Trustees of Museums Sheffield
Museums Sheffield is a charity governed by a voluntary Board of Trustees:
Gordon Bridge - Chairman
Gordon Bridge was born in Sheffield and educated at King Edward VII School. He qualified as a Chartered Accountant and immediately left the profession to work in manufacturing industry. He continues to do so having worked at three manufacturers, all metal based, in South Yorkshire. These are Tempered Spring (Automotive Components), where he became Commercial Director; Richardson Sheffield (Kitchen Knives), where he became Managing Director and AES Engineering Ltd (Precision Seals and Engineered Support Systems), which he joined as Chief Executive. He stepped down from this position in 2009, but continues as a Director.
He served on the Regional Council of the CBI for a number of years and was a member of the Council of the University of Sheffield, as well as chairing the Careers Advisory Board there. He served as Master Cutler in 2007/2008 and continues as a Member of the Cutlers Company. He is Chairman of the Herbert Hughes Charitable Trust, and Trustee of the J. G. Graves Charitable Trust. He received an Honorary Degree from the University of Sheffield in 2009.
John Biggin
John was born in Sheffield and educated at Bromsgrove School in Worcestershire. After qualifying as a Chartered Accountant he became a junior partner of Pannel Kerr Forster before leaving to join the Eardley Group in 1969. This company became British Syphon Industries plc when he was appointed financial director and chairman of the manufacturing division. In the last 15 years before retirement in 2010 he was financial director of the Fretwell Downing Group in Sheffield.
He has spent 9 years as a Member of Council of Sheffield University as well as serving on the Finance Committee and Audit Committee where he remains a member.He is Chairman of the Institute of Cancer Studies and AMRC Management Ltd both within the University.
In 2006/07 he was High Sheriff of South Yorkshire and from that experience he was appointed to the board of Sheffield People United Against Crime and also Paces, which runs a school for children with Cerebral Palsy where he is now Chairman. For 10 years ending 2008 he was Chairman of the Sheffield Diocesan Board of Finance and is now on the Finance and Development Committees of Sheffield Cathedral.
His personal interests are painting and music , walking and his garden and of course his family.
John Cowling
John Cowling is a Chartered Accountant. He retired from PircewaterhouseCoopers in 2012 having been partner with the firm for over 20 years. He was the Senior Partner of the Sheffield office and a member of the Firms’ Northern leadership scheme; during his 30 year career with the firm he worked in London, New York and nearly all of the firm’s northern offices.
While at PwC, John gained a wide variety of industry experience, from manufacturing companies to retailers and the service sector. He has worked with clients ranging from small privately owned businesses to large, publicly owned, multi-national corporations.
John brings local business connections and commercial advice to the board as well as financial skills. He is a strong support of business involvement in the community and was for a number of years Chairman of BITC in South Yorkshire. He is currently the Deputy Chairman of Music in the Round, the national chamber music charity based in Sheffield.
Malcolm Cumberbatch
Malcolm Cumberbatch is a social and political scientist who passionately believes in applying theory to practice. He is very interested in the areas of power, culture, identity and belonging, diversity and equality, work and society, economic and social regeneration and community development. Malcolm researches and publishes in the above areas. His latest publication is: Multiculturalism is an Essential Part of the Anti-Racist Struggle, (2009), Chapter 6 in C-SAP Monograph No.11, Higher Education Academy Network.
Over the last 30 years Malcolm has combined his academic work with various public and community development activities. He is currently Chair of Sheffield Black & Minority Ethnic Network, Chair of South Yorkshire Business and Training Centre (SYAC), Chair of the Advisory Group of Sheffield Preventing Violent Extremism, Member of Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Trust Governors Membership and Communications Sub-Group. Malcolm works at Sheffield Hallam University (Criminology and Community Justice).
Mike Day
Mike’s career has been based in the paper, textiles, telecommunications and leisure industries mostly in HR management roles culminating, prior to retirement, in executive board directorships for 13 years of a national subsidiary of Bass plc and Sheffield International Venues Ltd. His career has included multiple takeovers, company reorganisations and the co-development of several profitable businesses.
He is a national trustee and non executive director of the Victim Support charitable trust which employs 1,600 staff with 6,500 volunteers. Currently he chairs its Diversity Council having previously been a member of the Finance Committee. Additionally he is a magistrate and volunteer driver for Leonard Cheshire Disability.
Mike is married, has lived in Sheffield for 30 years and has a variety of interests including sports, fitness, arts, music, travel and politics.
Rosemary Downs
Rosemary has been a solicitor in the Sheffield city region throughout most of her career, joining hlw Keeble Hawson in Sheffield in 2004 where she is a partner and notary public, and has been Head of the corporate department.
As a governor at Sheffield Hallam University for the last 5 years, Rosemary has been involved on both the Finance and Audit committees and has actively assisted with high level recruitment and appeals to governors. Rosemary is also a member of the South Yorkshire panel of the Princes Trust which makes grants/loans to young people who wish to start businesses and cannot source funds elsewhere. She has been a member of the Enterprising Doncaster Board a public/private initiative to develop enterprise and an improvement of the local skills base.
Rosemary has lived near Rotherham for 20 years and spare time activities include singing in chamber choirs and Peak District hikes.
Maria Hanson
Maria Hanson studied at the Royal College of Art, graduating in 1991 with an MA in Silversmithing and Jewellery. Her academic career began in 1994 and has taken her to a number of Universities around the UK. As Reader in Metalwork and Jewellery at Sheffield Hallam University, she combines research and teaching with her practice as a designer/maker. She has participated in numerous national and international exhibitions, was short-listed for the Jerwood Applied Arts prize in 2000 and has work represented in various public collections including the Crafts Council, the Goldsmiths’ Company and Museums Sheffield.
She has instigated and managed many public centred projects, symposiums and networks, is an exhibition curator and advocate of audience engagement and participation. She was an executive committee member of the Association for Contemporary Jewellery from 1997-2001, sits on Sheffield’s Galvanize festival committee and is a silversmithing mentor at Yorkshire Artspace. She is a Freeman of the Goldsmiths’ Company, the City of London and the Company of Cutlers’ in Hallamshire.
Councillor Cate McDonald
Cate was elected as a member of Sheffield City Council in 2010 as a councillor for Gleadless Valley ward. She is currently Cabinet Advisor for Finance and Performance.
Cate has a strong public sector background, having worked in local government and in the health service. Before becoming a councillor, she was a senior manager with the Audit Commission, where she managed a team of staff undertaking performance work across the Humberside region and led high profile corporate assessment projects. Her achievements include developing the national framework for assessing the performance of district councils, so she is well used to the machinations of Whitehall!
She is also a strong supporter of the community and voluntary sector, having served on a number of third sector boards in Sheffield and is currently a volunteer at Bishops' House.
Ian Proctor
Ian was born in Sheffield and educated at Colley School. His early career was spent in the NHS before joining The University of Sheffield in 1995. Having held a number of roles at the University, Ian is currently Head of External Relations in the Management School.
Ian has an MBA from the University of Sheffield and has previously been a non-executive director of Sheffield Technology Parks and currently sits on the Council of Sheffield Chamber of Commerce.
Ian is married with a young son, his interests include mountain biking, maintaining an allotment and travel.
Councillor Tim Rippon
Tim was elected onto Council in October 2000. He is currently Adviser to the Leader of Sheffield City Council. Tim has an MSc in Urban Regeneration, Sheffield Hallam University and works for a Housing Association. Tim was Cabinet Member for regeneration, Planning & Culture (2004-8) and has been Director/Board Member of a number of organisations in the city.
Tim's interests include cinema, architecture and he is a keen fell runner.
Dan Sequerra
Chair of the Cultural Industries Quarter Agency, Sheffield, Dan Sequerra is active within INTA (International Association of Urban Regeneration an inter government body) on Creative Industries and urban regeneration. He has spoken extensively throughout Europe on the creative economy and the Sheffield experience.
Dan was previously Deputy Chief Executive of Kirklees Metropolitan Council, Director of Economic Development at Sheffield City Council, and Economist at the National Economic Development Officer in London. He also held posts of Director of BURA (British Urban Regeneration Association) and advisor to the local authorities of England and Northern Ireland and Chair of BURA’s Panel “Best Practice in Community Inspired Regeneration”.
Dan has also held various voluntary positions across the city, including Governor of Sheffield’s City Polytechnic, member of the Court of the University of Sheffield, Governor of Castle College, Chair of Abbeydale Grange School, Trustee of Sheffield Civic Trust and various charities and director of public/private sector partnership companies limited by guarantee or shares.
Julie Taylor
Julie is a freelance communications consultant. Current clients include the Ascension Island Government and the Arts Educational Schools in Chiswick.
From 2001 until 2010 Julie was the Head of Public Relations for Guardian News and Media (GNM), publisher of the award-winning Guardian and Observer newspapers and Guardian.co.uk.
She was previously Director of Communications at the Museums and Galleries Commission responsible for the organisation's on and offline publishing programme and publication marketing as well as internal and external communications. She has managed PR for the National Magazine Company, promoting a range of flagship titles including Esquire, Harpers & Queen and Country Living. In addition she has worked for a range of arts organisations including Birmingham Royal Ballet, Opera North, the National Theatre, and the Arts Council.
In addition to her role at Museums Sheffield Julie is a trustee of Kids in Museums, and Hidden Cities.
Dr Sheila Watson
Sheila Watson joined the school of Museum Studies at the University of Leicester in 2003. A former teacher she became director of three local authority museums and an art gallery in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, UK. In partnership with various heritage organisations and agencies she worked with a regeneration team to rethink the ways in which museums, galleries and historic monuments could have meaning for people and support economic and social regeneration. She led the project to create a new museum based on community consultation, now open as Time and Tide.
Since being in Leicester Sheila has worked as a lecturer in the MA in Museum Studies and the MA in Art Gallery Studies. In 2008 she established a new distance learning programme, Learning and Visitor Studies in Museums and Galleries. Her research interests focus on community history and, in particular the meanings different communities make within a historical framework.
