We are run by a Committee of volunteers, which is elected at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Society.
The Executive Roles constitute: Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer, and Secretary. We also have a cohort of officers elected who assist in running the Society and/or advise, as well as members who are invited to join our Working Groups.
Any member of the Society may volunteer for election – and we encourage and welcome this every year. For more information about what is involved in being on a Committee as a Trustee of a Charity please see the Government’s guidance information.
Charity Excellence have some great free resources, which you can access after signing in here.
The Committee hold a meeting together, in a local pub, once a month to go through items on the agenda such as finance, events, membership, Street Art, things which have come up in planning or other meetings, and any communications from members or other people, as well as share ideas and suggestions around fundraising, speakers, and our events programme. We share tasks between us, often in smaller ‘working groups’ e.g we have a Planning group, a LHL group, and an Events group. Our meetings are minuted, and usually last a maximum of two hours. They do not ‘drag on’ – there’s usually more to discuss than there is time!
Committee members volunteer their time, and so the Society takes great care to ensure that no one member is overburdened. Each of us will only be expected to do what we can, nothing more.
Our Current Committee
We’re fortunate to be have been able to continue the Society’s tradition of a broad spectrum of experience and skill in the Committee each year, as in previous years. But we’re not The Experts – and always appreciate help, advice and constructive criticism or helpful suggestion. Please do bear in mind that all Committee members are volunteers. They have families, jobs and other commitments or responsibilities outside the Society to work around. Your patience is always much appreciated.
To contact us collectively, or specifically, please see our Contact page
Contact Us
Chair
chair.beestoncivic@gmail.com
Honorary Secretary
secretary.beestoncivic@gmail.com
Honorary Treasurer
treasurer.beestoncivic@gmail.com
website / design
designer.beestoncivicsociety@gmail.com
Local Heritage List
lhl.beestoncivicsociety@gmail.com
Mervyn Brown
Hon. Secretary + Trustee
Fundamentally an educationalist Mervyn worked across, higher, further, and secondary
education sectors.
He has held leadership roles across a multitude of organisations; ranging from community,
social, and political – through to business, commerce, trade and professional.
In terms of business, he has been involved at senior level in a diversity of commercial
undertakings, together with social and community-based enterprises; – from Design, Print
and Auto Bodyshop – through to safety, workwear, and wine – ultimately to construction and
property.
Current activities include advising and mentoring start-ups, micro and developing
businesses. He has recently completed a long-term involvement with Nottingham Trent
University as an enterprise and entrepreneurship advisor. Along with other family members
Mervyn runs a small investment property portfolio.
Jeanie Barton
ACTING CHAIR | Beeston Street Art | Light Night + Trustee
Initially summing herself up as merely “Jean’s a singer (dadadadee), she plans public-art-attractions while she plays pianoooooo…” Jeanie’s actually been a Committee member since 2017, when she was invited to join the society for her keen interest in high street regeneration and the evolution of retail.
A professional singer songwriter and bandleader, Jeanie also brings with her a background in event management – and founded our #BeestonStreetArt #alightinBeeston and #TheBeestonShowcase projects to successfully promote our area as a worthy destination, and attracted investment.
Gary Smerdon-White
Hon. Treasurer | Lhl | planning + trustee
Gary’s career in the electricity industry spans thirty years, in a number of senior change and operational management roles. Since 2000 he’s worked as a consultant in development, IT and transport projects and in the not for profit sector, including: Greater Nottingham Partnership, Profile Nottingham, Experience Nottinghamshire, Nottingham Contemporary, Greater Nottingham Transport Partnership, and Greater Nottingham NHS LIFT.
More recently Gary been promoting sustainable and active travel asExecutive Chair and then CEO of the Big Wheel, RideWise and Sustainable Travel Collective charity before retiring in 2018. He lives in Attenborough, and has been a member since 2018.
Karen Stainer
ACTING VICE CHAIR | LHL lead | Planning | events + Trustee
Karen has lived in Beeston for about twenty five years. After a career in medical research (QMC and Cityhospitals) and NHS patient engagement, she’s now retired. Karen is new member of the Society but has attended many of our talks, walks and coffee + chat sessions in the past. Enjoying socialising, shopping, rambling locally, she’s keen to help Beeston and nearby be the best it can be. Karen is involved in Beeston Film Festival, and helped organise the recent Broxtowe Green Festival. She also volunteers with a local food bank.
Chryse Tinsley
LHL | Planning + Trustee
Chryse has lived locally for almost thirty years. Professionally, she’s a landscape architect for Leicester City – studied Architecture first, and more recently Environmental Management. Chryse was the first ever National Suds Champion (“It’s about drainage not bubbles. And it matters re: Beeston”); has been a tree warden in the past. Chryse is also an illustrator, and is currently doing industrial buildings of Beeston. She has given great talks for the Society in the past; was a member of the judging panel for our 2021 Design Awards.
Dr Clyde Davies
Clyde’s background is science and IT, he now works at University of Nottingham in IT analysis and project management.
Coming to Beeston, from Swansea, as a research student he has lived here most of his adult life. Clyde says “volunteering for the Society allows me to put something back into the community which I have grown to love. I look forward to using my skills outside the workplace, to help the Society grow and prosper”.
Dr Lorna Kiamba
Lorna is an Assistant Professor in Environmental Design and Architecture at the University of Nottingham. She is a registered Kenyan architect with over 15 years experience in sustainable design in practice, research and teaching. Currently, her research addresses energy efficiency; just transitions; barriers towards net zero carbon; community energy and community engagement for sustainability. Having lived in Beeston for over the last 10 years, Lorna is keen to the support the Society in advancing its sustainability agenda.
Professor Sara Goodacre
Sara is a geneticist by training, and works at the University of Nottingham, spending most of her time giving lectures on different biological topics. Her research involves how we can use the natural world as inspiration for materials – such as synthetic spider silk – that we might use in medicine or engineering.
Sara has also been involved in citizen science projects where people are given the knowledge they need to survey their local environment, for example by looking at things like lichens, which tell us how clean the air is where they live.
Sara lives locally and one of her favourite places is Attenborough Nature reserve.
Chrisy Tang
Christy moved from Hong Kong to Beeston almost three years ago. She has worked in the banking customer service industry for over ten years. She is co-founder of Community Interest Company (CIC) ‘Hong Kong Notts‘ (HKN) which started in August 2022. She helps HongKongers integrate into the community, and has organised various events and encouraged cultural sharing.
Christy is a dedicated volunteer, and enjoys working with other volunteers to make the community better.
Beeston Civic Society 