Most of my working life has been related to developing childcare and family support services, in particular Sure Start Children's Centres. That's where my real passion lies. I moved to Emsworth 10 years ago from Southsea and became involved in community action through the Emsworth Neighbourhood Forum. Seeing how difficult it was for people wanting or needing to live in the area, a small group of us set up the Emsworth Community Land Trust. At the same time, we saw the ‘for sale’ sign go up at the Cottage Hospital site. We got involved in the campaign to save the site for the GP surgery. It just shows what can happen when the community comes together, with a plan; and now I have come full circle, becoming the Chair of the ERF.
Mike was brought up locally in a naval family and went to Portsmouth Grammar School. He qualified as a building surveyor and project manager and is interested in all aspects of the built environment. Since leaving his practice in London he has been a trustee of the Portsmouth Naval Base Property Trust alongside other enthusiasms including community groups in Emsworth where he has lived with Anne since 2016.
Ellie spent her early working life involved in the training and development of young people, eventually becoming a Director of Sussex Training and Enterprise Council. She then set up and successfully ran a management consultancy company. She is taking the lead for the ERF on Young People and hopes that the number of meaningful activities for Young People in Emsworth can be increased.
Mike moved to the south coast from Leeds in 1968 , anticipating a short stay but has been here ever since, moving to Emsworth in 1971. He and Jenny brought up their two sons in Emsworth, with them both attending local schools before they headed north for university and their careers. He spent nearly forty years in what was to become the University of Portsmouth and for the last half of his career was in the senior management team, as the Pro Vice-Chancellor responsible for the university’s building programme and other support functions. On retiring from the University in 2005, he was Chair of the Environment Agency’s Southern Regional Flood and Coastal Committee. He has been a governor of a number of schools and colleges, and most recently was Chair of HSDC, formed through the merger of Havant College with South Downs College in 2017, then Alton College in 2019. He was Secretary of the Emsworth Neighbourhood Forum. He has oversight of the planning brief for the ERF, chairing the Neighbourhood Planning Working Group, and liaising with the local authority on planning issues.
London born Chris moved to Emsworth with his wife Eve in 2006 from Northumberland where he was a part-time lecturer in construction management at local colleges and universities. Chris is a retired Chartered Engineer with a degree in Civil Engineering and Soil Mechanics. In a 40-year career he specialised in heavy engineering with an international contractor. Chris then became the technical director of a medium sized company designing specialised solutions including pollution control.
The last seven years of his full-time employment was as the senior civil engineer with a local authority in north Kent solving pollution issues and liaising with both Thames and Southern Water.
He and his wife are both editors for the Havant Borough Talking News, providing spoken news editions for the blind and partially sighted. He was a committee member of the ERA, reporting on environmental issues, which he will continue with the ERF.
I served in the army for many years, latterly on Thorney Island where I ended up as the Station Staff Officer. I still retain my links with the Island where I am the Chair of Governors of the excellent Primary School, and have been for over 17 years. Rachel and I moved to Emsworth 23 years ago and having moved 18 times previously we are reluctant to move again.
I have sailed for many years and looked after the Royal Artillery offshore yachts so it was an easy decision to join the local RNLI fundraising team, which I chair. Along with fantastic support from the Commodore of the Slipper Sailing Club this group of happy, dedicated volunteers run a number of fundraising events throughout the year that are well supported by the town.
I am primarily responsible for looking after transport and traffic issues within the ERF and am happy to field any questions that do arise. I feel privileged to be able to contribute to the town by being a committee member of the ERF. Emsworth is a vibrant community and is an excellent place to live and to be part of.
Dan first visited Emsworth in 1972 and has been a regular visitor since then, eventually retiring here in 2015. A statistician by profession, he taught in universities in the UK and USA and worked as a consultant in the automotive and aerospace industries, helping engineers to use statistics effectively in design and production.
Roger moved to Emsworth with his wife Hazel in 2017, and has spent the intervening period refurbishing and extending a 1960s bungalow. An Architect by profession, Roger has worked as an academic at the University of Portsmouth School of Architecture for 25 years prior to which he led his own practice in Devon. Now partially retired and teaching part-time, Roger has a consultancy that provides mentorship services to Architects in practice. Roger’s primary role within the ERF is in the areas of ‘enhancement of the public realm', and ‘quality of place’.
