The Vale & Downland Museum (Wantage) is a charity, registration number 1126995, and a company limited by guarantee, registered in England, number 067600294. It is governed by its Memorandum and Articles of Association.
The directors, as charity trustees, have responsibility for controlling and safeguarding the museum and its property and funds. Directors are either nominated or co-opted to the Museum Board.
As a charity, we are fully committed to transparency in our decision-making processes, how we work and the programmes and services we provide.
We publish edited minutes of the meetings of the Board of Trustees. Here is a link to our Minutes.
Responsible for office management, museum staff and volunteers.
Responsible for the museum’s collection, main gallery exhibitions and historical changing exhibitions.
Administers formal and informal school and educational visits.
Julia joined the Board in May 2015. She was nominated to the Board by Wantage Town Council. She is both a town and district councillor. She has lived in Wantage since 1985 and worked at the Harwell Campus for almost 32 years. From 2004 to 2007 she held the office of Wantage Town Mayor. She ran the Wantage Summer Festival for 14 years and has been a Museum volunteer. Her hobbies include classical singing, gardening, cooking and long country walks.
Graham Parker joined the Board in August 2015. He has lived in Wantage since 1974 and on retirement in 2003 from the insurance industry joined the museum as a part time technician. Has since been an active volunteer in the backroom running of the museum. He is currently the Membership Secretary for the Friends of the Vale and Downland Museum, Chairman of the German Twinning Association and Treasurer of East Challow PCC, and an active member of the Letcombe Brook Project. He was nominated to the Board by the Friends.
Geoffrey was co-opted to the Board in October 2015. He has had a long interest in and involvement with museums. He was a founder Trustee of the Ragged School Museum in the East End of London, and its Honorary Treasurer for some 13 years. He was also active in the Friends of the Museum of London and part of an advisory panel to the Museum. History in general and museums in particular are great interests of his.
St. John joined the Board in 2012 as the nominee appointed by Wantage Town Council and later by the Vale of White Horse District Council (2015). He is also the representative Trustee of the Wantage & Grove Independent Advice Centre. He has a BSc. Joint Honours degree in Biology and Geology, and Diploma of Economic Development. Following many years working in advertising in London, St. John moved to Wantage 20 years ago where he has lived ever since with his family. He currently runs his own company, C. D. Associates, specialising in corporate communications, print and website design.
Rodney joined the Board in December 2015 as the nominee appointed by Grove Parish Council. He has lived in Grove since 1982. He is now retired but for his work travelled extensively throughout the UK when he could indulge his interest in railways and boats. He still retains a particular interest in transport as well as education and Fairtrade.
Bill is a qualified accountant. He has been Wantage Town Clerk, on a part time basis, for 20 years and was previously Clerk to Grove Parish Council for 11 years. He retired in 2011, from his full time job as Finance Director of a London based, charity. His responsibilities at the charity included governance, personnel and facilities management. He was nominated to the Board by the Wantage and Grove Joint Economic Forum.
