Martin Ainscough
Worked in the City for 10 years, latterly with Nomura. In 1995, together with other family members, he established Bispham Green Brewery Co. He now runs a select group of individual hotels, pubs and restaurants in the North West of England. Other business interests include a 1600 acre organic mixed farming enterprise, and a self-catering holiday cottage business in Cumbria.
Martin's current project is to restore the core of the Croston Hall Estate in Lancashire. As well as Chairman of the Trustees of the Lakeland Arts Trust, he was Vice Chairman of Governors at Compton Verney Art Gallery in Warwickshire, a trustee of the John Moores Painting Prize and a member of the council of Grizedale Arts.
Elizabeth Rink
Elizabeth (Pit) Rink was a Senior Lecturer in the Department of General Practice and Primary Care at Saint George’s Hospital Medical School University of London. She has contributed to many papers and conferences, and for eight years until 2010 was Chairman of Ataxia UK, a research and support charity for people with a degenerative neurological condition. She is based in London but has a home in the Lake District. Pit Rink is Vice Chairman of the Trustees for the Lakeland Arts Trust, and has a keen interest in the Arts & Crafts.
Henry CF Bowring
Henry Bowring runs his own fine art consultancy business and is a consultant to the Chairman's Office at Sotheby's, his particular interest being 17th to 19th Century English furniture and works of art. He is the regional Chairman of the Historic Houses Association for Cumbria and was for some time a member of the Art Fund, is a magistrate on the South Lakeland Bench, a former High Sheriff of Cumbria and a Deputy Lieutenant of the county. He is also President of the Westmorland branch of the NSPCC.
Anthea Case CBE
Director of the National Heritage Memorial Fund and the first Director of the Heritage Lottery Fund between 1995 and 2003 and Chair of the Heritage Alliance between 2004 and 2010, Anthea Case has had extensive experience of funding bodies. She previously had a successful career in HM Treasury and has a strong interest in the arts. She directs the Arcadia Fund and is Chair of the East of England National Trust Regional Advisory Board, a Commissioner for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) and is a Trustee of a number of Heritage, Museum and Philanthropic charities in England and the US. In 2003 she was awarded a CBE for services to heritage.
Michael Clarke CBE
Director of the National Gallery of Scotland, Michael Clarke oversaw the Playfair Project (1999-2004) which created a new complex in the centre of Edinburgh, comprising the National Gallery of Scotland, the Royal Scottish Academy and the Weston Link, which currently attracts around 900,000 visitors annually. An expert on French painting, he has published widely, including books on English watercolours and the landscape painting Camille Corot. He is a fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.
Charles W N Crewdson, OBE
After a varied career in the army Charles returned home to Cumbria. During his 25 years of service he was involved based in West Berlin, Germany, Italy, Norway and involved in operations in Cyprus, Northern Ireland (Belfast), Bosnia, Middle East, Kosovo, Falkland Islands, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. The last 5 years were spent predominantly involved in the Middle East including commanding his regiment in Iraq. Also during his time in the army he organised the Ten Tors on Dartmoor, a youth event for 18,000 schoolchildren which fuelled his desire to stay involved with young people.
In 2007 Charles returned to the fold of the family firm, Gilbert Gilkes & Gordon Ltd, to take up the position of Chairman. The Company was founded and has remained in Kendal since 1853 and manufactures pumps and hydro electric equipment which it exports worldwide. Charles is particularly interested in the providing of apprenticeships and graduate placements to make available quality jobs to our extremely talented youth.
He is married to Victoria, with one son, James.
Charlie Gere
Charlie Gere is Reader in New Media Research in the Lancaster Institute for Contemporary Arts, Lancaster University. Until 2005 he was Lecturer in Digital Art History in the Department of the History of Art and Visual Culture, Birkbeck College, University of London. He is the author of Digital Culture (Reaktion Books, 2002), Art, Time and Technology (Berg, 2006), Non-Relational Aesthetics: Transmission, the Rules of Engagement 13 (Artwords, 2008), with Michael Corris, and Community without Community in a Digital Culture (Palgrave McMillan, forthcoming, 2012), and co-editor of White Heat Cold Technology (MIT Press, 2009), and, of Art Practice in a Digital Culture (Ashgate, 2010), as well as many papers on questions of technology, media and art. In 2007 he co-curated Feedback, a major exhibition on art responsive to instructions, input, or its environment, in Gijon, Northern Spain. He lives in Lancashire with his family.
Annie Graham
A career in television and broadcasting has given Anne Graham extensive experience of the media, and many contacts in London as well as the North East. She has previously been on the board of Northern Arts and other board experience includes Chairman of two NHS Trusts, Chairman of BBC Regional Advisory panel and Chairman of a Media Training Agency in the North East. She lives in the North of Cumbria.
Jocelyn Holland
Former Regional Chairman of the Art Fund, Jocelyn Holland took time off some years ago to pursue a degree in Country House Studies at Leeds University. She has a broad knowledge of fine art and country houses, and a keen interest in paintings. Living in the North of Cumbria, she is involved with several charities in the North West as well as acting as a Councillor with Carlisle Parish Council.
Sara Keegan
Having worked for many years in the commercial world of the City of London Sara moved back to the family hill farm 14 years ago to live full time. Sara has in the past been involved in the Friends of Abbot Hall and was Chairman of the Support Trust and assisted with the initial fundraising for Blackwell. She is also a Trustee on the Board of St, Mary's Hospice in Ulverston.
Dr John Martin Robinson
An expert in eighteenth century houses and gardens with a broad knowledge of fine art and furniture, John Martin Robinson runs his own architectural consultancy business and is one of Britain’s foremost architectural historians. He has been a long-term advisor at Arundel, has written numerous books on English Country Houses and architecture, and is a regular contributor to Country Life magazine. Recently he curated the exhibition ‘The Regency house’ at the Soane Museum, and wrote the accompanying book. He is Vice-chairman of the Georgian Group and a Queen’s Herald, and divides his time between homes in London and Cumbria.
Peter Rogers CBE
A professional economist, who studied Economics at Manchester University and the London School of Economics, Peter Rogers worked in local and national government, before becoming a regulator in housing, and then broadcasting. As Director of Finance and subsequently Chief Executive of the Independent Television Commission he worked on broadcasting policy, managed a £70m budget and 1,400 staff. He created a new license system, defended the ITC (successfully) at judicial review, and developed its role and structure. He was also non-executive Director of Channel Four for 10 years. He received a CBE for services to broadcasting and has retired to the Lake District. Peter Rogers is also the Trust’s Honorary Treasurer.
Anthony Rickards Collinson
A senior solicitor and director of Whiteside and Knowles Ltd in Morecambe, Tony Collinson advises the Lakeland Arts Trust on legal matters. Tony is the Trust’s Honorary Secretary.
