Village & Community

Committee

Mike Gibbons

Chair & Trustee

Mike and his wife Lynne moved to Cartmel in 2008 and both care very much about the village of Cartmel and the surrounding area.

Mike began his professional life as a teacher of English and subsequently led several schools in the UK and in Europe. He has just retired from consultancy, specialising in school leadership, the establishment of new schools and the design of new buildings for schools.

He was a founding member of The National College for School Leadership and has advised Government on innovation in Education and the reform of schools. He has spoken extensively on education in Britain and abroad and is passionate on the role of education in changing society for the better. He was involved in the World Innovation Summit on Education helping to select and develop the most innovative projects from around the globe.

He retains his interest in English Literature and now, living in Cartmel, enjoys the Lake District’s association with Wordsworth, Ruskin and other writers.

Barry Dean

Barry Dean

Trustee

Barry was born in Chadderton, Nr Oldham and after qualifying as a Chartered Surveyor, set up his own Valuation and General Surveying Business in Rochdale in 1972, stepping down as MD in 2010.

His family have had a long association with Cartmel, living in the village for over 50 years whilst he took over the family home as resident 2007.

Chair of the Cartmel Township Initiative Group and Vice Chair of the Cartmel Village Society, he is an active member of Grange Golf Club, a keen gardener and supportive of all aspects leading to the village’s enhancement.

david crabtree

David Crabtree

Treasurer & Trustee

David was born in Preston, Lancashire and went to school in Grange before going on to Malvern College. He gained a BSc(Eng) at Salford University whilst working at G.E.C. He then spent the majority of his working life in the health care industry.

A keen sportsman, he formed a cricket club and went on to become Chairman of the Palace Shield Cricket competition. He is no stranger to Cartmel as he used to come to the race meetings with his parents as a young boy and then with his children.

He moved to Cartmel in 2008 and joined the Village Society in 2009 and is the current Treasurer. He likes to be involved with the local community and is the present Chair of the Cartmel in Bloom Group.

Ian Holcroft

Ian Holcroft

Secretary & Trustee

Ian was born in Southport and has worked in procurement in the Construction industry for over 25 years.

He moved to Cartmel in 2010 with his wife Rachel, whose family have been lived in nearby Field Broughton for many years.He has three young children who all attend school in Cartmel.

He joined the Village Society in 2010 as Secretary and took up the position again in 2016 following a four year work sabbatical in Sydney, Australia. In addition to Cartmel and his family Ian has a passion for rugby union.

Tiffany Hunt

Tiffany Hunt

Trustee

Tiffany’s parents moved to Cartmel in 1981 and she followed in 2002 when she became the National Trust’s Director for the North West. It transpired that they weren’t the first members of their family with Cartmel connections as a forebear was married in Cartmel Priory at the end of the 18th century.

Tiffany is a volunteer for Cartmel Priory and sits on the Fabric Advisory Committee. She has previously been the Chair of the CVS and Cartmel in Bloom and was involved with the Cartmel Township Initiative.

Now semi-retired she began her professional working life as a museum curator before joining the National Trust’s staff in Yorkshire. Over a 28 year period she held a variety of roles working in the UK and overseas before she became successively Director of the Northumbria, Yorkshire and the North West regions. Since retiring from the National Trust she has undertaken various volunteer and non executive roles. These currently include being the Chair of the National Lottery Heritage Fund Committee for the North of England, a member of the Lake District National Park Authority and York Minster’s Fabric Advisory Committee and a Trustee of the Friends of the Lake District.

Tiffany now lives with her sister Annabel in the house which for many years belonged to the Cartmel historian Dr John Dickinson.

Ewan

Ewen Cameron

Trustee

Ewen was born in Cambridge and grew up in Dundee. Joining the Army directly from school, after 2 years at RMA Sandhurst he spent 33 years working in communications, finance and IT, with 8 years in Germany and 4 years in Northern Ireland (including 2 years as head of finance, administration and personnel).

Before moving to Cumbria Ewen lived in Winchester and was heavily involved with the Council of Community Services, Disability Support Group and Citizens Advice Bureau. In 2003 he moved to Cartmel to work as the bursar at Thorncliffe School in Barrow.

In the last 17 years Ewen has served as a parish councillor, worked for Cartmel Racecourse for 7 years, and has been involved with Cartmel Healthwalks and other local activities. His interests include walking, music and local history.

The Reverend Nick Devenish

The Reverend Nick Devenish

Trustee

Nick and his wife Diana moved to Cartmel in January 2012 as he took up the post of vicar of Cartmel Priory. Ordained as priest in 2004 Nick served in the diocese of Ely with roles in Huntingdon and Peterborough. He had the rare opportunity to build a new church community on a brand new housing development. During this time he held a number of wider church responsibilities including as a leader for The Church of England’s ‘Weddings Project’ and ‘The Back to Church Sunday’ initiative.

Nick enjoyed a commercial career before going back to university and was a commercial amanager for Marks and Spencer PLC prior to ordination.

He is passionate about Cartmel continuing to be a place of welcome and hospitality that was first started by The Augustinian Canons over 800 years ago as The Priory welcomes pilgrims, worshippers and visitors from around the world.

craig

Craig Johnson

Trustee

Craig was born in Sale, Cheshire, where he attended Sale Grammar School for Boys before going on to Birmingham Metropolitan University where he studied Business Studies. Whilst there he joined the judo team, the highlight of which was representing his university at the National Championships, Crystal Palace.

Craig worked for an international intralogistics company for 34 years, where he gained a broad business knowledge, sat on various global business and marketing development committees and gained a post-graduate diploma in Marketing Management, as well as learning to speak German. When he retired in 2016 he was Head of Marketing with a team of 14 and had helped the company to increase its UK turnover to more than £200m.

Craig’s love of Cartmel began when his future wife moved to the village to take up a position with Glaxo, Ulverston in 1997. He split his time between Cheshire and Cartmel for the next decade knowing that he would ultimately settle here in Cartmel.

His hobbies include walking, cycling, travel and cooking for his wife, relatives and friends. Where better to live than here in Cartmel!