Trustees

The Board of Trustees meets four times a year and undertakes, on behalf of the school governors, strategic leadership and oversight of philanthropic fundraising carried out in support of Wells Cathedral School. Each Trustee is also a Company Director, as the Foundation is a company limited by guarantee as well as being a registered charity.

Our Trustees are;


Mr Gary Brown	Mrs Elizabeth Cairncross	Mr Tim Lewis
Lord Armstrong	The Very Reverend John Clarke	Mr Nick Guttridge
Mr John Baxter	Dr Stella Clarke	Mr Phil Lemanski
	Mr Patrick Cook

	Mr Gary Brown (Chair) Gary has over 20 years marketing, media and management experience. He led the Asia Pacific and more recently the European, Middle East & African network operations of the Starcom MediaVest Group, part of the world's largest media planning and buying company, where he managed a 42 office network across 30 countries and client investment of US$1.2 billion. Currently he is managing director of West Lawn Properties Ltd, a property development company he established in 2002. His management and business development experience are also being applied in the field of asset management for Draco Property Ltd, a fast growing property investment and development company operating from offices in London and Somerset. Since 2006 Gary has also been a Trustee of Crossroads B&NES, a charitable organisation providing respite for Carers in the region. Gary has three children attending Wells Cathedral School.
	Lord Armstrong of Ilminster Robert Temple Armstrong, Baron Armstrong of Ilminster GCB, CVO, is the son of the musician Sir Thomas Armstrong and is a life peer and former civil servant. He was educated at Eton, where he was a King's Scholar and at Christ Church Oxford, where he read Classical Mods and Greats. In a long civil service career, Lord Armstrong worked in several departments, including HM Treasury and Home Office. From 1970 to 1975 he served as the Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister. He was knighted in 1978. From 1979 to 1987 he served as Secretary of the Cabinet under Margaret Thatcher, and from 1981 to 1987 as a head of the Home Civil Service. He became a life peer in 1988 as Baron Armstrong of Ilminster, and sits as a crossbencher. Lord Armstrong was the Chancellor of the University of Hull from 1994 to 2006, and Chairman of the Governors of the Royal Northern College of Music (2000 to 2005). He is a former Trustee of Wells Cathedral School Development Trust.
	Mrs Elizabeth Cairncross During her own school days, Elizabeth Cairncross' passion was for English Literature. The desire to continue working with English and communicate this love of literature and words ultimately inspired her decision to become a teacher. Outside the classroom, her most striking memory is of being selected to play in the hockey team when she had been a complete ‘non-hockey person'. "I discovered that by going to practices and making a point of trying to learn whatever people were trying to teach me, I got better. Even though I was not especially talented, there were teachers who were prepared to give me a chance. I think as a teacher and now as a Head that has probably been one of the most significant experiences for me". Another valuable lesson gleaned from her own schooling is the importance of providing a place where children really want to learn for themselves and where they discover that if they ‘have a go' people will be there to support them. Education, Elizabeth suggests, is about letting people make mistakes and learning from those mistakes, whilst giving them a safe structure within which to do that. One thing attracted Elizabeth to Wells in the first place, is the emphasis on pupils being comfortable in any situation; confident without being arrogant and confident enough to realize when they are wrong or do not know the answer - thus they are open to learning. For Elizabeth, there is a tremendous sense of pride in sending well-rounded, self-assured young people out into the world. In recent years Wells has embraced intellectual curiosity and pursued the ideal of challenging people, whatever level they are at. Most importantly though, Elizabeth believes it is vital to retain a constant sense of wonder, amazement and humour at the world, maintaining even a keen sense of the ridiculous, Ultimately, her greatest conviction is that a person actually looks after himself or herself best by putting someone else first. Only then can they get the most from school, family and community and take their place in the world.
	Mr John Baxter John Baxter was Head Master of Wells Cathedral School from 1986 until 2000, and so he and his wife Priscilla are well known members of the extended school community. Educated at Magdalen College School and Merton College, Oxford and Grey College, Durham, John's teaching career includes time at Cranleigh, Christ's College in Christchurch New Zealand, and was a House Master at Westminster before coming to Wells. John has found time to be an education consultant, member of the Admiralty Interview Board, has many music connections including his ongoing membership of the Music and Dance Scheme Advisory Group. Among many honours and qualifications, John is a Freeman of the City of London, and has many sporting experiences interests and publications behind him including membership of the GB Hockey Squad, captaining the Oxford University Under 19 Rugby team and contributing to the History of Lords and Commons Cricket.
	The Very Reverend John Clarke Reverend Clarke is Dean of Wells Cathedral and Chair of Governors of Wells Cathedral School.
	Dr Stella Clarke Stella was appointed a Wells Cathedral School Governor on the 12 September 1986 and has served the school for the past 22 years retiring on 1 December 2008 to take up her new position as a Trustee member of the Wells Cathedral School Foundation Board. Stella has held a number of public appointments namely; as a Governor of the BBC, Member of the Housing Corporation and the Bristol Development Corporation, she also Chaired the England Committee of the National Lottery Charity Ball, Chairman of Council of Bristol University and latterly Pro Chancellor. Currently Stella Chairs the Community Self Build Agency which encourages those unable to access the normal housing market to build for themselves.
	Mr Patrick Cook Patrick Cook MA became a Governor of Wells Cathedral School in 2008 and joined the Foundation as a Trustee in 2009. He has been a Partner of the firm Taylor Wessing LLP since 2007. Prior to that Patrick was Partner at Osborne Clarke, from 1996-2007. Patrick is father of four children - two of whom are now Old Wellensians, while two are currently at Wells Cathedral School.
	Mr Nick Guttridge Following his schooling at Haywards Heath Grammar School in Sussex, Nick went on to study aeronautical engineering with British Caledonian Airways. He subsequently pursued a career in the UK aerospace manufacturing industry working for a number of UK and US high technology companies. His career has included highly successful periods in sales, marketing, business development and mergers and acquisitions. Nick has participated in a number of business turnarounds and Management Buy Outs and remains an executive shareholder in Gardner Group Ltd, a large UK aerospace manufacturing business with UK and overseas assets. Nick is also a Director of the Society of British Aerospace Companies. Nick (age 49) and his wife Ali have two children at Wells Cathedral School and live at Hinton Blewett on the Mendips.
	Mr Phil Lemanski Philip Lemanski is a retired charted accountant and management consultant. He has 25 years of experience in senior management, first as a partner in Robson Rhodes (1981-2006). At Deloittes he delivered a range of technology, business strategy and change management services to blue chip companies and public sector organizations, and was part of the team which developed and led the consulting practice. He brings experience in project management, technology and finance at a senior level to Sport England. Phil has had four children attend Wells Cathedral School.
	Mr Tim Lewis Tim Lewis came into the accounting profession by the usual route of gaining a degree which had nothing whatsoever to do with accountancy, and joined the London office of Peat Marwick mainly because they offered to employ him at once rather than in six months' time. After four years or so he sought to spice up his CV with some overseas experience but found that things happen in Hong Kong at mind boggling speed. He ended up staying there for one month short of 20 years, 15 of those as a partner with KPMG. In retirement he has been able to indulge in his interests and do some of things he could not do while at KPMG, such as taking part in historic driving events, attending European grand prix, reading books, walking in the English countryside and singing in three different choral societies.