Our Directors

Gary Hyams

Director, Chair

Gary has lived locally since 1985. He joined the board in March 2023 and took on the position of Chair in May 2023. Gary spent most of his career with St. James‘s Place plc before retiring, latterly working in their Academy with trainee financial advisers. In addition he also served on the National Committee for the St James’s Place Foundation. He has been involved with many charities including Anazao and Uttlesford Citizens Advice. He was a Trustee and became CEO of Support 4 Sight where he helped them to achieve the "Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service". He has also served as a Trustee and Chair for Healthwatch Essex. Currently he is a Trustee of Mind in West Essex.

Diane Drury

Director, Vice Chair

Diane is a qualified teacher who worked in education for over 40 years. She taught in the secondary sector in Harlow for 20 years, served as a seconded teacher for Essex County Council with BP Oil UK, worked as a Senior Manager in the Education Directorate of the London Borough of Enfield and at Hertfordshire Careers Service. She also worked for four Education charities, inspected Special schools and Connexions Services for Ofsted, and undertook a portfolio of freelance consultancy for schools, Local Authorities and businesses. Throughout her career Diane has had a number of voluntary roles including serving as a Trustee at Enfield Parents’ Centre, as a governor of a primary school in Harlow, a speaker for WaterAid and as a Trustee with Uttlesford Citizens Advice and Voluntary Sector Training. Now retired, Diane joined the Board in 2020. As well as taking on the role of Vice Chair, Diane chairs our HR Committee and is Vice Chair of our House and Fundraising Committees.

Maurice Balfe

Director

Maurice is a Chartered Accountant with many years’ experience as Finance Director in small to medium sized businesses, and in the insolvency and restructuring areas. Post retirement, he worked part-time bursaring in a local secondary school.

He and his wife moved from North London to Linton in during lockdown in 2021. Between them they have four children and two grandchildren.

Maurice has had a longstanding interest in providing sustainable support for people living with homelessness. He was very involved in organising and co-ordinating Winter and Christmas shelters for homeless people in the London Borough of Barnet, in collaboration with local places of worship. He is still involved in provision for those living in homelessness, with an emphasis on seeking and implementing permanent pathways along the road to independent living.

In his spare time he is a member of two choirs and enjoys wood engraving.

Maurice chairs our Finance Committee and sits on the HR and Fundraising Committees.

Peter Gibson

Director

Originally from Ireland, Peter has lived in the UK since the mid-1980s, including Cambridge and London. A communications professional, he has worked in the NHS for nearly 30 years, principally in London and Hertfordshire. Peter moved to Saffron Walden at the end of 2021, as part of a plan to move towards retirement. He has always had a strong commitment to charity, being an active listening volunteer with the charity Central London Samaritans over the past 25 years - during which time he was also a volunteer director and trustee. Peter’s interests include gardening and walking in and around Saffron Walden. Peter chairs our Communications Advisory Group and sits on the Finance Committee.

Steve Hasler

Director

Steve has lived in Saffron Walden since 1994. He is a member of the St Mary’s Church Council and played a major role in the fund-raising for and installation of, from 2011-18, the new heating, toilet and servery in the church. Steve is also the Buildings Advisor for the listed church buildings in the local area, a member of the Chelmsford Diocesan Advisory Committee on buildings and a keen cyclist.

Steve is Project Crocus Chair and serves on the Fabric and Fundraising Committees as well as the Communications Advisory Group.

Mike Hibbs

Director

Mike has lived in Saffron Walden for over 60 years. He attended the Boys British School and the Friends School. Mike has a degree in Politics and Sociology, and recently retired after working as an architect in the Saffron Walden area for many years. Mike has been Mayor of Saffron Walden twice, and served as Chairman of Uttlesford District Council. He is also a Trustee of the Saffron Walden Youth Outreach Project, Area President for St John Ambulance, and Chairman of the Saffron Walden Historical Society. He serves as Vice Chair of the Fabric Committee of the Almshouses Board. Mike also attempts to cultivate an allotment in his spare time.

John Hunt

Director

John joined the Board in March 2023 shortly after moving to Saffron Walden. He was previously a Non-Executive Director at Leeds Building Society and is an experienced credit risk consultant having held senior posts in a number of major international banks, including Deutsche Bank, Lloyds TSB and RBS. John is married with two sons.

John is a member of our Finance Committee.

John Kerr

Director

John is a retired Chartered Surveyor who has lived in Saffron Walden for 20 years. He is a trustee of several pension funds and a former trustee of the Saffron Academy Trust. John chairs our Fundraising Committee, is Vice Chair of Finance, and is a member of the Fabric team.

Arthur Moore

Director

Arthur moved to the Saffron Walden area in 2021 and joined the Board of Directors in 2024. He has spent over 30 years at the Bar specialising in disputes over land. Arthur has appeared extensively in cases under the Homelessness legislation, often on a pro bono basis as well as advising various homelessness charities and Local Authorities.

Arthur sits on our House and Fabric Committees.

Simon Oughton

Director

Simon has lived in or around Saffron Walden for most of his life, running pubs and restaurants until his retirement, having started his career working for an old London wine merchant, Saccone & Speed. Appointed early-2020, he lives locally and is looking forward to the challenges of being a Director of the almshouses and becoming more involved in Saffron Walden life.

Simon is Chair of the House Committee and sits on the HR Committee.

Belinda Thorogood

Director

Belinda has lived in Saffron Walden for 5 years, and was born and raised locally, so she is very familiar with the town and surrounding area. She has worked in children’s services for over 20 years, both in education and for the NHS, where she still works part-time. She has been involved in many volunteer posts through fundraising charity committees and youth organisations, supporting local communities, young people and families. Her interests include Pilates, Formula 1, and spending time on the coast both around the United Kingdom and abroad.

Belinda also volunteers on Reception at the Arthur Rank Hospice in Cambridge and for Home Start Essex working with young families. She sits on the Almshouses’ House and Fundraising Committees.

Trevor Vincent

Director

Trevor has lived in Walden most of his life and attended Boys’ British School and SWCHS. He is a Chartered Quantity Surveyor and recently retired as a partner with a Walden-based private practice. He now acts as a consultant and is involved with various local community groups.

Trevor is Chair of our Fabric Committee, Vice Chair of the Project Crocus Committee, and sits on our HR Committee.

Malcolm White

Director

Malcolm has lived in the Saffron Walden area all his life. He was educated at Newport Grammar School and Loughborough Colleges, where he qualified as a Chartered Librarian. Malcolm was Town Clerk of Saffron Walden for 34 years until his retirement in 2010, and is a Freeman of the Town. He is closely involved with a local cancer charity. He is also a keen local historian, has written numerous local history articles and published three books about Saffron Walden.

Malcolm is on the House Committee, is a member of the Communications Advisory Group, and acts as the Almshouses’ unofficial historian!

Colin Woodward

Director

Colin is a former County, District and Town Councillor, twice serving as Mayor of the largest town in East Herts, and as a Deputy Cabinet Member at Herts County Council. He has also been a Magistrate and has long been a trustee of various charities including Birchanger Wood Trust and Community Initiative (BS), as well as Vice Chair of his residents’ association. Colin established a thriving Parkinson’s Support Group and a Police Cadet unit. His professional career has principally been as an HR Director/Consultant and Manager, during which he completed his MBA with the Open University. He has retained strong links with Saffron Walden and is a frequent volunteer in various roles with English Heritage at Audley End.

He sits on the Fabric, House, and HR Committees (acting as Vice Chair for HR), as well as having oversight of Health and Safety for the Almshouses.

The Trustees and Beneficiaries welcome all donations, whether one-off, regular or by bequest, for the maintenance and improvement of the dwellings and the grounds.

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Incorporated Charitable Limited Company

KEVI CORPORATE TRUSTEE LIMITED, a company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales (company number: 10178525), whose registered office is at Almshouse Office, King Edward VI Almshouses, Abbey Lane, Saffron Walden CB10 1DE, in its capacity as the sole corporate trustee of King Edward VI and the Reverend Joseph Prime Almshouse Charity (registered charity number: 210590)