| Adelina has lived in Canterbury for 8 years. She is an economist (BSc Economics and Business Science and MSc Economics) and works as Research Fellow at the London School of Economics and Political Science investigating the costs of providing long-term care to older people. Her work focuses on the impact that improvements in the health of older people could have on future on long-term care expenditure. As a result of her work she is conscious of the value of helping older people remain active and involved in their communities. She feels strongly that the centre of Canterbury needs a community space where everyone, from the very young to the very old, can feel at home, relax, play and learn. The Westgate Hall is ideal for this. Until her children came along, she ran a stall at the Goods Shed selling foods imported from cooperatives and artisan producers in her native Catalonia. |
| Moving between continents throughout her life has taught Imogen the value of community. She believes that the Westgate Hall, a landmark for over a century, is the ideal place for Canterbury old timers and newcomers to meet, form new friendships and, in the process, build and strengthen the city's community. With education defined by Australia, the UK, France, and the USA, and focused on History, Art History, Arts Management, cultural diplomacy, and languages, she has most recently worked for The Sunday Times, and volunteered with a choir for disadvantaged inner city youth in Washington, DC. Imogen has a BA (Joint Hons.)in History/History of Art, from Bristol University, and an MA in Arts Management, from American University, Washington, DC. |
| Michael is a guitar teacher (see here for details) with a Master's Degree in Classical Guitar performance and has performed as a soloist around Europe. He has been dancing salsa at Westgate Hall for a couple of years and initially got involved in this project so he wouldn't have to give it up. After taking time to look around the building he decided it really is a cause worth fighting for. Since his parents first entered him in a Best Baby competition (which, surprisingly, he won) he has had a flare for stagecraft and has been involved in most areas of theatre: props management; sound tech; costume design, script writing; directing and acting. He has no qualifications in web building but has enjoyed the challenge of creating this site, despite wearing his fingers to the bone with all the typing. Michael is now taking commissions in website design. If you'd like to enquire about his services click here. |
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| Alan has been a City-centre resident for nearly 35 years. Prior to retirement in 2008, he was senior partner of local solicitors The Parry Sharratt Partnership, his principal fields being commercial property and dispute resolution. |  |
| Born and bred in Canterbury - now a Grandmother. Works as Medical Secretary at BMI Chaucer Hospital. Passionate about community events and hates a throwaway society. Wife of member of Beverley Big Band involved in organising regular dances at Westgate Hall. |  |
| David is a community development professional and has worked in this field for 15 years in both the Voluntary and public sector. He is currently a Funding specialist working for a local authority enabling community groups to access external funding. In the past 7 years David has been involved with £10,000,000 of successful bids to the Big Lottery, Heritage Lottery Fund, Sport England, Arts Council South East and numerous Trusts and government funds. In addition to funding David has led on Parish Plans and village design statement community consultation within Kent and across the South East, developed the Rural Housing Enabler Network across the region and been involved in a number of Community Social Enterprises. During 2009 David wrote a successful bid for £335,000 from the Big Lottery Young Peoples Fund (£500,000 project in total) to establish the Switch Youth Cafe and developed a new Trust to deliver this project within Maidstone Town Centre. Currently he is the Vice Chairman of this successful project that opened in March 2010. Past Trustee of the Kent & Medway Walking Bus, lives in the Canterbury area and uses the Westgate Hall. |
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I am born and bred in Canterbury and attended Simon Langton Girls School. I have always wanted to work with young children and families, and volunteered for nine years with the Girl Guiding Association. After leaving school I trained as a Norland Nanny at Norland College in Bath. After completing my training I worked as a nanny in Bath and Cambridge before returning to Canterbury in 2007 where I continued to nanny. I loved my time nannying and still keep in touch with many of the families today. I now work as a Community Involvement Worker in a children's centre in Folkestone. My job involves outreach work in the community, often supporting families with complex needs, and providing drop-in groups and courses to our parents and children. I have undertaken various training courses which I now incorporate into my role such as Baby Massage and being a Stop Smoking advisor. I also recruit and coordinate the volunteers within the centre. Having worked in Canterbury I understand the need for a venue within the City centre where parents and carers can access quality facilities for families with young children. I am keen to see a variety of courses and groups for the community to access and enjoy, and have become involved in the Early Years action group in the hope to see such things come to fruition. |
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A qualified Chartered Accountant with a legal background, John has lived in and around Canterbury since 1997. After graduating from the University of Kent with a Law degree and diploma in Computer Science, John completed law school and joined the magic circle law firm Clifford Chance where he predominantly worked on large corporate transactions in IT, telecoms and media. John later switched careers and joined Ernst & Young where he qualified as a Chartered Accountant - having achieved an Order of Merit in his Business Management examinations, placing him second in the country. John worked in Ernst & Young's financial services and corporate finance teams including leading statutory audit teams in the UK and project work in Ethiopia. From Ernst & Young John joined the Kent Reliance Building Society working initially as a risk manager and moving on to work in other areas of the business including finance, treasury, operations and leading the Senior Management Team during a period of change and upheaval which helped him hone his change management skills. John joined Independent Growth Finance (IGF) as Finance Director in 2004. IGF is a funder of SME's and is wholly owned by a non-for profit organisation Greater London Enterprise. The role grew over the years eventually encompassing HR, IT, Marketing, Premises, Underwriting, Company Secretarial and Strategic Direction. John left IGF in 2010 and is currently taking a career break and getting involved in Community projects. John's experience of mutual and not for profit organisations as well as the challenges of running a small business and the financial acumen gained as a Chartered Accountant strengthens the financial and business credentials of the team. |
John has lived and worked in and around the City of Canterbury since 1978 and is a familiar face around the city by night as he conducts groups on his popular Canterbury Ghost Tour. It was John's involvement with the local community and the opportunities of fundraising that attracted him to the project and he is proud to support the concept and provide his services to promote the Westgate Community Hall to a wider audience. |
I first became involved in the Westgate Hall Trust about 8 months ago. I had been aware of the campaign to save the hall as a Canterbury resident but decided to find out more and so looked at the website and instantly decided to join the trust and offer my help. At this time the Trust were developing their business plan and having worked for the last 5 years at Kent County Council in the headquarters of social care and within a business planning and strategy role I thought I could offer some help. This aside what struck me most was the enthusiasm and dedication of the Trust executive, after all these were volunteers, many of whom work full time and yet they had achieved so much. Working in social care and from my own experiences I am too familiar with the devastating impact isolation and loneliness can have, especially on people as they grow older. I feel strongly that we underestimate the capacity and resources within our communities and believe with a little innovation and creativity we can better support people who just need a little help with day to day tasks or more importantly seek friendship. The hall is an ideal location to bring people together; to enjoy community and leisure activities and for people to share ideas and skills. Canterbury is a vibrant city but to have lost its community centre - its 'village hall' would have been tragic. I am so glad the Trust has managed to preserve this wonderful building for the generations of Canterbury residents who can benefit from it and I look forward to being a part of it. |
Steve lives in Adisham, Canterbury and is a regular user of Westgate Hall. He attended Nottingham University, graduating with a joint honours B.Sc in maths/physics. He joined BT in 1981 and had a full and rewarding career working in local, national and international aspects of telecommunciations business. After 26 years he left BT as Head of Business Planning (BT Global Services) and is now enjoying a break from work pursuing his passion for Salsa dancing. Steve has an MBA from Imperial College, London. |
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Born 1947. Studied art Folkestone under Gerald Norden, and Pimlico with Hayward Veal. Art programme with James Bourlett, Kings Road, gilding and restoration. Life member Chelsea Arts Club. Canterbury Westgate Ward Councillor 1995 to 2005. Sheriff of Canterbury 2004-2005. Lives and works in Restorer's cottage 13 St Peter's Lane Canterbury, Married to Susan Sanders, painter, teacher(RA schools). |
