Wales, at Dartington and in the London Borough of Southwark, for twelve years, leading development projects and conducting enquiries, mainly focussed on safeguarding children. For seven years, he was non-executive chair of the Somerset Care Group, the largest not-for-profit care provider in the south of England.

Further information:

Currently, he is President of the Red Cross in Somerset, and chairs two local charities, one of which supports offenders with small grants to support their rehabilitation, and the other encouraging state school pupils to enjoy and learn music. He sings in a chamber choir, leads his village choir, and plays his bass trombone in two amateur orchestras, one of which he chairs.

He swims in the sea throughout the year and still regrets that he can no longer play rugby!

Education and experience:

Charles Giles Clarke was born in Bristol, brought up in North Somerset  and educated at Rugby School. He graduated from Oriel College, University of Oxford with an MA in Persian with Arabic, spending a year (as the only Western student) at Damascus University and in Afghanistan.

He has enjoyed a successful business career starting as an investment banker with Credit Suisse First Boston. In 1981 he bought what was to become Majestic Wine and as Chairman built it into a UK national chain before selling it in 1989. In 1990 he founded Pet City and as CEO, built it into a chain of 94 stores. After taking the business public in 1995, he sold it in 1996.

In 1998, he founded Safestore, building it into the UK’s third largest self storage company, before selling it in 2003. He is now Chairman and controlling shareholder of Westleigh Investments, with a portfolio of companies. From 2002 to 2007 he was a National Council member of the Learning and Skills Council (responsible for adult learning in England and Wales) and a member of the Adult Learning Committee, a statutory body set up by Parliament. He was also Deputy Chair of the EU Task Force on Skills and Mobility and presented its report to the Barcelona Summit in 2002. He was nominated an EU Top 500 Entrepreneur in 1999.

He was Chairman of Somerset CCC from 2002 to 2007 and a Director of the International Cricket Council from 2007 to 2018.  He has been Chairman of the ICC’s Pakistan Task Team since 2009. He was elected to the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) in 2004 ,and was elected ECB Chairman in 2007. He completed 3 terms of office as Chairman, and was elected the first President in 2015, a role from which he retired in 2018.

Further information:

He is a past Master of the Society of Merchant Venturers. The Giles and Judy Clarke Foundation focuses on supporting small local charities in the West of England, in particular focused upon deprived areas, education and enabling young people to start employment, as well as a perennial search for England fast bowlers!

He is also a Patron of Changing Faces and Future Hope. Married to Judy, they have one son, Jack who is Head of Strategy for LEGO, and two small grandsons.

Background:

Denis started his working life as an engineer making steel in Sheffield but moved back to Somerset in 1983 to live in the house in which he was born.  Shortly after this he joined a start-up consultancy business and remained with them for 20 years.

Education and experience:

He has been active in the charity sector for many years, including acting as Chair of the MusicSpace Trust, South Bristol Youth and the University of Bristol. In 2004-5 he was Master of the Merchant Venturers. Until 2019 he was Vice-Chair of Bristol Old Vic, and in 2018-19 he was High Sheriff of Somerset. He is a Director of a wind energy business with wind turbines in India, that is ultimately owned by a local charity, The Converging World.

Further information:

He is married to Hilary and together they have four children and five grandchildren.  He lives in Cleeve, North Somerset where he attempts to look after a small-holding with a few cattle, sheep and pigs. He was appointed as a Deputy Lieutenant in Oct 2019.

Background:

Nigel Beacom is a retired military officer who dedicated 36 years of service to the Territorial Army, now known as the Army Reserve.

Education and experience:

Throughout his career, Nigel held various leadership positions, including serving as the Commanding Officer of 40th Signal Regiment, Deputy Commander 2 Signal Brigade, and Assistant Commander of Theatre Troops as a Brigadier. He also gained valuable experience working in the Army HQ and MOD main building in different capacities.

In recognition of his contributions to the Reserves, Nigel became the first army recipient of the Queen’s Volunteer Reserves’ Medal (formerly known as the QVRM, now KVRM) in November 1999. He also had the honour of serving as an ADC (Aide-de-Camp) to the Queen from 2009 until his retirement in 2012.

In his civilian life, Nigel established and successfully ran a Market Research company with six offices across the UK. He later sold this business in 2012 and went on to set up another Market Research company in 2015, which now has offices in Bristol, Belfast, and Cardiff.

From 2016 to 2019, Nigel served as a member of the Independent Residents’ Panel of Avon and Somerset Police and is currently the Chair of the Wessex Reserve Forces’ and Cadets’ Association (RFCA) for Somerset.

Further information:

Nigel has been living in a village in Somerset since 1999 with his wife, Isobel, and their family dog. They have two adult sons, one residing and working in Bath, while the other is based in Bristol.

Background:

Edward Bayntun-Coward was born at Dunkerton, near Bath, in 1966, and was educated at Monkton Combe Junior School, Marlborough College and University College, Oxford, where he read Modern History. From 1988 to 1994 he worked for Maggs Bros. Ltd in London. He then became a partner in George Bayntun, the antiquarian bookdealers and bookbinders established by his great-grandfather in Bath in 1894. He has been sole owner since 2000.

Education and experience:

He was a volunteer and Leader at the Central London Branch of the Samaritans from 1988 until 1998. He was appointed a Trustee of the Bath Preservation Trust in 2004 and was Chairman from 2006 until 2016. He was also Chairman of No.1 Royal Crescent, the Museum of Bath Architecture, Beckford’s Tower and the Herschel Museum of Astronomy. He was a Trustee of the Holburne Museum from 2006 until 2011, and returned as Chairman in 2017, a post he still holds. He is also Deputy Chairman of the American Museum and Gardens, a Trustee of Focus Counselling, the Paper Foundation and Wells Cathedral Preservation Trust, and Patron of BANES Carers’ Centre.

Further information:

He served as High Sheriff of Somerset from March 2016 to March 2017 and was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant in 2017. He is married to Laura with three grown children, Lily, Joshua and Beatrice, and lives at Midford, near Bath.