Meet the Team
Our Trustees represent the interests of the community in the work of Market Harborough and the Bowdens. They are interested in talking to organisations and individuals about how we can change people’s lives for the better.
Trustees
Dr Sarah Hill
Chair
Sarah has lived in Market Harborough for many years, her links with the town go back a long way as she went to Robert Smyth School. She has worked in sales and marketing at BT and for an Olso-based management consultancy amongst other things. She is very active in the town, having been a District Councillor for sixteen years and is currently a County Councillor.
She is also a member of Lions, helps put on Arts Fresco, was for many years involved with Late Night Shopping and is also a school Governor at Great Bowden School. She is also a Trustee of the Howard Watson Symington Charity in Market Harborough.
Jenny Balme
Vice-Chair
Jenny was born and educated in Market Harborough and has lived in Great Bowden for over 30 years. She recently retired from Grant Thornton UK LLP where she qualified as an accountant, and later as HR professional becoming National HR director for the business.
Jenny has been an active member of many local organisations including Rotary, MH Tennis Club and Squash club and served 10 years as trustee of the Market Harborough Building Society’s Charitable trust. Jenny’s interests include golf, walking, singing (Harborough Singers)and cooking.
Daniel Ashford
Trustee
Daniel has lived in MH for 3 years. He grew up in Cheltenham and was educated at the Grammar School. He studied materials Science at Brunel University and achieved an MBA in his 30s.
As a chartered Quality professional, he has spent his professional career in engineering and manufacturing at a variety of companies including automotive, IT and Satellite manufacturing in senior management roles.
With his partner, they have 2 rehomed dogs with his further interests including caravanning, growing veg at his allotment, DIY, wood turning and he is joint Squire of Braybrooke Morris.
Sue Berridge
Trustee
Sue has lived in Leicestershire for most of her life and moved to Market Harborough in 1998. As a qualified accountant she worked in business before moving into the Charity sector firstly at LOROS (hospice), and then in an international organisation helping disabled and disadvantaged people.
She is a member of Market Harborough Tangent Club and volunteers with the Jubilee Foodbank, Arts Fresco and South Leics. Wombles. She has been a season ticket holder at Leicester City for many years.
Geoff Buxton
Trustee
Geoff has been a trustee of the Charity since 2017. Whilst he grew up in Great Glen, he finished his schooling at Robert Smyth in the 1980’s. Geoff has lived in Market Harborough for over 25 years and following a long career in banking now works as a self-employed Mortgage Broker. Geoff has two children both at University. Geoff is a keen golfer and avid cricket and football follower.
Rohini Corfield
Trustee
Rohini moved to MH in 2008 and since 2016 has worked for VASL (Voluntary Action South Leicestershire) managing a project about reducing loneliness amongst older people through helping them to make local social and online connections. Her previous roles include being a teacher, Education Officer and embedding Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and Corporate Social Responsibility at the BBC.
She has also worked for several charities promoting the inclusion of disadvantaged communities. She volunteered with Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO) and spent 18 months in Nepal as an Education Adviser.
She is involved in a variety of groups in the town and includes swimming, Zumba, travel and reading among her interests.
Chris Davies
Trustee
Chris Davies’ career included working for BT labs at Martlesham, where she was involved in the development of international networks, and management consultancy with Accenture. She began her career in teaching and returned to the profession as Head of Technology and Design at Robert Smyth before her retirement. She was a JP, and is an active member of the Harborough community, a Rotarian and a member of St Dionysius Church.
Ed Green
Trustee
Ed is a father of three. He has lived in the Harborough area since 1999. After spells abroad teaching and as a researcher, and with the United Nations Environment Programme, he is finding his PhD in marine biology less useful than it was but as CEO of the Warwickshire Wildlife Trust (and before that Derbyshire) he is still working towards a better environment. He joined the board of Trustees in late 2023 and is very much looking forward to getting to know the charity and to contributing where he can to a community he has called home for nearly 30 years.
Gordon Kellie
Trustee
Gordon became a Trustee of the Charity in 2017. He grew up in North Leicestershire and moved to the town 10 years ago after living in London, Glasgow and Edinburgh. Gordon now works back in London but enjoys living in Market Harborough with his family and time permitting, is a keen cyclist.
Emma Klimowicz
Trustee
Originally from Yorkshire, Emma is a former investment banker with Close Brothers who requalified in 2013 as a primary school teacher. She has worked at Little Bowden as a Key Stage 2 teacher for the past ten years. She has two boys who are both in higher education and her interests include painting and open water swimming. She has recently completed a Channel relay swim in aid of the charity Aspire.
Kerry Merryweather
Trustee
Kerry has spent over 25 years in Senior Management roles within the pension industry, ranging from Compensation and Benefits (UK, Ireland & the Nordics) through to providing executive support services (investments, communication & governance) to large Trustee boards.
She has lived in Market Harborough for over 20 years. She believes in giving something back to her community and likes to support local initiatives. She has been a Beaver leader for the local Scouts and membership secretary for 9+ years.
She enjoys keeping fit having previously reached the grade of 2nd Dan blackbelt in Kickboxing. She now enjoys Pilates as she gets to lie down for most of the session. A keen walker, she loves to get out most weekends.
Mark Merryweather
Trustee
Mark moved to Market Harborough in 1999 and has lived in the town ever since. His two children grew up in the town making use of sports and leisure clubs which were always run by volunteers, so he is now keen to give something back to his community.
He is a retired Commercial Manager and works voluntarily for the Market Harborough & The Bowdens Charity, the Royal Air Forces Association, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and the Canal and River Trust.
Mark’s interests include walking, gardening and researching his family history.
Iain Miller
Trustee
Iain has been a Trustee since 2025. He was born and brought up in Edinburgh before moving to Harborough in 1998. Having discovered Harborough by chance he has lived in the town ever since, with both his sons being educated through Meadowdale, Welland Park and Robert Smyth.
He has coached at Mini and Midi level at Market Harborough Rugby Club and currently volunteers for Young Carers who provide support around the area.
Iain has worked in senior positions within the pension industry for the past 20 years and is now looking forward to giving something back to the town.
Antony Walters
Trustee
Antony is a Chartered Accountant and MBA. He has over 25 years’ director level experience including roles as CEO, CFO and Non-executive Director. He has lived in the Market Harborough area since 1997 apart from 15 months when he lived and worked in Germany. Antony has a portfolio of part-time roles including as Treasurer of two local charities.
He is a member of Market Harborough 41 Club and enjoys walking, cycling, reading and playing with his vintage tractor.
Antony Walters
Trustee
Antony is a Chartered Accountant and MBA. He has over 25 years’ director level experience including roles as CEO, CFO and Non-executive Director. He has lived in the Market Harborough area since 1997 apart from 15 months when he lived and worked in Germany. Antony has a portfolio of part-time roles including as Treasurer of two local charities.
He is a member of Market Harborough 41 Club and enjoys walking, cycling, reading and playing with his vintage tractor.
Staff
Wendy Hempson
Charity Secretary
Wendy was born abroad and moved around a lot before settling back in the UK in 2013. She’s worked for the ILO and the World Health Organisation in Geneva, for an inter-governmental democracy building institute called International IDEA in Stockholm, for a property developer in London and for Leicester City FC. She joined the Charity in 2021.
She loves racquet sports and being a novice part-time farmer.
Dawn Dyke
Assistant Charity Secretary
Sarah Merry
Administrator
Following a long career in HR, Sarah came out of retirement and joined the Charity on a part-time basis in the summer of 2022. She has lived in the Market Harborough area since 1987 and when not working, enjoys walking her Chocolate Labrador and attempting to fire up various muscle groups in regular Pilates classes.
Linda Pentland
Finance Officer
Grandmother, mother, dreamer, gardener, habitual volunteer, in love with life and all it brings.
Linda joined the Charity in 2022 as its bookkeeper. She’s a Geordie, born in Newcastle but raised in Scarborough, and a trustee of two local charities.