Abbeyfield Society's Board of Trustees 

John Robinson,  Chairman

John became Chairman of Abbeyfield on 23rd September 2009. He has been a Board member since 28th March 2007 and became Deputy Chairman of the Abbeyfield Society in 2007.

John is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering and a graduate of the University of Birmingham in Chemical Engineering.  He was President of the Institution of Chemical Engineers in 1999/2000, President of the Chartered Institute of Management in 2002/2003 and Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the governing Council at the University of Hull from 1998-2006.

He joined Smith & Nephew in 1979 and was appointed a Director of the main Board in 1981.  He was appointed Chief Executive in 1990 and Chairman in 1997, retiring in 2000. 

John has also been Chairman of Low & Bonar plc from 1997-2001, Chairman of Railtrack Group plc from 2001-2002, Chairman of UK Coal plc from 1997-2003, Chairman of George Wimpey plc from 1999-2007, an Operating Partner at Duke Street from 2000-2010 and chairman of Paragon Healthcare, Affinity Healthcare and Oasis Healthcare.

Maurice Butler

Maurice qualified as a solicitor in 1968. He initially worked in private practice in Belfast specialising in conveyancing and company and commercial matters. He became a Managing Partner in 1995. Maurice has lectured on conveyancing and has been a member of the Solicitors' Disciplinary Tribunal in Northern Ireland for a number of years. Maurice was appointed as a Deputy County Court Judge in 1990, a role he continues to undertake.

Heather Dawson

Heather began her career in Canada, gaining business management experience in several companies before moving to London in 1993. She has specific experience in human resources, finance and the management of change. Heather is currently a partner in a firm that provides coaching, team facilitation and board advice to businesses, as well as to organisations in the public and not-for-profit sectors.

Kalyani Gandhi-Rhodes

Kalyani is an independent consultant specialising in work with older people, aging and ethnicity. She has over 15 years experience of planning and developing specialist housing and support services for BME older people. Kalyani has been a board member at ASRA Housing Association and Springboard Housing Association and now at Abbeyfield and participated extensively on national and regional strategic forums for older people including PRIAE, the GLA’s Black Londoners Forum, The Centre for Policy on Ageing, The National Housing Federation Supported Housing committee amongst others. She is also a member the DCLG Housing and Older Peoples Development Group (HOPDEV), and has been Chair of the HOPDEV BME working group.

George Stringer

George is a chartered accountant. He has lectured in accountancy and set up the training division of a major accountancy firm, developing training and technical procedures for staff. In 1977 George moved into general practice, later buying a small practice in Plymouth, which acted for a number of small charities.

Ian Plaistowe is a Chartered Accountant and had a long career with Arthur Andersen where he was Managing Practice Director for Europe, the Middle East, Africa and India. He was former President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, vice-chairman of the Takeover Panel and the Financial Reporting Council. Currently, he is Chairman, vice chairman or trustee of various charities including the University of Buckingham and The Family Planning Association. He has been a member of the Abbeyfield Audit Committee since 2006.

Christopher Herbert was ordained at Hereford Cathedral in 1967 and served as a curate, schoolmaster and youth leader in Hereford before being appointed Diocesan Adviser in Religious Education in 1971. In 1981 he was appointed as Vicar of The Bourne in Farnham, Surrey and in 1990 he was appointed as Archdeacon of Dorking. In 1990 he was also appointed as Bishop of St Albans and in 1999 became a member of the House of Lords. He has broadcast extensively and is the author of over twenty books on spirituality and religious education.

Keith Fowler is Chairman of Willox Ambler Rodford Law Group Ltd; Chairman of Empire Design Group Ltd; Director of The Harrison Portfolio; Director/Trustee NABS; Chairman Peterhouse Retirement Complex; Chairman of Governors, Winchester House School Trust Ltd and Chairman of The Abbeyfield Great Missenden & District Society.

After completing his studies at Cambridge and Manchester Universities in 1973, John worked for several companies in marketing and finance roles before becoming Group Finance Director at Johnson Matthey plc in 1990, a role from which he retired in September 2009.  He has also undertaken several non-executive appointments including Chair of Council at Richmond Fellowship, a national mental health charity, and Senior Independent Director at API Group plc.  He is currently a non-executive director and Chairman of the Audit Committee at GKN plc, a global engineering company, and a board member and Chair of the Audit Committee at Catalyst Housing Group. 

David has over 25 years board level experience, both as an executive and non-executive director. His background includes being Marketing Director of Kellogg’s, Managing Director of a management consultancy and a Divisional Managing Director of Scottish Power. Since 2003 he has held a number of non-executive positions, including The Forensic Science Service, The Information Commissioner’s Office, The Cumberland Building Society and Phonepay Plus, the premium rate telephone regulator. In the voluntary sector he was a Director and Trustee of South Lakeland CVS and has just completed a six year term of office as Chairman of The Abbeyfield (Kirkby Lonsdale) Society Ltd.

Stephen is the Managing Director - Finance, for Transport for London.  In addition to overall responsibility for all financial matters at TfL, he covers  HR, IT, pensions and property matters. After completing his PhD at the University of Edinburgh in 1991 he went on to work in the Department of Transport in several roles including Private Secretary to the Secretary of State.  Between 1996 and 2003 he worked in international infrastructure finance both as a Vice President in Project Finance at Citigroup, and then as Head of Rail at Abbey National Treasury Services.