Board of Directors
Maybe we should have titled this section Rogues Gallery! But we thought you'd appreciate putting a face to the name of those volunteers on the Trust's Board of Directors.
Richard Fyfe - Chair
Elected 2/12/14. Richard has lived in Culbokie since moving from Dingwall in 2001. He retired from SEPA in May 2021. He worked for SEPA in Dingwall as a Chemist before becoming a specialist in environmental regulation. He also has experience in dealing with planning and Scottish Water issues and has a keen interest in environmental issues.
He is an active member of the Culbokie Church of Scotland. Richard has a keen interest in the outdoors and his hobbies include hillwalking, cycling and kayaking as well as gardening.
He is an active member of the Culbokie Church of Scotland. Richard has a keen interest in the outdoors and his hobbies include hillwalking, cycling and kayaking as well as gardening.
Alison Petch - Vice-Chair
Elected 3/10/16. Alison returned full time to the family home in Culbokie when she retired in 2015. After training in planning and in social work, she spent her working life in health and social care. Initially this was as a university based researcher. Latterly she led two third sector organisations which tried to ensure that what is learnt from research gets put into practice. She is currently Chair of the Dunhill Medical Trust and a Trustee for the Life Changes Trust and for C-Change Scotland. Her core interest is in trying to ensure that everyone is able to access a good quality of life.
Jillian MacKenzie - Company Secretary and Treasurer
Elected 02/12/2014. Jillian is a Chartered Accountant originally from Sutherland but moved down to Ross-shire and then Culbokie from 2006 due to work. Jillian is from farming family and this area of work remains much of her routine in Frame Kennedy, a long standing accountancy practice she runs with her fellow directors. Specialising in new business start-ups and advising and assisting family businesses survive, flourish and develop in all walks of the industries prevalent in the Highlands keeps her busy fairly non-stop. Jillian has her own portfolio of clients ranging from large multi-million pound businesses to the local crofter and lists her specialisms as farming, tourism and general family businesses. Jillian has 2 children, one in Fortrose Academy and one following in her footsteps and studying business at Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen. Between her family and the various community concerns that she volunteers for she has little free time to explore the various hobbies that she lists including foreign travel, badminton, reading and discovering yet more out of the way coffee shops with the best coffee ever!
Marilyn Richards - Minute Secretary
Elected 2/12/14. I retired to Culbokie in December 2013 having spent my whole life living in small communities and since then have been involved in a variety of volunteer roles within the community. For 30 years I worked near Greenock and then in Kirkwall as a Maths teacher in a variety of promoted posts including 4 years working with local businesses to support disadvantaged young people into work. The last 8 years of my career were spent as Assistant Director of Education in Orkney, where I worked with all the islands’ schools and communities to implement the new curriculum. I have also held a variety of positions in Community Council, School Board, and other voluntary organisations.
Penny Edwards - Director
Elected 2/12/14. Penny’s career has been in rural development, countryside management and forestry. Previous jobs have included Head of Strategy with the Central Scotland Countryside Trust, Chief Executive of the Sussex Wildlife Trust and Field Officer with the British Trust for Conservation volunteers. She also ran her own environmental consultancy and local hardwood timber business in Falkirk. She moved to Culbokie in 2008 and established an upholstery and woodworking business. She worked with Ferintosh Community Council to start the Culbokie Development Group in 2011 and was the first chair of CCT from June 2014 until Dec 2017. She is a Trustee of The Pebble Trust which supports sustainable lifestyles and a reduction in fossil fuel use with a focus on Highland Scotland.
Mark Douglas - Director
EElected 26/10/15. Mark is a Chartered Quantity Surveyor, having studied in Glasgow, and has worked in the construction industry for the past 30-years. He moved to Inverness in 2000 having worked in the Highlands and Islands for a number of years, whilst commuting on a weekly basis from Glasgow.
Mark and his family moved to Culbokie in 2005 and his son attends Strathclyde University.
Mark and his family moved to Culbokie in 2005 and his son attends Strathclyde University.
Angie Morris - Director
Elected 26/11/18
Angie has lived in Culbokie for 19 years. Having taught in a sixth form college in Hampshire, secondary schools in South Wales and as voluntary secretary of the Henville Educational Foundation in Hamble, her background is in education and the performing arts. Since moving to the Highlands, Angie has taught Higher Drama at Eden Court Theatre and worked at Inverness College UHI in various roles, including Senior Lecturer in Core Skills and Education, Schools Liaison Development Manager and Lecturer / Programme Leader for the HNC Acting and Performance course. Now retired, Angie has more time for volunteering as chair of Ferintosh Volunteers Steering Group and as an active member of the CCT Fundraising Team.
Angie has lived in Culbokie for 19 years. Having taught in a sixth form college in Hampshire, secondary schools in South Wales and as voluntary secretary of the Henville Educational Foundation in Hamble, her background is in education and the performing arts. Since moving to the Highlands, Angie has taught Higher Drama at Eden Court Theatre and worked at Inverness College UHI in various roles, including Senior Lecturer in Core Skills and Education, Schools Liaison Development Manager and Lecturer / Programme Leader for the HNC Acting and Performance course. Now retired, Angie has more time for volunteering as chair of Ferintosh Volunteers Steering Group and as an active member of the CCT Fundraising Team.
Paul Wadge - Director
Elected 30/11/20
Paul is relatively new to Culbokie having moved here with Fiona in December 2019 from Stokenchurch in Buckinghamshire. Paul’s career, spanning 43 years, was in telecoms manufacturing - initially as a programmer in the very early days of development of software to control telephone exchanges, then as a project manager and most recently as the customer service manager responsible for project and support delivery to major operators in the UK, Europe and South Africa. Now retired, Paul is a volunteer with Black Isle Cares Meals on Wheels and a member of the FCC Volunteer Steering Group. His interests include Club Audi (Chairman & Newsletter Editor), Severn Valley Railway, photography, technology, walking and cycling.
Paul is relatively new to Culbokie having moved here with Fiona in December 2019 from Stokenchurch in Buckinghamshire. Paul’s career, spanning 43 years, was in telecoms manufacturing - initially as a programmer in the very early days of development of software to control telephone exchanges, then as a project manager and most recently as the customer service manager responsible for project and support delivery to major operators in the UK, Europe and South Africa. Now retired, Paul is a volunteer with Black Isle Cares Meals on Wheels and a member of the FCC Volunteer Steering Group. His interests include Club Audi (Chairman & Newsletter Editor), Severn Valley Railway, photography, technology, walking and cycling.
Sebastian O'Dell - Director
Elected 28/03/22
Sebastian lives in Culbokie with his wife and two daughters since moving from Edinburgh in 2017. He works as an IT Project Manager delivering large scale regional and national projects.
Sebastian has previous experience as an international athlete, has a keen interest in travel and outdoor activities - including running, cycling, hillwalking and open water swimming - and regularly explores the woodlands around Culbokie with his two young daughters.
Sebastian lives in Culbokie with his wife and two daughters since moving from Edinburgh in 2017. He works as an IT Project Manager delivering large scale regional and national projects.
Sebastian has previous experience as an international athlete, has a keen interest in travel and outdoor activities - including running, cycling, hillwalking and open water swimming - and regularly explores the woodlands around Culbokie with his two young daughters.
Becoming a Director
Directors play an important role in the Trust. The Board of Directors is a formal body of elected (majority) Trust members and appointed/co-opted (minority) others, drawn together for the specific purpose of ensuring the organisation is properly run for the benefit of its members. Directors may be young or old, working, retired or unemployed. For instance they may be a joiner, cook, teacher, farmer, solicitor, stay at home parent or a volunteer play leader. In fact, the more mixed and diverse the Board of Directors, the more representative of the local community it is likely to be and the wider skills range it is likely to have. However, all Directors will be well informed about and take a healthy interest in community issues and activities and be keen to see the Trust make a real difference to the community.
Directors for this voluntary role are recruited through a due process as defined in theTrust’s governing documents. Directors are expected to serve up to three years.
Within the Board of Directors, appointments will be made to key roles e.g. Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer, Membership Secretary etc.
If you are interested in supporting the community by becoming a Director please contact info@culbokiect.org
