Our Trustees Our Board of Trustees is responsible for the overall control and strategic direction of the Bradgate Park Trust. They meet regularly to discuss, decide and review our strategies and policies and receive reports and updates from the Trust's senior managers. Our trustee role is voluntary and they work to make sure we’re working to meet the aspirations of the Trust to maintain the land in our care for the benefit of wildlilfe and people. We have a total of ten Trustees. In accordance with the terms of Charles Bennion’s gift, three Trustees are nominated by Leicestershire County Council, three by Leicester City Council and three by the National Trust. Following a review of governance by the Trustees in 2014, up to a further three Trustees can be appointed by the Board itself. David Lindley QPM DL BSc[Hons]. After a varied and challenging career in policing working both in the UK and abroad David is currently a trustee of LOROS and an active volunteer both within the Park but also Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust. He is a life member of the Friends of the University of Leicester Botanic Gardens and currently the Independent Person for Leicester City Council dealing with public complaints about the alleged conduct of councillors. Deborah Taylor Deborah lives in Anstey with her husband Paul and rescue dog Duke, a Saluki/Greyhound Cross. Deborah has been an Anstey Parish Councillor since 2011, Charnwood Borough Councillor since 2015 and Leicestershire County Councillor since 2017. In her leisure time she enjoys keeping fit, dog walking and spending time with family and friends. Deborah enjoys visiting Bradgate Park and is honoured to be a Trustee, hoping to make a difference during her time here. Andrew Beer Andrew is Director of the Midlands region for the National Trust, responsible for a team of about 1500 staff and 10000 volunteers, who look after beautiful places for the benefit of the nation. In the Midlands this includes: great houses such as Hardwick Hall and Attingham Park: 80000 acres of land, from lowland farms to the heights of the Long Mynd and Kinder Scout: as well as back to back houses in Birmingham, a Chartists cottage, several villages, pubs, dovecotes, tithe barns and watermills He trained as an environmental scientist and spent the first four years of his career working on international projects in some of the most polluted places in the world (China, Kazakhstan, Russia, Romania). He then worked as an environmental consultant in New Zealand for two years before returning to the UK to lead on habitat creation projects at Woodland Trust. He joined National Trust since 2009 as Head of Visitor Experience and Learning, where he led on the a number of strategic themes; the development of a family offer (natural play, 50 things to do before you are 11 ¾) and established long term partnerships with Arts Council England (Trust New Art) and Sport England, In his spare time he acts as a taxi service for two boys, climbs mountains, plays tennis, runs (slowly), watches nature and (annually) presses apples for cider. Col R C J Martin OBE DL Robert comes from an old Leicestershire family with a long association with Bradgate. His forbears looked after the park for the Earl’s of Stamford before Charles Bennion so generously bought it and donated it to the people of Leicestershire. After 37+ years in the Army, during which he saw service all over the world, Robert returned home on retirement in 2008. Robert now farms on land bordering Swithland Woods. Appointed OBE in 1995, he was High Sheriff of Leicestershire in 2010/11, during which time he was also made a Deputy Lieutenant. He served 6 years on the Police and Crime Panel; is Chairman of two trusts, patron of 2 more, and is also County President for the Royal British Legion, St John Ambulance and Scouting.He is married to Janie; they have three children and two dogs, all of whom are regular visitors to Bradgate. Mrs. C. M. Radford Christine lives in Shepshed, She has three boys and when they were young were regular visitors with her late husband to Bradgate Park. Being boys the rocks and water were an adventure playground for not a large expense. Christine is still a regular visitor to the park, this time with her Granddaughter who calls it Duck Land, the ducks at Bradgate must be the best fed in Leicestershire. Christine has been a Shepshed Town Councillor for over 30 years, Charnwood Borough Councillor since 2007 and a County Councillor since 2009. She is also a member of the National Trust and English Heritage and sits on various Charities as a Council representative. Christine has been a Trustee on Bradgate Park since 2009 and says it has been a honour. Stewart Alcock Following an early career in agriculture and a degree in Agricultural Business Management I joined the National Trust in 2000 as Property Manager for Hanbury Hall in Worcestershire. I moved to Calke Abbey as General Manager in 2004 where I lead the conservation and operation of the 2,300 acre Calke Abbey Estate, Stoneywell Cottage and Staunton Harold Church. I was brought up in Leicestershire in a farming family and have known Bradgate Park throughout my life. Through my career with the National Trust I have developed a passion for the care and protection of special places such as Calke and Bradgate and I gain great satisfaction from sharing these with people who come to enjoy them. Adam Clarke Peter Osborne Manjula Sood Background Cllr Sood holds BA, MA, LLD, and D.Litt. She was part of a high profile research programme with the world renowned John Hopkins University. She arrived in 1970, attended Leicester University and completed her Post graduate training. Career She was a primary school teacher for almost 20 years, a benchmark at the time, as she was one of the first Asian female teachers in Leicester in 1973. Journey in to Politics She entered politics after the sudden death of her late husband, Cllr Paul Sood. She won with an impressive majority setting precedence by becoming first female Hindu Councillor. Benchmarks for Councillor Sood 1st Asian Female primary school teacher 1st Asian female LORD MAYOR/Deputy in Britain Currently High Bailiff being elected 4th time Assistant City Mayor for Communities and Equalities Chair for Leicester Council of Faiths 7th Year running, fostering good relations among faith communities Patron of St. Martin and Sound Café homeless charity, Bishop's Faith Forum Recipient of MBE, one of the 1st Asian woman to receive the Honour National Merit Award by Prime Minister Rt Hon Tony Blair Sport England’s and special Olympics East Midlands Ambassador Carer for son with Asperger’s and elderly mother John Leach John is the Director of Neighbourhood and Environmental Services at Leicester City Council. He is responsible for delivering a number of key public services to the people of Leicester. His responsibilities include Parks and Open Spaces, Regulatory Services, City Cleansing, Waste Management, Libraries, Community Centres, Community Safety and Community Cohesion. He has worked at the City Council since 2014 and has a very broad public sector experience that includes working for local government at a regional level and for local authorities at a senior level in the East and West Midlands with responsibilities also encompassing Planning Policy, Economic Development and Leisure Services. Prior to entering local government in 1999 he worked for the Environment Agency and the former National Rivers Authority where he focussed predominately on Environmental Protection and partnership working. John lived and studied in Leicester in the late 1980s’/early 90s’ and now lives in Leicestershire with his wife and children. He holds a Masters in Public Leadership and Management, a Bachelor of Science degree in Science and the Environment and the Chartered Institute of Water and Environmental Management’s Diploma in Water and Environmental Management. In his spare time he has visited Bradgate Park many times, where he is able to combine his strong appreciation for the environment with one of his hobbies, photography.