The Trustees of Lands Village Hall Management Committee
We are Lands Village Hall Management Committee Trustees. The committee consists of twelve trustees, including a chairman, secretary and treasurer. You can contact us through the website or the email addresses below.
Executive Committee
Glenn Reffin, Chairman (chair@landsvillagehall.uk)
Glenn has consistently moved around the UK, pursuing either an education or a career. He studied at University in London. After finishing his degree, Glenn stayed in London, working in both the public and private sectors. The longest time he has stayed in one place was in London, where he worked in both public and private sectors. Other locations he’s lived in include Cambridgeshire, Hampshire and Devon. He says he has never lived in a place with a stronger sense of community than High Lands in County Durham. So, he thinks it is essential for the village hall to reopen.
He owns his own web development business, which he has been running for many years.
Previously, he worked in diverse roles in the public and private sectors. During his fifteen years of service at London Underground, his jobs included:
- strategic and business planning for the whole organisation;
- generating income from advertising, free WiFi and newspapers, sponsorship, etc.; and,
- Sponsor for multi-million-pound projects refurbishing London Underground stations.
In another job, he set up a limited company managing the communal areas of some residential properties. In his youth, he was the secretary of a rescue committee for his local Arts Centre, which raised £750k in less than six months.
Glenn has been a vegetarian since 1992 and enjoys baking bread. His favourite authors are Terry Pratchett and JRR Tolkien. He housed a feral kitten in 2021 named Gorky, who is loved by everyone that meets him.
He is pleased to act as Chairman of Lands Village Hall Trust and as one of the Trustees for the hall.
Alison Deakin, Secretary (secretary@landsvillagehall.uk)
Alison moved to County Durham from Cheshire 16 years ago to support her elderly father. Before retiring, she worked in the community around Teesdale, Weardale and Derwentside.
Since retiring, Alison has worked as a volunteer at Stray Aid in Coxhoe and as a Parish Councillor. Alison is passionate about natural history and the environment. She walks most days with her dog, Dusty and loves walking along the Gaunless. Consequently, with Dusty’s help, she tries to keep the environment tidy by picking up litter wherever they go.
David Dodd, Treasurer (treasurer@landsvillagehall.uk)
After retiring from teaching and engineering, subsequently, David moved to Lands a few years ago. He has many interests, such as walking on the Fell, DIY and working on motorbikes and cars.
He likes living in the village: the people are friendly and helpful, fostering a true community spirit.
Management Committee and other Trustees
Simon Dobson, Management Committee Trustee
Simon was born in Butterknowle. He has lived in and around here all his life. Recently, he moved to High Lands with his wife, Kirstie, and son, Charlie.
Simon works in structural engineering as a welder and fabricator for a company in Newton Aycliffe. His passion is tinkering in his shed with whatever is at hand. Therefore, Simon is happy to be part of the Management Committee. He is very willing to help in any way he can.
Paul Dodd, Management Committee Trustee
Paul moved to the village from the “big city” (Darlington) around six years ago. He has worked in Educational Management for most of his career.
Paul’s interests include travelling, motorbikes, snowboarding and anything else “outdoorsy”.
Gerard Gaynor, Management Committee Trustee
After completing his schooling at St. Francis Xavier School, Richmond, which he hated passionately, he left with twelve O’ Levels because he wasn’t going back.
At this point, he started the “Atomic Disco” with a friend. The disco ran very successfully for fifteen years alongside his day job.
Gerard considers himself lucky to have served a 5-year apprenticeship with the MOD. He went on to work for a Race Tech company, building F1 and rally car engines to a world-beating standard.
After many happy years, he subsequently moved on to an engineering company, Agricultural Industrial Hydraulics. Here he was a chargehand, foreman and technical problem-solver. Unfortunately, this company went into receivership, and consequently, the employees faced the dole.
As a result, five of those employees took the plunge and started A5 Hydraulics thirty years ago. During its time, A5 Hydraulics has achieved Small Business of the Year. It also acquired work from many big companies, including GSK, Northumbrian Water, ICI, and British Steel. These days, there are only two of the original five left. Meanwhile, their motto remains, “Say what you do and do what you say.”
Gerard is very passionate about community and the preservation of the countryside. Therefore, he hopes to help Lands Village Hall remain a valuable asset in the local community.
Elaine Harrison, Management Committee Trustee
Elaine moved to High Lands in March 2021 with her husband, Philip and two cats, Daisy and Sammy. On Saturdays, she works in Barnard Castle at a shop selling clothing and outdoor wear.
Elaine’s hobbies include reading, crafting, and sewing. Also, she hopes to teach herself watercolour painting. She also attends a Zumba® class regularly.
She describes herself as “jolly enthusiastic” with good people skills; undoubtedly, these traits will be valuable as a member of the Management Committee and a Trustee of the hall!
Carol Suddick, Management Committee Trustee
More information about us
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