MR DAVID APPLETON
Head of Culture and Youth Services,
West Berkshire Council

Although David represents Sport England on the Distribution Committee, his day job is Head of Culture and Youth Services at West Berkshire Council.

Having grown up and worked in North Wales, he moved to Newbury in 1998. He describes his interests as Sport, Sport and Sport but does confess to also enjoying the theatre and music as well as spending time with his family.

MR PETER ATKINSON
Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce

After qualifying in organic chemistry and following periods in the Paint and Oil Industries and 2 years selling G Plan furniture (to gain sales experience), Peter joined the German Chemical and Pharmaceutical company Bayer in 1962.

The subsequent years saw a series of role changes from sales to sales management, area management and finally to the post of Director responsible for the Bayer Group's Central Services and Logistics requirements. In the latter period many projects, both strategic and operational were successfully completed. These gained for Peter a wealth of experience, which he is determined not to waste in his retirement.

For the last 14 years, Peter has been a Member of the West Berkshire Chamber of Commerce and Industry, one of the 6 Chambers making up the Thames Valley Chamber, and the Parent of Thatcham and Hungerford Chambers. Peter represents the Chamber, and Business in general, on a number of external bodies including the Management Board of the West Berkshire Strategic Partnership.

Since July 1993 Peter was a Member of the Disability Alliance of West Berkshire and latterly brought both his business and DAWB experience to his new role on the management board of the Council for Voluntary Service. Peter is also the RG Postcode area representative of the Consumer Council for Postal Services, Postwatch and Chair of the Newbury Town Centre Management Group. Peter now looks forward to working with the Greenham Common Trust Distribution Committee.

MR CHRIS AUSTIN
Greenham Parish Council

Chris was educated at Park House School and the South Berks (now Newbury) College. After a short spell in the Forestry Commission Chris moved to Newbury Riding School which he ran from 1978. In 1989 Chris was appointed Chairman of the newly formed Commons Again! which was an ad hoc body created to campaign for the return of Greenham Common as a Public Open Space. Chris now Chairs the Crookham and Greenham Commons Association and also the Greenham and Crookham Commons Commission. He is also a Greenham Parish Councillor.

Chris has enjoyed country pursuits all his life, and is one of the graziers on the Common: he can be found checking his cattle most mornings. Chris has performed with Newbury Operatic Society since childhood and is a Committee Member and former Chairman of the Society.

DR PAUL BRYANT
West Berkshire District Councillor for Speen Ward

Paul was born in Weston-Super-Mare in 1938, and spent 6 years at Southampton University studying mathematics. He has recently retired from a career at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, dealing with computers, computer networks and telephone exchanges.

Paul is a past member of Shaw-cum-Donnington parish council and is currently West Berkshire Councillor for the Speen ward, his principle interests being planning and the environment. He is an executive member of the Newbury Society and his other interests are genealogy, gliding and gardening.

MR GLENN CLARKSON - CHAIRMAN
Newbury & District Arts Association

Glenn Clarkson represents the Newbury and District Arts Association and looks particularly to the interests of the arts on the Distribution Committee. He moved to the Newbury area in 1990 and is a trustee of Oxford Film and Video Makers (OFVM) and Oxford Youth Arts Partnership (OYAP). Recently retired from a career in technical publishing and IT project management in the aerospace and computer industries, he now runs a small Internet services company.

MR BILLY DRUMMOND
West Berkshire District Councillor for Greenham Ward

“I have lived and worked in Newbury since 1988 and for the last sixteen years I was the Head Chef at Newbury Racecourse. I left there in 2006 and have now started my own company, Elisabeth Rae Catering. I am married with three children.

“I am a member of Greenham Parish Council and I am currently a member of West Berks Council. I am a past member of the executive for public protection and community safety. My principle interest is in doing the best for the residents of Greenham who elected me to serve a second term.”

MS GILLIAN HALL
Volunteer Centre West Berkshire

Gillian Hall (Gill) has lived in the Newbury area since her marriage in 1962, previously in Hermitage and now in Cold Ash, and has been a Parish Councillor there for more years than she cares to remember!

She is a qualified nurse, but is now retired. She has been involved in the voluntary sector for a long time and was chairman of Newbury Volunteer Bureau (Centre) for five years. She has been a member of various Patient Participation Groups and is an executive member of the West Berkshire Neurological Alliance. She also has a particular interest in the environment, public rights of way and horses!

MR TERENCE PORT
West Berkshire District Councillor for Thatcham South and Crookham Ward
and Thatcham Town Councillor

Terence, 69, who is considering retirement in the next few years, moved to Thatcham from New Alresford, south Hampshire in 1988. Originally an electrical engineer with an established background in the Electrical Supply Industry, he now operates as a health and safety consultant with Scottish and Southern Energy and associated companies.

He believes it is important to help and invest time with young people, having supported many youth organisations during the last 35 years.

Personal interests range from investing too much time and money in a 1952 AC Sports car, (which is still not finished) with his son, not enough time fly fishing, and riding his motorcycle.

MRS HEATHER WHETTER
Natural England

Heather has lived in Hermitage for the past 17 years and is married with two teenage children. She has a degree in Applied Biology. She has worked for Wildlife Trusts and spent the last 25 years working as a Conservation Advisor for the Government Quango: Natural England (and its predecessors) in Essex, Hants, Oxon and Berkshire, doing a range of roles including safeguarding protected sites, species licensing and publicity. Over the past four years she has been involved with access management and is currently advisor for the Access to Nature Grant scheme for the South East region. She has a keen interest in botany, geology and badgers and is Secretary of the Berkshire Geoconservation Group and on the Committee of the Hermitage Horticultural Society. She belongs to the National Trust and BBOWT. Gardening takes up most of her spare time, especially with a newly acquired allotment.