Rod Calvert OBE DL – Trustee (Chair)

Rod has lived in Bedford since 1968 with several periods of work abroad and worked in the Marston Vale from 1970 at Millbrook Proving Ground developing it into an independent company from 1988 as Managing Director. Now retired from this role but with over 40 years in senior global management roles in the motor industry, Rod’s work was nationally recognised in 2008 with the award of an OBE in the Queen’s New Year Honours List and was ordained at Buckingham Palace in 2009. Rod has been involved with the Forest from its inception and has always been a keen supporter of the Charity. Currently non-exec director and chairman in the commercial world and President of the Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce, he brings his wide management experience to the board to help guide the Trust in delivering on its objectives. He has been actively involved in the Forest of Marston Vale for many years and currently chairs the Forest of Marston Vale Trust, having taken over from Debra Hassall in early 2021.

Debra Hassall - Trustee

Debra worked for Hanson Building Products for 21 years as their Estates Manager dealing with their many landholdings in the UK, and latterly as the Property Development Manager, the majority of which was based from Stewartby, until the closure of the Stewartby office in December 2009. She is currently a Trustee and Bursar for The Sir Malcolm Stewart Bart General Charitable Trust which provides accommodation for retired London Brick employees. Her family have a long association with the Marston Vale and she has always lived here, attending both Stewartby schools and Wootton Upper.

Peter Faulkner - Trustee

Peter was born in Marston Moretaine and has lived there all his life. He started work for London Brick Company Ltd as a Despatch Clerk when he was 15 and then gained a professional accountancy qualification (Chartered Institute of Management Accountants) through day release, being promoted to Finance Director UK of Hanson Brick Ltd in 1999. He was subsequently appointed Financial Controller of Hanson Building Materials Europe. Peter has been a Trustee since 1999 and sits on the Trust’s Management Committee. In addition to supporting the Forest of Marston Vale, Peter has been a hospital volunteer for ten years and a volunteer driver for the Primrose unit, taking patients to Addenbrookes, for 6 years; he is also Trustee for another local charity. Peter has been married to Karen for 46 years and has two children and four grandchildren. In his spare time, he enjoys walking, reading, holidays and spending time with his grandchildren.

Gordon Johnston - Trustee

Gordon is married to Anne and has two grown up sons - Stuart and Robert. He retired early from his post as Deputy Chief Executive with Bedford Borough Council in 2009 and since then has concentrated his time and energies on his voluntary/community work. As well as his long standing commitment to the Forest of Marston Vale Trust, he is also the Chairman of a large Housing Association. When he has time to himself, his other interests include reading, music, theatre, and television, DIY and watching most sports.

Bob Wallace – Trustee

Bob retired from Cranfield University in 1998 after working there for 25 years as the Chairman and Managing Director of Cranfield Data Systems and has since been involved in voluntary roles in the environmental and community sectors. He has been a Parish Councillor in Wootton since 1999 (Chairman for 4 years) and is a member of the Executive committee of the Bedfordshire Association of Town and Parish Councils. In 2004 he was invited to become a Community Governor of Wootton Upper School and, more recently, a Foundation Governor and Member of Wootton Academy Trust. He has always had a strong interest in the Rights of Way network and countryside access and in 2002 was appointed the inaugural chairman of the Bedfordshire Local Access Forum, a statutory body dedicated to providing advice to the Local Authority and other organisations on access to the countryside. Currently, he is the chairman of the Bedford Borough LAF. He has been a supporter and volunteer at the Forest of Marston Vale since the late 90′s and was instrumental in the creation of letsgo.org.uk which describes over 250 walks, rides and places to go in Bedfordshire. He has been a trustee of the Forest of Marston Vale Trust since 2000. He enjoys cycling, walking and travelling.

John Thelwall – Trustee

Until April 2015, John was a solicitor in practice in Bedford but he has now retired. John specialised in commercial property and company law for many years and was the lead solicitor for the Trust from the time it was established until his retirement. He therefore comes with a great deal of background knowledge about the property holdings of the trust and its legal framework. John has considerable experience as a charity trustee, being the chair of two other trusts and a trustee of another. During his career he acted for a number of charities in regard to their property and other legal matters. A keen golfer, John also enjoys music, theatre and reading.

Gareth Ellis – Trustee (Cranfield University)

Gareth is both a Chartered Engineer and a Chartered Environmentalist with 35 years’ experience of working on sustainability in the public, voluntary and private sectors. He graduated from Cranfield University with a degree in Agricultural Engineering in 1980 before joining the Ministry of Agriculture’s agricultural advisory service ADAS, becoming National Specialist on Renewable Energy in the early 1990’s. He went on to head up renewable energy projects for the National Energy Foundation setting up an advice centre for householders and developing a school engagement programme. He also developed services for renewable energy trade bodies covering biomass, solar and heat pumps and held the role of Chief Executive of the Solar Trade Association. In 2006 he left to join an energy and environmental consultancy before joining Cranfield University in 2008 as their energy manager with the challenging brief to reduce the University’s carbon footprint by 50% by 2020. In 2011 he took on the role of Energy & Environment Manager to lead the delivery of additional similarly challenging targets for waste, water, biodiversity, transport and other aspects of sustainability for the University estate. Gareth is currently a Parish Councillor and a Trustee for the local school academy where he lives. He has lived in Bedfordshire for 30 years.

Craig Austin - Trustee (Bedford Borough Council)

Craig is a committed Chartered Environmental Health Practitioner with a wide range of experience working in both the private sector and local government spanning over 28 years. Prior to this Craig served 4 years in the Coldstream Guards carrying out public duties in London and various training exercises across the UK with tours abroad in Kenya and Cyprus. In addition to his role as a trustee for the Forest of Marston Vale he is presently employed as the Director for Environment at Bedford Borough Council and Director of Benedict Bedford Ltd - a PLC owned by Bedford Borough Council - whose primary function is to develop council owned land and/or property into housing for the purpose of sale and/or rental. Originally from Solihull in the West Midlands, Craig is married to Emma, has 3 children and lives in Higham Ferrers, Northamptonshire. He enjoys days out with family and friends, fishing but mostly finding time to relax and potter around the home during weekends.

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For more information on the Trust, call 01234 767037 or email us.