Meet Our Board

The Board of Trustees assume full responsibility for the strategic direction of the Multi Academy Trust. The Trustees will be accountable for the entire business operation of the Trust. The Trust will take responsibility for the financial and resource management of the schools so they can concentrate on the education of its pupils. The strategic direction of each school will be set through the Local Advisory Board to whom the Trustees have delegated responsibility. Although the Board holds overall responsibility and control it is important that each school is able to self-govern through the local advisory board. This self-governance will look different within each school dependent on their journey and the individual challenges of the school. It will include holding the school to account for standards, curriculum and pastoral care. It will be strategic in the development of the school improvement plan and holding the school to account for it. This will be set out in the scheme of delegation which may vary from school to school.

Our Chair of Trustees is Rev Stuart Ellis who can be contacted c/o Epworth Education Trust, Westleigh Lane, Leigh, WN7 5NJ.

MEMBERS

Rev Dr Jonathan Hustler

Trained for the Methodist ministry at Wesley House Cambridge from 1987-90, and spent a year prior to his first station at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. His widespread experience of ministry has been gained through serving in a variety of places and roles across the country over the past 26 years.
Throughout his ministry, Jonathan has maintained a rigorous approach to scholarship, reading for his PhD while a circuit minister. From 2011-14 he served as Vice-Principal of Wesley House Cambridge, 2014-17 he served as the Ministerial Co-ordinator for the Oversight of Ordained Ministries in the Methodist Connexional Team, and from 2017 he served as the Assistant Secretary of the Conference.
Became the Secretary of the Conference in 2020. The Secretary of the Methodist Conference works closely with the President and Vice-President, and plays a principal part in the care, oversight and leadership of the Methodist Church. He is responsible for enabling the strategic development and implementation of the Church's vision of unity, mission, evangelism and worship and for encouraging good governance.

Rev Paul Martin

Interim Chair of MAST (Methodist Academies and Schools Trust)
Former Chair of the Bolton and Rochdale District which has 11 Methodist/Methodist Anglican Primary Schools.
Previously served as Chair of Governors in two Methodist Primary Schools and a Community Primary School.
Passionate about the need for children to get a good start in life through education and keen to encourage the missional and evangelistic opportunities which exist through our schools.

Rev Roger Walton

Supernumerary presbyter living in the Manchester and Stockport Methodist District.
Served the Methodist Church in Stourbridge, Liverpool and St Albans circuits and was Connexional Secretary for Adult Learning from 1987 until 1999, when he moved to be Director of the Wesley Study Centre, Durham.
Chair of the Yorkshire West District between 2011 and 2019
During 2016-17, served as the President of the Methodist Conference.
His books include Learning for Ministry (Church House Publishing, 2005), The Reflective Disciple (Epworth Press, 2009) and Disciples Together (2014 SCM Press).
In the last couple of years, he has been working on a Methodist Way of Life.
He is a widower, has grown up children, Laura and Andrew, and since January 2012 has been a granddad. Yet he still plays a mean game of table-tennis!

Rev Stuart Ellis (Chair of Board of Trustees)

Currently Superintendent Minister of the Sherwood Forest Methodist Circuit & Deputy Chair of the Nottingham & Derby District.
Passionate about children's education, inclusion and equity having been a teacher, headteacher, executive headteacher and a CEO of two multi-academy trusts .
Been a governor of several primary schools and a special school.
Previously held the role of a non-executive director for the Yorkshire Ambulance Trust and Chair of the Audit Committee.
Prior to education and becoming a minister spent 12 years working in the financial services industry.

Trustees

Mr Luke Cowell

Management Consultant, working with schools, charities and the private sector, across strategy, operations, and people.
Former Operations Director and Board Member at an Ofsted Outstanding Independent SEN School and Charity.
Chartered Member of the CIPD.
10 years experience at Director / Board level, spanning retail services, market research, fintech, education, and consultancy.
Passionate about strong leadership and effective governance - with a belief that they are key enablers of an organisation's success.

Rev Stuart Ellis (Chair of Board of Trustees)

Currently Superintendent Minister of the Sherwood Forest Methodist Circuit
Passionate about children's education, inclusion and equity having been a teacher, headteacher, executive headteacher and latterly a CEO of two multi academy trusts
Been a governor of several primary schools and a special school.
Previously held the role of a non-executive director for the Yorkshire Ambulance Trust and Chair of the Audit Committee
Prior to education and becoming a minister spent 12 years working in the financial services industry

Mr David Harrison

Led a number of businesses for 40 years and has a passion to see young people prepared for the 21^st century work place,
Worked as Operations Director in one of the largest Multi Academy Trusts in England.
Appointed Chief Operations Officer in a growing MAT in the East Midlands between 2020 and 2023.
Has had many roles in Governance over the last 20 years.
Previously the Chair of Governors in a secondary school that progressed from Special measures to Outstanding.
Chaired 2 Local Advisory Boards where the Schools moved from Requires improvement to Good.
Served as a Trustee in a growing East of England Trust in 2011-12 and was appointed Trustee to a Lancashire based Trust in 2019 where he subsequently became Chair and jointly led the merger of this Trust with the Methodist MAT in 2020 to form the Epworth Trust.
Currently works as Chief Operations Officer at St Teresa of Calcutta Catholic Academy Trust.
Keen to see young people provided with the best academic cultural and sporting opportunities as a right and not a privilege.

Mr James Lockwood

Headmaster of Woodhouse Grove since January 2016; having previously served as Headmaster of the Royal Hospital School, near Ipswich.
Over 25 years’ experience in the Independent School sector, including residential/boarding settings.
Passionate about liberating aspiration and providing young people with an all-round, balanced and full education which broadens their horizons.
Sit on the British Board of FIlm Classification's Advisory Panel on Children's Viewing and Chair of the British Board of Film Classification Video Appeals Committee (VAC).
Associate Director of Bradford City AFC.
Married to Sarah and have two children, Olivia and Harry.

Mr Kevin Meredith

Currently, Chair of the Local Advisory Board at Bedford Hall School with governance experience for over 15 years.
Member of the Methodist Church, a current Church Treasurer for over 30 years and a former Circuit Treasurer and Property Secretary, presently Circuit representative to District Synod.
Previously employed for 38 years as a Process Development Engineer in the cable manufacturing industry and employed for 9 years in a Property Management Company.
Married with two daughters and four grandsons. Hobbies include walking, being a fan of Rugby League and also Club Secretary of his local Table Tennis Club.

Mr Steve Myers

14 years’ experience as a school Governor at Nutgrove Methodist Primary School, 7 years of which as Chair. Key leadership activities during my period as Chair included an Outstanding SIAMS inspection, member of the Project team to create and operate a new Community Centre next to the school, conversion to Academy status and the recruitment of a new Headteacher.
As the Chair of the founding school, closely involved in the creation of The Wesley Trust, including shaping its governance, policies and scheme of delegation.
Prior to being appointed as a Trustee, I sat as an Independent Person on the Audit & Resources sub-committees of The Epworth Education Trust.
Trustee of Methodist Academies & Schools Trust, discharging the Methodist Churches’ responsibilities for the advancement of education.
Member of the Parochial Church Council of St James with St Matthew, Eccleston, St. Helens for 19 years including 5 years as Vice-Chair.
20+ year career in Local Government to date, presently Town Centres Manager for a metropolitan unitary authority – key activities include liaison with over 500 local businesses, marketing and promotion, event, project and operations management.
Married with 2 children, both of whom have benefitted from a Methodist Primary education.

Mr David Clayton

Employed in academy trusts since 2014, his areas of expertise are Finance, Education and Risk Management.
ACA qualified and a member of ASCL and the ICAEW since 2010.
From August 2019 to July 2023 David was CEO of Consilium Academies. Currently David is CEO of Endeavour Learning Trust.
Previously a Trustee at Leading Learners MAT and currently at Ambitions Academy Trust.
Extensive risk management experience that will support the Board with a robust approach to assessing and managing relevant risks and developing a framework of assurance.

Mrs Charlotte Taylor

Involved in the governance of maintained schools since 1997, latterly with more of a strategic oversight.
Executive Headteacher from 2015-2023 at Holly Hill Church School.
Regional leader of Education for West Midlands from 2019 to 2023
During 2021 to 2023 Charlotte also took on the roles of MAST executive and Interim Deputy CEO of Inspiring Lives Education Trust (ILET).
Her MAST role as joint Head involved providing support for 66 Methodist schools with aspects such as standards, ethos, pastoral, headteacher recruitment and the development and delivery of a CPD offer.
Currently a SIAMS Inspector and DFE Faith Body group member for Ofsted.