Old Ford Primary Welcomes Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge
Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge visited the Beaver colony which is based at Old Ford Primary on Tuesday 16 December 2014. Her visit was to mark the launch of the Scout Association’s Better Prepared project, which aims to work with local communities to open new Scout groups in 200 areas around the country where Scouting can have the biggest impact.
The aim is to ensure that even more children have the chance to experience fun and adventure through Scouting, while developing skills that will help change their lives.
The Duchess, who is an official volunteer at Scouts, delighted young people and their leaders with a visit to their Scout HQ at Old Ford Primary. During the evening, The Duchess enjoyed taking part in activities with the Beaver Scouts, helping to raise disability awareness. Activities included learning how to communicate through sign-language and navigating through activities requiring co-ordination while blind-folded.
Carlos, a volunteer at the Scout Group, said: ‘It was definitely a memorable evening. We were all so excited to see The Duchess at our Scout HQ and the Scouts loved doing the activities with her. The Duchess is such a great ambassador for Scouting; her support will hopefully encourage more adults to volunteer.’
[Some copy taken from The Scout Association]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jZEVepsOfY
Updates on Solebay’s Travel Plan
Read Vice Chair of Governors, Jeff Martin’s, letter detailing the ongoing process of the School’s Travel Plan. So far parents and carers have met on three occasions to share views and feedback, since which two risk assessments have been carried out. For further information see the letter in full, attached.
Richard Newman – Parent Director
Richard joined the board of directors of Paradigm Trust in September 2013. He was a parent director and also the chair of the academy council at Old Ford Primary Academy.
He is a commercial filmmaker and has a B.A. Joint Honours in English literature and philosophy. Since 2008, he has held the position of 1st Assistant Director, commercials.
Richard was appointed as a director by the members on 10 October 2013. His term of office was for four years. He stepped down on 27 September 2016.
Richard Brumby – Director
Richard joined the board of directors of Paradigm Trust in September 2015. He was a member of the audit and risk committee, and the operations and finance committee. Richard was a governor at Old Ford Primary School for approximately 6 years until 2013, when he left to become vice chair of governors at Culloden Primary Academy. During this time, he was also chair of its finance and premises committee using his contacts to introduce the school to a beneficial relationship with the Tower Hill Trust. His work in the education sector also includes being a governor of Woldingham School for nine years and remains a governor of Stonyhurst College.
Richard’s professional career involved being a director of Credit Suisse Asset Management, before which he was a director of Schroder Investment Management, and previously a director of Baring Investment Management, all based in the city of London. During his 40 year career in the city of London, he advised and managed investment portfolios for leading charities and pension funds. Since Richard’s retirement from the City, he has been an adviser to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and continues to be an adviser to the Dean and Chapter of York.
Richard served as a director of Paradigm Trust from September 2015 until January 2016. His term of office was four years. He was appointed as a director by the members on 23 September 2015.
Denise Syndercombe-Court – Member and Director
Denise is one of the members and joined the board of directors of Paradigm Trust in September 2013. She is also the chair of the education committee. She is the Link Director for Solebay Primary Academy.
Denise Syndercombe-Court lives in Tower Hamlets and was a governor at Culloden Primary School for over twenty years. She joined the governing body as a parent governor when her eldest son started at the school and retained her interest in primary education as chair of the governing body for more than fifteen years. Professionally she is a scientist and was educated at Bart’s and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry. Currently she is an academic at King’s College London.
Denise’s term of office is four years. She was appointed as a director by the members when the company was formed on 2 April 2013. She has since been re-appointed as a director, by the members, and is currently serving her third term.
Marian Williams – Member
Marian has been one of the members of Paradigm Trust since 2 April 2013.
Since 1998 Marian was a governor of Old Ford Primary School with intermittent and shared responsibility for chairing the governing body, SEND & looked after children, the finance/premises/PFI Committee and the personnel/curriculum committee. Marian was a governor of Culloden Primary School before it converted to an academy in September 2013. Marian was also chair of the local governing body at Old Ford Primary Academy until the trust’s governance structure was revised in September 2015. As a director of Paradigm Trust, Marian was a member of the operations and finance committee and was also the trust’s link director for Old Ford Primary Academy.
Marian was born and educated in Tower Hamlets and continues to be a resident. After serving as a clerk in the Public Health Department of London County Council, Marian went on to work as an accountant in the investments department of ICI, which was set up to invest pension fund money. During this time she was involved in the company’s joint (management/staff) consultative committee including chairing the head office committee and central staff conference and member of the pensions committee. She retired in 1996.
From 1998-2006, Marian was an elected member of Tower Hamlets council. Her committee membership included: education, pensions/investment, scrutiny, disciplinary appeals, licensing and housing benefit appeals.
Marian served as a director of Paradigm Trust from September 2013 until she stepped down on 1 April 2017, at the end of her four year term of office. She was appointed as a director by the members when the company was formed on 2 April 2013.
Jeff Martin – Member, Director and and Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors
Jeff is one of the members and joined the board of directors of Paradigm Trust in September 2013. He is vice chairman of the Board and also chairs the operations and finance committee. He is the trust’s link director for Culloden Primary Academy.
Jeff was a governor at his daughters’ primary school in Redbridge for 10 years before moving to Tower Hamlets. There he was introduced to Old Ford Primary School where he became a governor, a role he held for six years, eventually becoming the vice chair of governors. Jeff next became chair of the local governing body at Culloden Primary Academy and interim chair at Solebay Primary Academy until the Trust’s governance structure was revised in September 2015.
Until his retirement in 2014, Jeff was a director of BMS Group, one of the world’s leading reinsurance brokers. During his career spanning 40 years, working within the London insurance market, Jeff held a number of posts including IT director and group marketing and communications director.
Jeff’s term of office is four years. He was appointed as a director by the members when the company was formed on 2 April 2013. He has since been re-appointed as a director, by the members, and is currently serving his third term.