We have a new President...
Teresa (Terry) Heritage has been elected President of the Harpenden Trust. She succeeds Susan Fairbairn who has been our President for the past eight years.
Teresa has served the Trust as a non-executive director for eight years. She brings to the role of President wide experience of the Harpenden community through her work as a Herts County Councillor and District Councillor.
'I am passionate about the community of Harpenden,' says Terry. 'During my tenure as a non-executive director of the Trust, I have been overwhelmed by the amount of caring and compassion shown by so many residents and I am privileged to become President.'
'During the last four years I have co-founded two community projects - Southdown Play Areas Working Group and The Harpenden Hopper (the community bus) - and it was the Trust who provided mentoring and funding to get these projects off the ground.'
We are pleased to add that our retiring President, whose father was Founding President in 1948, is stepping down in title only. Susan Fairbairn will still represent the Trust at functions and events, give talks about the Trust to local organisations and attend meetings of Trust teams. In recognition of her continuing and much valued work she has been given the title of President Emeritus.
...and a change of Chairman
The role of Trust Chairman has changed hands too. Graham Westwell, who has held the post for the past four years, has retired though he will remain an executive director until the Trust's AGM in October.
During Graham's tenure the Trust has taken a more proactive role in the community, encouraged the development of closer links with other organisations, participated in two Town Mayor's charitable years of events and seen grants from the Community Fund rise markedly.
At the same time he has overseen an increase in the Care Fund's spend on individuals and families. Much of this stems from his achievements while chairman of the Christmas Appeal. In the twelve years since he took on that role the amount raised each year has risen from £12,000 in 2005 to a remarkable £50,000 in 2016.
Graham's successor is Cedric Kennedy, who joined the Trust's board as a non-executive director in 2015. A long-time resident of Harpenden, Cedric spent his working life in the City and is married to Lynn. He is a past-president of Harpenden Village Rotary Club, where he is still active, and he also has a role at the District level of Rotary. He will take up his new post on 31st March 2017.
31 October 2019