Trustees of Museums Sheffield
Museums Sheffield is a charity governed by a voluntary Board of Trustees:
Sandra Newton – Chair
Sandra was appointed as Chair to Museums Sheffield in July 2009. Having graduated in Sociology and with a Masters Degree in industrial relations, Sandra entered the Civil Service in 1973 as a graduate recruit in the Employment Department. She spent the next 35 years in a wide variety of jobs including legislation, policy development and implementation, designing senior governance systems, programme management and starring (several times) in the real "Yes Minister".
Throughout her life, Sandra has combined paid work with a succession of voluntary roles for the Church of England. She took early retirement in 2008 to become the (unpaid) Chair of the Board of Finance for the Church of England in South Yorkshire and from January 2010 became also a member of the national Pension Board for the Church of England.
Sandra has had a lifelong passion for museums and especially the visual arts. She remembers Sunday afternoon walks as a child to a very small version of Weston Park and starting to write a thesis on colour at 11 that reached only page 2! On arrival in Sheffield she enrolled for an Open University degree majoring on fine art, gaining first class honours in 1992.
Gordon Bridge
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 a Member of the Council of the Barnsley and Rotherham Chamber of Commerce, Chairman of the Herbert Hughes Charitable Trust, and Trustee of the J. G. Graves Charitable Trust. He is Chairman of the Sheffield Academies, Park and Springs, and a Member of the Board of the United Learning 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.
Howard Culley
Howard was educated in Sheffield and is married with children. He was admitted to the Bar in 1979 and is currently Consultant for Irwin Mitchell Solicitors, specialising in corporate law advising in the sports, recreation and charities sectors.
Major pieces of work include: Advising on the externalising of Local Authority recreational and cultural facilities, advising on the corporate structuring and financing relating to major sports and recreational facilities, advising generally to professional sports companies, sporting associations and recreational charities.
Howard also sits on the board of Sheffield First Partnership, is Secretary of Sheffield City Trust and its Group Companies, Chairman of HD Sports Ltd and its Group Companies, Chairman of Macmillan Million Appeal for Sheffield and North-East Derbyshire and is also a Freeman of the Company of Cutlers.
His personal interests include motor racing, classic cars and motor cycles, antique furniture and paintings and association football.
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.
Duke of Devonshire KCVO, CBE
Stoker, the 12th Duke of Devonshire, was Marquess of Hartington until May 2004 when he succeeded his father as Duke. The Duke and Duchess of Devonshire have lived at Chatsworth since 2006, from where they manage all the family estates. Ever since their marriage, the Duke and Duchess have been enthusiastic collectors in several fields, especially modern British paintings, sculpture, silver and ceramics: their collection is mainly kept at Chatsworth, although there are a number of significant pieces from their sculpture collection in the gardens at Lismore Castle in Ireland.
The Duke was appointed a Trustee of Museums Sheffield in 2006, and was appointed a Trustee of both the Wallace Collection (in London) and the Storm King Art Centre (in New York) in 2007.
Since April 1996 The Duke of Devonshire has held the position Deputy Chairman of Sotheby's.
The Duke of Devonshire works with many charities and organisations both local to the Estates and nationally.
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.
Corin Mellor
Born in Sheffield in 1966. Corin Mellor trained as a product designer at Kingston and worked for the London architects YRM before joining his father, David Mellor. He is now Creative Director of David Mellor Design.
Corin Mellor has carried out a number of special design commissions. His public seating can be seen at the Lowry Gallery in Salford Quays, the Millennium Gallery and Winter Garden, Sheffield. He has recently worked on new projects for Sheffield Cathedral and Chatsworth House.
At David Mellor Design, Corin is responsible for special product development within the company. In 2007 he introduced new ranges of kitchen knives, table glass and woodware. Corin designed the interior of the new David Mellor Design Museum and Café at Hathersage.
He is married to the photographer Helen Mellor and divides his time between the factory and design office in Derbyshire and the London shop, David Mellor Sloane Square.
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.
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.
Richard Taylor
Richard is a partner in DLA piper, the world's largest law firm, and is the founder and head of DLA Piper's Commercial, Intellectual Property and Technology law department in Sheffield, now the largest such specialist practice in the region. Richard advises a range of public and private sector bodies on commercial law, including central and local government departments and several Fortune 500 companies.
Richard is also an author and broadcaster, best known for his book "How To Read A Church" (2003 Sunday Times bestseller, Art & Architecture) and the related BBC4 series "Churches: How To Read Them". Richard is series editor of Random House's "How To Read A…" series, which includes the history of Gardens (which Richard co-authored), Country Houses, Villages and Industrial Britain.
Richard is a former director of the Hammersmith & Fulham Law Centre (where for many years healso provided pro bono advice on employment law), and is a current director of Sheffield Technology Parks.
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.
