Our Trustees

TOM FITZALAN HOWARD, CBE (Chair)

After university my career for the next 36 years was with the Army serving in the UK, Germany, Hong Kong, Fiji, Canada, Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories and finally Cyprus.  I retired as a colonel.  I then became Director of Support Services, The Norfolk Hospice – Tapping House for six years; retiring in 2013.  I manage a small farm in Norfolk which is run along environmental stewardship and conservation lines.  I have been a Parish Councillor since 2014 and on the Advisory Council of The Norfolk Churches Trust since 2015.

I was invited to join the Board at Thornage in 2013 and became responsible for liaising with the Camphill Benevolent Fund and for all matters involving the Thornage Estate.  I have been Chairman since 2020.  I find my involvement with Thornage both challenging and deeply rewarding.   

I am married to Jo and have three children: Edward, Flora and Francis.

JENNY MANSER (Vice Chair)

Since retiring from her professional career in social housing within a large group of Housing Associations based in East Anglia, Jenny has worked as an independent consultant operating at a senior level within a variety of public, private and voluntary sector organisations.  Her work has included a variety of roles including, Chairman and Trustee, Interim CEO and Senior Management roles to facilitate mergers, acquisitions, organisational development, and change.  Her interests include community development, housing, health and social care and the sustainability of the voluntary sector.  Jenny dedicates much of her working time in support of health and social care and voluntary sector organisations.

Jenny lives and works in Norfolk and her current non-exec roles are with: -

• Aylsham and District Care Trust
• Headway Norfolk and Waveney
• Thornage Hall
• Broadland Meridian

MICHAEL POLLITT

The eldest son of a Yorkshire dales farmer, I spent my formative years helping on a 98-acre grassland farm in Nidderdale.  After reading law at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, I trained as a journalist on a weekly newspaper in Yorkshire then becoming an agricultural correspondent in Oxfordshire.

In 1984, I moved to Norfolk as the agricultural editor of the Eastern Daily Press.  I spent the next 30 years reporting on the industry and even staged the world’s first human ploughing championships near Norwich in 1997.

As a trustee of the company’s pension scheme for more than 20 years, it gave me a fascinating insight into the succession of major changes and reform of the pensions’ industry.

A former president of the Norfolk Farm Machinery Club, I also launched the Spring Fling with the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association in 2000, which has grown into a major one-day event over the years.

Now involved with the Round Tower Churches Society, and its vice-chairman, I also edit the quarterly 32-page full colour magazine as well as looking after the bowling green of a Norwich club, which was founded more than 100 years ago.

JANE SAYER

After completing a history and politics degree, I trained as a mental health nurse in London, and accidentally fell into working in services for people with learning disabilities in 1996.  Throughout my subsequent leadership posts in London, Norfolk and Dubai, I have enjoyed working with carers, families and people in these services, and wanted to continue this when I retired from proper work.  Outside of work I am a quilter, and have started designing my own patterns.  I read a lot of trashy detective fiction, am far too soft with my dog, hoard fabric with a passion, and fail to keep my garden in any form of order.  I love doing all this in North Norfolk.

PAUL HARE

I started my professional career as a solicitor in a large law firm in the City of London, specialising in corporate and commercial law. After 6 years, I made the switch to banking, working for leading international banks for 20 years, with responsibility for a global portfolio of £250 billion. I was a member of the executive leadership team for 10 years, leading board-level strategic reviews and interacting with our regulators in the UK and across our global footprint. I was a long-standing member of the fundraising committee for a charitable initiative established by the bank to help eliminate avoidable blindness.

I was first introduced to Thornage Hall by my late father, who chaired the board of trustees for many years. I was delighted to be approached by the current Chair to become a trustee and I look forward to learning more about the work we do and playing my full part within a robust board.

I recently returned to Norfolk with my wife and two young sons after 15 years living in Singapore.

PHIL GODDARD

I started my working life at Norwich Union (now Aviva), where I worked in various finance roles. During my time there I also qualified as an accountant. After a dozen or so years at NU, I moved to the role of Finance Director of Break Charity, at the time based in Sheringham. During my time at Break, as well as overseeing the finances, I also had responsibility for their charity shop portfolio, Fundraising, and Human Resources.

I have been involved with Thornage Hall for several years, initially as Company Secretary, and becoming a Trustee at the start of 2022.

STUART & MARY GOULD 

Our involvement with Thornage Hall started in 2010, when after a recommendation from a friend who lived nearby, we looked around.  The rural, agricultural setting drew us to it initially but once we had visited and experienced what Thornage had to offer we knew it was the place for our son to live and work.   Bob moved in in December of that year and has subsequently been a tenant in the hall ever since.

We are farmers from Northamptonshire and  have a daughter Gina, who lives locally and is also involved in agriculture on a trials team.  Agriculture is in our blood but does seem to have missed Bob out as the farm is definitely not his first choice in day services, luckily, he has many more to choose from!

We joined the Board of Trustees in early 2023 and we are hoping that our experiences as parents of a tenant will be a useful addition to the Board.

ROBIN BAINES 

Married to Hilary. Lived in Norfolk for 40 years.

Grew up in Worcestershire, trained at Harper Adams Agricultural college, have worked in farm management for my whole career from Worcestershire to Oxfordshire to Norfolk. (even now still looking after two farms and supporting several other agricultural businesses).Have run my own business since 1996.

Throughout my career I have spent a lot of time helping to educate groups of all ages about the countryside food and farming.

Outside work I enjoy supporting our 3 children and 3 grandchildren in all they do, gardening, singing, performing in the village panto, keeping my vintage car on the road, supporting the local scout group , being an active Rotarian(past president twice),and stewarding in the education section at the Norfolk Show.

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