Our Board comprises five Trustees elected by our membership, three Trustees nominated by Stratford Town Council and three Trustees co-opted by the board to provide additional skills. You can find out about being a Trustee for Stratford Town Trust by watching our short film:
Matthew Poole will join us as CEO on 14th March. He is currently Director of Programmes and Grants at The Youth Futures Foundation. Previously, he held senior roles in UK grantmaking, including at The National Lottery Community Fund and prior to that, he led the development of Ageing Better in Birmingham whilst working at BVSC, delivering community-based initiatives to reduce loneliness and improve inclusion for older people.
Telephone: 01789 207102
Rebecca Hampson is our Head of Finance and Deputy CEO who has thirty plus years of finance experience and fifteen plus years of that is in the charity sector. Rebecca trained as a chartered accountant with PwC in Birmingham and has lived and worked in Warwickshire for over twenty years. When not at work she enjoys spending time outdoors - dog walking, gardening and cycling. Family time is also important for her. Recently jam and gin making with produce from the garden have become new hobbies too.
Telephone: 01789 295011
Kate is our Community Hub Administrator. She has worked in Operations in the Royal Airforce, followed by six years in the police working in the Anti-Social Behaviour Unit.
More recently, Kate has worked for the NHS as a Social Prescriber and a Health and Wellbeing Coach. She is also an Ambassador for Macmillan Cancer Support, helping them to raise vital funds for people living with cancer. In her spare time, she reads, runs, and enjoys taking care of her own health and wellbeing at the gym.
Telephone: 01789 207103
Sarah is our Finance Assistant who started with Stratford Town Trust back in 2015. During this time she has completed her level 4 AAT Professional Diploma in Accounting, which has helped her greatly working in the busy finance team. Sarah has always lived in and around Stratford-upon-Avon, and really enjoys working in the town centre and that each day at the Trust is very varied and busy. Life outside of work she enjoys lots of country walks, meals out and house renovations, she also volunteers for the local primary school’s PTA.
Telephone: 01789 207105
Abigail Johnson is our Communications Officer with a background in public sector and charity communications, events, PR and marketing. When she’s not working she is with her family, writing, baking or enjoying the great outdoors.
Telephone: 01789 207110
Victoria is our administrative assistant who arranges our Bandstand Summer Live Music Programme and is responsible for planning events at Guild Chapel, administrator for our allotments. She previously owned a local printing firm for seven years and has also worked in estate agency. Out of work interests include property, undertook a large housing renovation project challenging and rewarding. In her spare time, Vicci enjoys spending time with family and friends. She has also obtained a British Sign Language Stage 1 qualification and a Beauty Specialist Diploma.
Telephone: 01789 207106
Felicity has worked in business management since 2012, most recently at a canal boat marina near Rugby. Engaging with the local and boating communities there was what led her to join Stratford Town Trust, to be able to have more impact in a community-minded role.
In her spare time, she likes to run, cycle and explore new playgrounds with her two children. She champions environmental causes and loves to upcycle fabric into new outfits and accessories.
Telephone: 01789 207107
Lynn Perkins is our Executive Assistant and has worked for the Trust since its inception in 2001. She came to the Town Trust after almost 20 years at the Town Council so is well versed in the history of the Guild and College Estates. Lynn was born and educated in Stratford and now lives in Kineton. She is a keen bird watcher, enjoys playing badminton and is now getting to grips with basic gardening skills since moving (always room for improvement!).
Sarah is Deputy Manager of the Community Hub. With a background in theatre, she has found it a fascinating challenge to learn the ins and outs of operating a community building.
Telephone: 01789 207114
David works in our Grants Team, joining the Trust in 2025. Previously David worked in the pensions industry for 24 years and has a background of financial management, compliance and client relationship management before looking to pursue a career within the charity sector. David is currently a school governor for a Stratford school and has been a volunteer reader and helper at the school. David went to school in Stratford and continues to live in Stratford with his family. Outside of work he enjoys time with his family, open-water swimming and watching rugby.
Telephone: 01789 207108
James McHugh is our Grants Manager, with more than 15 year working directly in grantmaking, including a number of roles at The National Lottery Community Fund and working as a consultant to the social research company Ecorys. Away from the office, James enjoys (and endures) lots of dog walking with his excitable fox terrier cross, Santini, cooking, and generally complaining about how Aston Villa have contrived to ruin his weekend.
Telephone: 01789 207109
Richard Popple is our Buildings and Facilities manager and has been with the Trust since February 2024. He has previously worked for H.M Forces for 30 years. He then worked for a large property company for 16 years, starting as a Site Manager, then promoted to Facilities Manager and again promoted to Property Manager, gaining an extensive knowledge of buildings and Facilities within their portfolio. Richard's hobbies include jet skiing, dining out and spending quality time with his family.