Meet the team

Tim Bailey was elected Trustee in 2018 and served as Deputy Chair of the Board from 2021 until November 2023 when he was appointed Chair. Tim has lived in Stratford for 50 years, working as a Police Officer for 30 years and ten years as Assistant Head of Sixth Form at King Edward VI School. He is involved in several community groups including Friends of Rowley Fields. Previously Tim has chaired his local Scout Group, was a Governor at Stratford upon Avon School for seven years and attends St James Church, Alveston. He joined the Trust to help serve the local community and ensure the Trust's assets are used to their best effect.

Josie joined as a Trustee in 2020 and was elected by the membership in 2022. She served as Chair of the Grants & Community Engagement Committee from 2021 to 2023 and is currently Deputy Chair of the Board.  She is a strategic communications consultant with more than 25 years’ experience in the arts, entertainment and sports sectors, working with clients across the UK and internationally.  Her career spans both public and private sectors, supporting major global brands as well as grassroots charities.  She currently works with clients in the non-profit and cultural sectors.  Josie has lived in Stratford-upon-Avon since 2014 and is committed to supporting and strengthening the local community.

Marion became an elected Trustee in 2022.  She’s lived in Stratford for over 30 years and has worked at both Holy Trinity Parish and Stratford Methodist Church and was a school governor at Broad Street Primary School.  Marion managed Stratford Foodbank for over six years and now works for the foodbank charity Trussell, supporting foodbanks across the Midlands to offer financial advice alongside emergency food.

Simon Littlejohns was appointed as a co-opted Trustee in September 2022.  He has lived in Stratford Old Town since 2015.  Simon is a chartered accountant and chartered tax adviser and runs his own accountancy practice in Stratford.  Simon would like to give a little back to the town and sees the co-opted Trustee role as an ideal way for him to contribute in a small way to Stratford’s community.

Henry became an elected Trustee in 2022 and has lived in Shottery since 1995. Henry has spent the past decade working in voluntary roles with various national institutions and non-profit making organisations sharing his legal, engineering and financial expertise seeking to make a difference to and improve the lives of others.  With his diverse background and life experience, Henry hopes to contribute to the board’s decision-making processes making them even more diverse and inclusive. 

Lewis is a nominated Trustee, joining the Board on 1 June 2024.  He moved to Stratford in 2009 and lives in Old Town.  Lewis has spent most of his professional career in the arts, most recently as Chief Executive of the Federation of British Artists.  Lewis also has eighteen years of investment management experience based in London.  He is now an adviser on cultural restitution issues and is founder of the online resource Returningheritage.com. 

Elected as a Trustee in 2022, Michael has lived in Stratford for 27 years.  He joined the BBC in 1971, where he worked in Radio and TV Drama in London, then subsequently at Pebble Mill. Michael became a Freelance Producer, Director and Writer in Television and Film during this time, and maintains an active interest in the local arts scene both as an audience member, an occasional columnist in the Stratford Herald and a sometime director with local theatre companies.

Jonathan was appointed as a co-opted Trustee at the beginning of April 2022 and is a qualified accountant with over 25 years’ experience working in public sector finance. Brought up in south Birmingham he relocated to Stratford a few years ago as he loves the area and can be nearer to friends and family. He has been involved with several charities in the arts, development, and justice areas for many years as a chair, trustee or treasurer.

Sarah is a nominated Trustee, joining the Board in June 2024.  She grew up in Derbyshire and worked in Sheffield for many years in the hand tool industry.  In 1986, she moved to the Stratford-on-Avon area and worked on the show and exhibition circuit creating and selling object d'art.  2003 saw a huge career change when Sarah joined the Town Council as the Mayor's secretary, and later the same year became Town Clerk.  She remained in post for almost twenty years and took early retirement in 2022.  Sarah is a passionate gardener, an avid reader, and completely besotted with her pets.  Sarah acts as the Trustee with safeguarding responsibility.

Mark Tailby was appointed as a co-opted Trustee in February 2023.  Mark was born in Stratford, moved away and returned in 2020.  He is a semi-retired management consultant with a property background and has also worked in commercial solar project management.  Previously Mark has served as a school governor and has worked with several charitable organisations as a consultant which has given him useful experience for his role as Trustee.

Sundash Jassi was appointed as a Non-Executive Member of the Audit & Governance Committee in 2013 and within this role has served alternate years as Chair of that Committee.  The post provides an independent perspective to the organisation and supports the Committee with its responsibilities relating to risk, control and governance, and all matters relating to the Trust’s constitution, regulations and corporate decision-making processes.  Sundash is employed as Audit Director at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP and has also served on the Board of Trustees of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra since 2019. 

David was appointed as a Non-Executive Member of the Audit & Governance Committee in 2023 and works alongside Sundash, chairing that Committee in alternate years.  He moved to Warwickshire in 2016 upon retirement and since then has served as the Independent Chair of the Audit Risk and Assurance Committee for the West Midlands Combined Authority; Chair of Governors for Ferncumbe Primary School in Hatton; Chair of the Forward Education Multi Academy Trust in Birmingham (a Trust dedicated to only educating children with special needs) and was co-opted as a Parish Councillor for his local Parish Council. Before moving to Warwickshire, he was Chair designate of Governors at a large Primary school, a Trustee at a Housing Association and a Mentor on the Young Enterprise Scheme. He has now retired from these positions and is now looking to continue to use his experience in smaller voluntary roles During his professional career David held senior positions with Royal Mail and the BBC and also held consultancy roles with DEFRA, the NHS and Care Quality Commission.