Trustees
Keith Fielding - Chair
Originally from Newcastle upon Tyne, I have enjoyed living in Euxton with my wife for over 40 years. I have two sons, who both attended Balshaw Lane Community Primary School and Parklands High School. Initially I joined the Governing body when my children started school, I thought it was important to be involved with their school and be supportive. I have been a School Governor/Chair of Governors at both schools for over 20 years and additionally provide support to Lancashire County Council Governor Services Department at several other schools. I worked in the Newspaper industry for over 35 years at The Guardian/Observer national press in London and Manchester. As senior manager, I was involved with team management, future planning, introduction of new technologies, recruitment of staff, training, and managing financial budgets in a fast-changing industry. Many of the skills I developed equipped me with a balanced, professional perspective and a broad understanding of people and how to help them to meet their potential. I feel passionately about good schools with good educators and working with senior leaders at both schools. I believe that I can bring a fair and professional approach to being a Member and the link to the Board of Trustees.
Lynsey Austen
I bring 25 years of experience in education and a proven track record as a teacher and headteacher in primary schools across the northwest. Initially progressing into school improvement support and advice through a role within the local authority, I established myself as a respected senior adviser with team management and strategic responsibilities across the LA. Now as Director of my own school improvement company, I continue to work with several primary schools supporting all aspects of their work. I am passionate about making a difference to the lives of children and young people and it is this that motivates me. I have experience of engaging with, supporting and challenging school leaders. I regularly provide external validation of monitoring and evaluation systems and judgements, always drawing on my own experience and wider reading. I ensure I keep up to date with the national education agenda, education research and information which impacts on the work of schools. Outside of my professional life, I am a mum to a primary aged child, wife and keen runner and Cross fitter.
Carol-Ann Duke
Ian Hamer
I was born in Blackpool and work took me down to London to work for Sainsburys. I settled back in the north west and have lived in Chorley for the last 23 years. For the last 32 years I have worked for Tesco in various senior general management roles. I am currently an Area Manager looking after 34 shops in the north west. My role requires delivering demanding KPIs and protecting the welfare of 800 colleagues. I have experience in a wide range of HR issues, resolving problems, colleague relations and managing change in a fast moving retail environment. I am married with four children, all adults now , who all attended Balshaw Lane Primary School and then Parklands. I served on the governing body of Balshaw Lane for 12 years and I have been on the governing body at Parklands for 17 years so far, including 6 as Chair. I am active in the local community and my role as a cub leader at Euxton Methodist scout group and serving as a parish councillor with Euxton parish keep me busy.
Fiona Hodson
It gives me great privilege to serve as a Trustee for Aspirational Futures Multi Academy Trust. After leaving school I studied in Cardiff, gaining a HND in Hotel & Catering Institutional Management and went into hotel management for three years with Trust House Forte Hotels. After I met my husband, I came to Chorley and have lived here for over 44 years. We have two grown up daughters who attended Highfield Community Primary School followed by St Michael’s High School. I was approached by the Headteacher at Highfield when our daughters were there to apply for a parent governor role; I served for 7 years until our daughters both moved to high school. In July 2019 I was thrilled to be successful in my appointments as a Local Education Authority Governor with Highfield Community Primary School, returning to the fold. My roles have included being Vice Chair, Chair of the Resources and Pay Committees and a member of the Headteacher’s Appraisal Committee. I am passionate about ensuring that the learning opportunities for all children is accessible despite their different needs. But I equally recognise the value of being a critical friend, whilst adhering to a code of conduct and the strategic responsibilities of our appointment. I am now retired after a 38-year career in local government, starting with Lancashire College of Adult Education, then with Lancashire Fire & Rescue Service, and finally 10 years at North West Fire Control Centre (NWFC) in Warrington, a joint control centre for Cumbria, Cheshire, Lancashire and Greater Manchester Fire Service. I have held a variety of senior management positions from the management of catering services, property, and facilities, been responsible for a team of support staff and had a specialist role in Equality and Diversity. I returned to part time education at UCLAN and completed a Graduate Diploma in Personnel Management in 2000. My final 10 years were as Business Support Manager, establishing a local authority-controlled company, NWFC, implementing the HR, finance and company policies and procedures. Throughout my career I have adhered to CIPD professional standards and financial compliance. I am proud to be an active member in the Chorley community through my local church. I see my role a Trustee to ensure that the Trust fulfils its responsibilities for all those pupils and staff in our schools within the Trust.
Linda Kinnaird
I am now a retired teacher, living within the Chorley community, but grew up in Stalybridge, in the Tameside area of Manchester. After graduating from The University of Manchester, with a degree in Zoology, and then obtaining a PGCE in Science education from Didsbury College, I became a Biology teacher at Altrincham Girls’ Grammar school, moving later to Mornington High School in Wigan, where I taught all three sciences. I also have an additional PGCE in SEN education from The University of Lancaster. During my teaching career I have held management responsibilities within both pastoral and curriculum areas. I was Special Needs/ Gifted and Talented Manager for several years, progressing to a senior management role with responsibility for leading new innovation and improvement within the school setting. During this time I trained as a narrow boat leader and took parties of students on a number of expeditions and accompanied a group of students each year on an outdoor pursuits week at the local authority’s outdoor pursuit centre on Coniston Water. I was a staff Governor at Mornington High School for five years, and have been a Governor at Parklands since 2010, where I have contributed to several committees as Vice Chair of Governors and a Chair of the Standards and Effectiveness committee. I have thoroughly enjoyed making whatever contribution I could to the Governing body and the school. In recent years I have volunteered at Balshaw Lane Community Primary School, supporting children on an individual and group basis.