Governors

Originally from Kent, I have now lived in Clevedon with my husband Neil for many years. After a long career in procurement and contracts, and more recently in Corporate Social Responsibility and Events at Viper Innovations, an engineering company based in Portishead and Aberdeen. I have recently started working for the Newman Catholic Education Trust as Lead Governance Professional.
My hobbies include dancing and reading and I also teach line dancing classes in Portishead.
I was looking for voluntary work which used my experience and skills and a friend suggested applying to become a school governor. I was really pleased to be appointed a Foundation Governor at St Joseph’s and given the opportunity to contribute in the local community. I also volunteer for the Julian Trust in Bristol.

It is a privilege to serve as Principal of St Joseph’s and to lead a community rooted in faith, high expectations, and holistic growth. Having worked in education for 11 years—following the completion of my degree in History—I am deeply committed to nurturing the whole child, ensuring every pupil develops academically, socially, and spiritually. Raised and educated within the Catholic school system, I hold a strong conviction in the moral groundings and lifelong values that a faith-based education provides. As a parent of two children who also attend Catholic schools, I deeply value the importance of family life and strive to foster a supportive, welcoming partnership between home, school, and the wider community.

I grew up in Bristol and returned to the West Country in 2008 with my husband, Shane. We live in Portishead and have been a part of the St Joseph’s School and Church community for many years; our children both attended St Joseph’s School.
I run my own business providing Operations Support to local small businesses. I enjoy gardening, dog walks, and Pilates.
I became a Governor to be able to give back to the school and local community. Working together with the other Governors and Staff for the benefit of the school and the children is really rewarding.
I have been a Governor at St Joseph’s School since 2022, and I have held the roles of Local Authority Governor and Parent Governor.
In 2026, I was delighted to be appointed as a Foundation Governor

I was born in Omagh, N.Ireland in 1982 but grew up in Warrenpoint, on the edge of the Mourne Mountains. I studied Aeronautical Engineering at Queens University Belfast and graduated in 2005. I joined Airbus in Filton as a graduate Engineer and have worked there ever since! I have held various roles, but in recent years I have focused on managing large projects delivering modifications to Airbus aircraft.
I have lived in Portishead since 2009 and have attended St Joseph’s church regularly since then. I am a proud dad to Niamh (13) and Tadhg (10), both of whom have been at St Joseph’s school.
I enjoy running, cycling and football; and I coach junior football at Portishead Town FC.
I was raised as a Catholic and growing up both the church & local primary school were at the heart of the parish and the community.
I have always had a strong sense of the importance that both the school and the church play in raising our children, and I believe it is important to volunteer support wherever possible.
I am happy to have the opportunity to use some of my experience to give back to the school that has provided an excellent education for my kids.

I moved to Portishead in 2013 after living in Nottingham for 20 years, although I am from the west country, having been born in Bath.
I am now retired and am far busier than I’ve ever been!
I have three married daughters, two of whom live here in Portishead and I have eight grandchildren, two of which are at the school.
I started work at Nat West Bank in Bath but with children switched to nursery nursing. Before retirement I worked as a Higher Level Teaching Assistant at primary and senior level. My last job was at QEH school in Bristol. I have also been involved with Girlguiding for 15 years.
I love to sing, read, walk. go to the cinema and theatre and go out with friends.
I attend St Joseph’s church having converted to the faith in the 1980’s. My background of children’s education led me to think that I could use my expertise as a governor and I applied when I saw an advert in the parish newsletter.
It was difficult at first, having just joined at the beginning of lockdown and meetings were on computer, however I am now thoroughly enjoying the role, working with staff and governors for the benefit of our children.

I was born in Bath but grew up in Scotland. I joined the Ministry of Defence in London in 1986 and have been a Civil Servant virtually all my working life, mostly in Finance roles. When the government adopted “proper” accruals accounting in the late 1990s, I decided to qualify as a management accountant (CIMA). My work now is mainly internal benefits consultancy and assurance.
I met my (Welsh) wife Elspeth when we were both working in Germany and we were married there before being posted to Northern Ireland, where Angharad was born and then Scotland where Ewan arrived. Portishead has been our home since 2007 and I have lived and enjoyed being here longer than anywhere else in my life.
I enjoy walking, and cycling which helps to counter the fact that I also love food and drink. I also enjoy socialising with friends, singing in church and on Monday evenings I play Bridge.
Since coming to Portishead, I have been a regular congregant at St Joseph’s Church. I was invited to stand as a governor by Deacon Didier in 2021. Both my children, Angharad and Ewan went to St Joseph’s Primary and I was pleased to be offered the opportunity to give something back.

I am a retired teacher, having spent the last 17 years of my career at St Joseph’s School. During my time at the School, I was a class teacher, Deputy Head and Acting Head. I very much enjoyed my time at the School, particularly working within the Parish of St Joseph’s. I retired in 2017 and am enjoying my retirement spending time looking after my grandchildren, walking with a local ramblers’ group, reading and gardening.
I became a Foundation Governor in November 2021. I decided to become a Governor as I would like to ‘give back’ to St Joseph’s School. While teaching at the School I was the Staff Governor for many years. Also, when my children were at school, I was a Foundation Governor at St Francis School in Nailsea.

I grew up in Devon and moved to Cardiff for my degree, before moving to North Somerset to complete my teacher training. I have been a teacher at St Joseph's for 12 years and love spending my time with the most amazing children we have here! I have 2 small girls of my own who are Primary aged and they pretty much keep me busy all the time! I love to read, I love all sorts of books and can't think of anything more peaceful than escaping in a story!
I decided to become a teacher governor as I wanted to be more involved in the governing of the school and the strategic vision for the education of all the children to make the biggest impact I can on their primary education.

Born in Clevedon in 1961, I attended Saint Anthony’s Primary School and Clevedon Comprehensive. I worked as a builder for two years, then studied for Priesthood and religious life in the Jesuit seminary in Dublin, which is affiliated to the Gregorian University in Rome. I served in parishes in Liverpool and Leeds, as well as 11 years as a full time NHS Chaplain in Gloucester & Cheltenham, before which I spent 10 years as assistant mission director and part time mission preacher, alongside organizing pilgrimages. Before coming to Portishead & Nailsea, I was parish Priest in Burnham on Sea and Bridgwater and very involved in the schools.

I see the Priest’s role primarily in chaplaincy, but it is also good to have the extra insights from being part of a governor’s committee. I also feel that the link between school and parish should be strong.