Our Trustees

The Witham Hall Limited is governed by a board of trustees all of whom are registered at 3 Horsemarket, Barnard Castle, DL12 8LY. Roles include:

Liz Bromley: Chair.

Liz Bromley, is our new Chair was appointed on the 15th July 2024.
Liz grew up on a farm in Cheshire and studied English at university. She has spent her career advocating for the arts and humanities in education, working primarily in universities such as the Open University, Salford, Goldsmiths, and UCLan. In 2019, Liz was appointed as CEO of NCG, the UK’s only national Further Education group. Working in this sector has given her extensive experience in leading within an underfunded industry.

Since relocating to Barnard Castle, Liz has thoroughly enjoyed visiting the Witham and seeing the range of ways in which this fantastic asset contributes to Barney life. Liz has three daughters, a son, a stepson, six grandchildren, and a dog named Ralph who loves running amok through the woods…living his best life!

Shelagh Avery: Former Chair.

Shelagh Avery is our former Chair who has recently retired from the position but will continue to serve as a trustee for The Witham!

Shelagh is one of the few women to reach an executive-level position within the British Railways Board.  Specialising in Change Management, she initially managed catering operations across multiple sites and handled HR management for 26 hotels. Her passion for leadership and development led her to become the Director of the Management Training College.

Shelagh became Chair in January 2019 after serving as the Interim Executive Director in 2018. Her tenure has been marked by significant achievements and unwavering dedication. Her commitment saw The Witham through a large deficit in 2018, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the ongoing cost-of-living crisis. Under her leadership, The Witham has grown and thrived, establishing a firm foundation for future successes.

We are grateful that she will continue to serve as a trustee on the board, ensuring her valuable wisdom and experience are tapped into. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Shelagh for all her hard work and dedication over the past years.

Nicky Grace: Finance, Treasurer and Chair of the Finance Sub-group.

Peter Hodges: Oversight of the heritage building and Chair of the Building Operation Sub-group.

Hazel Spencer: Chair of the HR Subgroup, Turrets Youth Theatre.

Gordon Duffy-McGhie: Without Portfolio

Jo Turnbull: Without Portfolio

Ian Smith: Without Portfolio

Stephen Robson: DCC observer