Meet Our Trustees

John Galvin MBE

Hon Secretary

John retired from full-time employment in 2016 following a long career in environmental regulation with the Environment Agency and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). He was made an MBE for services to the environment in 2012. John has lived in Ingatestone for over 35 years. He has been a chairman of the Junior School Parent Teachers Association and was chairman of the Tennis Club for several years. He became a trustee in 2010 and has been Hon Secretary since then. In addition to his role as Secretary, John leads on health and safety and has been instrumental in setting up the Community Association as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation, modernising our constitution and obtaining new premises and gaming licences for the Centre.

Lilian Hunter

Chair

Lilian's family moved to Ingatestone in 1981 and Lilian soon joined the Drama Group, then the Opera Group, where she was a member for many years . Lilian was Chair of IMOG for ten years and became a Trustee in 2005, as their representative. In 2008 Lilian was “persuaded” to stand as Chair for the Association to help save the ailing Club. A small number of dedicated committee members joined her and they have worked extremely hard to improve the situation – each member contributing their own talents and abilities. Lilian has personally applied for 20 grants (15 of which were successful) and the £110,000 raised contributed towards the improvements you see around you today. Lilian says she has found it very satisfying to see that the efforts of the Trustees and their supporters have been so successful and the Community Centre has become such an important part of village life.

Paul Wisbey

Trustee

Paul Wisbey or ‘Wis’ is a long-standing trustee and regular in the bar. He has undertaken so many of the more arduous projects to keep the Centre going, including helping with the refurbishment of the kitchen. When not working, he is a bee-keeper.

Jenny Fowle FCA

Treasurer

Jenny Fowle has been chair of Young Expressions youth theatre group sine 2015 and is thrilled that the group continues to give so many local children the opportunity to perform live on stage. She became a trustee of the Community Centre in 2017 and was appointed Honorary Treasurer in 2018. Jenny is a Chartered Accountant but is now semi-retired which gives her more time to get involved in the local community. As well as her involvement with Young Expressions and the Community Centre she is also a Parent Governor at Chelmsford County High School for Girls.

Tom O'Connor
Trustee

Tom has lived in Ingatestone with his wife Moira since 1988 and has been a member of the Community centre for many of those. He was also a Governor of the Junior School where his daughter attended and was actively involved for many years in the local football teams with his two sons.

Tom spent over 30 years in banking and finance, he held senior management roles, including Head of Treasury at a London Bank. Tom’s expertise covers management of liquidity, capital, budget planning and balance-sheet management across a variety of businesses, as well as monitoring the risks associated with credit and operations.

Tom holds a number of board and advisory positions across a variety of sectors and assists start-up companies through his company with their business and financial plans.

Teresa Ravenscroft
Trustee

Teresa moved to Ingatestone aged 7 and grew up in the village. Many of her pastimes involved the community centre and it took a special place in her heart. Teresa performed in various drama shows and musicals with both Dramatic and Musical societies and also attended aerobics, dancing and various other clubs at the venue. Teresa has been a Trustee previously, when the centre was in real trouble and needed all hands on deck! Teresa says that it is such a pleasure to see it blossom and grow now and be a service for other village residents.

Jim Donnell
Trustee

Jim moved to Ingatestone with his family seven years ago and has been involved with the Ingatestone Musical and Operetta Group (IMOG) ever since. He is actively involved as a Parent Governor at the Junior school as well as volunteering for a variety of local events. Jim currently works as Business Analyst in the Pharmaceutical industry as well as part-time Celebrant and Toastmaster. Jim's passion is expanding the arts and culture available at the club as well as promoting it's general use as a centre point for the whole community

Peter Batchelor
Trustee

Pete has lived in Ingatestone since 1995 and been a member of IFCA for most of that time. For the past decade he worked as a technology consultant on a wide range of projects, and before that as a civil servant at the Department for Business in London, where he led the development of UK strategy for the electronics and IT hardware sectors. He’s a parish councillor for Ingatestone & Fryerning, and chairs the council’s Economic Development Working Group. He’s an active member of the Ingatestone Bowling Club, as well as the Ingatestone & Fryerning History Society.