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Gnosall Parish Logo (Image) 

Gnosall Parish Council           

 (Including the wards of Moreton and Knightley)                                   

 

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COUNCILLORS

Councillor Pat Alker

Patricia Alker (Image)

Pat moved from the North West to Gnosall with her husband and two young children in 1978 and has lived in the village since. Both girls were schooled in the village and have been members of the youth club, St John Ambulance and Guides Associations.  Pat became a Parish Councillor in 2010 and is passionate that Gnosall maintains and continues to develop facilities that will enhance the village and be of benefit to its residents and the surrounding village communities. In 1979 Pat began a career in the NHS and, after nearly 32 years service, she retired in 2010. As part of her retirement plan she became a volunteer Tutor with the Expert Patient Programme and for 2 years she helped people living with long term health conditions manage their health better. She represents the Parish Council on Gnosall Patients Forum, is a Co-ordinator for Neighbourhood Watch and is a member of the Stafford Borough Safer Neighbourhood Panel and participates in the Police Dog Welfare Scheme.

Email: patricia.alker@gnosallparishcouncil.org.uk.

 

Councillor John Beswick

John Beswick (Image)

I was brought up in Eccleshall and after leaving school attended Harper Adams Agricultural College. For over 10 years I worked as a Herdsman. Following redundancy I retrained as a HGV driver and for over 23 years have worked for Ed Weetman delivering feed to farms.I moved into Gnosall 20 years ago and joined the Lions becoming President , leading the club in fund raising for local good causes.  Supporting the BKV has also been important to me. I am married to Dawn and have a daughter who teaches Geography at a school in Stoke.

Email:  john.beswick@gnosallparishcouncil.org.uk

Councillor Mary Booth

Mary Booth (Image)

Mary was brought up in Cheshire, got a degree in Modern Languages at the University of London, and then spent three years working in Sydney, Australia with her husband Richard.  She has three daughters and five grand-children, and has lived in Gnosall since 1974.  She has a Certificate (HE) in Local Council Administration and an MSc in Local Economic Regeneration and is keen to try and use this knowledge for the benefit of the community of Gnosall. Mary has 27 years experience as a councillor.

Email: mary.booth@gnosallparishcouncil.org.uk

Councillor Gail Gregory - Vice Chair

Gail Gregory - Chairman (Image)

I have lived in Gnosall for 30 years, so am still a newcomer! Born in Cannock, the daughter of a local girl and a Hungarian cabinet-maker who came to Britain as a Bevin boy, I had an upbringing in a solidly working-class, urban area. My professional life has been in education, first in Norton Canes, then Newcastle-under-Lyme and lastly in Bloxwich and my first love was always teaching English, though I was fortunate to become Headteacher before my retirement. My husband and I moved to Gnosall as it was halfway between our respective jobs and it was my first experience of living in a rural community – what a wonderful lifestyle change that has been.

Gnosall has a strong sense of community and that is evident in many ways. The simple fact that so many people will wish you good day as you walk about the village is one example; the hard work of the BKV and Towpath groups is another. It is good to live in a community which works together to preserve what is good about the village and to work for further improvements.

I have been Secretary of GRID since its inception and a parish councillor since my co-option in  2015, representing Gnosall Ward. Since that time I have been elected in my own right and have also served 4 years as Chair of Council. Being a parish councillor is a challenge and a privilege and I hope to continue to serve this community which has become our home.

Email: gail.gregory@gnosallparishcouncil.org.uk

Councillor Chris Haycock

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My wife Lucy and I arrived in Gnosall a decade ago, armed with excitable twin girls barely out of nappies.  We feel fortunate to have chosen such a delightful village to settle.In a journey that resembles the story of Dick Whittington, my life has been a relentless pursuit of triumph over adversity.As a Gulf War veteran, I became disillusioned after a 5-year stint in the Royal Navy, so I left with the goal of seeking my fortune. I was unprepared for civvy life, and I became homeless on the streets of London.With my very last £1 coin I decided to fight for survival and get back into society by selling cheap toys out of a tatty bag, door-to-door.  I eventually ended up in catering, working my way up to Hotel & Restaurant Manager in Torquay. It was at that point I discovered digital marketing, and my life took on a brand new chapter. I then spent 10 years at numerous start-ups, blue chip companies and law firms helping them succeed.Today, I am the MD of successful digital publishing company CliqTo Media and an avid pilot with my own aircraft. But what gives me the greatest pleasure in life is knowing that I can make a difference to other people's lives. That's why in 2017 I set up homeless charity KipBag, and together we have distributed more than 3,000 sleeping bags to rough sleepers across the country.I intend to use my life experiences, problem-solving skills, and devotion to spreading kindness to help the GREAT people of Gnosall, and to advocate for our community's needs effectively.

Email:  chrishaycock@gnosallparishcouncil.org.uk

Councillor Martin Holmes

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Martin was originally from Sutton Coldfield but moved to Staffordshire to undertake a teaching post in the Burntwood Area. He moved to Gnosall 15 years ago and since retired as a Headteacher is enjoying many new ventures.

Martin is Past President of Staffordshire NAHT and is still actively involved in education and supporting schools. As Honorary Chairman of Cannock Wood Cricket Club  and a past Rugby player, Martin has a keen interest in all sports, but now enjoys the more leisurely past time walking the lovely footpaths around our village.

Martin joined the Parish council to add his skills to the team and to continue to influence and play a part of improving the quality of life in Gnosall for all its residents.

Email: martin.holmes@gnosallparishcouncil.org.uk

 

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Councillor Kenneth Ingram

Kenneth Ingram (Image)

Originally from Wigan and working as a senior sales consultant for a British Coal computer subsidiary until early retirement in 1993, Kenneth has lived in the village, with his wife Kathleen, since 1982 and has a grown-up daughter, Carryl, living in Wigan. Kenneth's interests include card making, scrapbooking and stamp collecting. He is also a Trustee of the Memorial Village Hall as well as representing the Parish Council on the Memorial Village Hall Committee. 

Email - kenneth.ingram@gnosallparishcouncil.org.uk 

Councillor Allan Mills - Chair

Alan Mills (Image)

Originally born in Erdington Birmingham, I spent 22 years in The Army Catering Corps reaching the rank of Warrant Officer Second Class SQMS, and travelled extensively abroad, I left the services in 1992 and joined Compass Group the market leader in Contract Catering and FM support, managing various military and healthcare contracts throughout the UK.

I am married to Wendy and we have been together for 27 years. We have three sons, one daughter and seven grandchildren.  Following my retirement from Compass Group in 2014, we moved to Gnosall in March 2016.

When my wife and I first moved into the village we were made to feel very welcome by all we came in contact with, my wife joined the local WI and Phoenix Club , and I took on the role of Secretary for The Gnosall Branch of The Royal British Legion for a period of 2 years, and have  also worked on the canal tow path.

I have always believed that each of us should give something back to the community we live in, and if you want things within that community to be more efficient and effective you must be prepared to get involved and put the effort in.

I believe that by becoming a local parish councillor it affords the opportunity to make a difference to the quality of life for people within the community, and seeing something change within the community as a result of decisions that I may have helped make, is something that would give you a sense of achievement and pride.

For the last 18 months I have been undertaking volunteer work with The British Para Olympic Archery Team at Lilleshall, and my wife carries out volunteer work at Clare House Hospice in Stafford.

My main sporting interest is Golf and I run a local Golf Society from the George & Dragon pub in Gnosall.

Email: allan.mills@gnosallparishcouncil.org.uk

Councillor Michelle Nicholls

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Michelle grew up in Gnosall, with one of her first jobs teaching at the village swimming pool and later on being part of the committee to save it from closure.

After achieving a degree in graphic design at the University of Central Lancashire and spending a few years living in Stafford, she make the decision to move back to the village with her husband to raise their 3 young children, all of which attend local schools and participate in local clubs, sports teams and extracurricular activities. Michelle has worked at a high school in Stafford for the last 15 years.

Over the past decade, Michelle and her family have been continually involved in community projects, supporting local initiatives and raising funds for local charities such as the First Responders.

Supporting and being involved with past, present and future Gnosall events has always been an enjoyable part of living in the village for her and she hopes to be more involved with the continual development of the local area for years to come.

email: michelle.nicholls@gnosallparishcouncil.org.uk

Councillor Graham Payne

Graham Payne (Image)

Graham has served as a Parish Councillor for more than 20 years and during that time has been chairman for 6 years.  He was Chairman of the Grosvenor Centre for 7 years   He is now a member of the Council’s Resources Committee,  Planning Committee and Procedures Review Committee.  Graham came to Gnosall in 1982 and formed the Gnosall Division of St John Ambulance.  He is a member of the Gnosall United Charities Committee and was a School Governor at St Lawrence primary school. 

Email: graham.payne@gnosallparishcouncil.org.uk

Councillor Laura Pearson

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Myself and my husband moved to Gnosall in 0ctober 2020 along with our two children, Cal and Esme and three dogs. Evie, the naughty beagle, joined us later. We have found Gnosall so welcoming from our very first visit. I quickly settled back into village life having grown up in Great Haywood, Staffordshire, and moving my dog grooming business here was a huge step for me. One I am glad I did. 

I am very much a 100mph person, always like to be busy and have a project or challenge. Many will know I just don't stop, especially my brain, and laugh at the message starting with "I've been thinking" . 

I got introduced and welcomed with open arms by Gnosall Globetrotters running club, and fast forward a few years, I am now a qualified run leader for them with England athletics, supporting others with their fitness journey. 

Originally coming from a retail and hospitality background before my dog grooming days started, I've always found joy in helping others, but now I have a lot more flexibility with owning my own business in the village. I find myself wanting to find more ways to give back to the community. 

 So here I am, looking forward to helping and supporting the Gnosall community. 

Email: laurapearson@gnosallparishcouncil.org.uk

 

Councillor Stuart Powell

Stuart Powell (Image)

Stuart has lived in Gnosall for over 40 years. He moved to the village as his first home with his wife Linda who was for many years the local news reporter for Gnosall, after the sad loss of his first wife he remarried in 2019 to Liz Law (now Liz Powell). Stuart worked over 20 years at Goodyear Dunlop in his role as Training Manager for the UK and Ireland; he left Goodyear Dunlop to set up his own training business in 2010 and now runs Roadside Safety Ltd. Stuart was a founder member of Gnosall Lions as well as a committee member for Gnosall Carnival; he is also involved in the Stafford Tarragona Twinning group. Stuart is Parish Councillor for Gnosall. If Stuart can help in his capacity as a Councillor, please contact him.

Email: stuart.powell@gnosallparishcouncil.org.uk

Councillor Tracey Simkin

Tracey Simkin (Image)

Tracey has lived in Gnosall all her life.  She is married and has two grown-up children who have also been involved in many village committees and fundraising activities.   Tracey has been a Civil Servant for over thirty years working for the Department of Social Security. She joined the Parish Council eighteen years ago and is Chairman of the Open Spaces Committee.  Tracey believes strongly in keeping in touch with the community and represents the Council on the Gnosall Memorial Village Hall Committee and GG’s Youth Club.

Email: tracey.simkin@gnosallparishcouncil.org.uk

Councillor Michael Sullivan

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Mike Sullivan joins Gnosall Parish Council with over 30 years' experience in commercial operations in 32 countries. Mike has worked in large international corporations as well as start-ups. More recently he worked with his teams to transform a healthcare business from a small export business to a multinational market and category leader. 

Throughout his career in cleaning, hygiene and infection prevention, he has regularly doubled the size of businesses he has worked with every 3-5 years.

Mike is a trained facilitator, coach, negotiator and sales trainer and has won many awards for his and his team’s performance from the organisations he has worked for, his customers and from his industry.

Mike has an MBA from Cranfield along with a Diploma in Marketing from the Chartered Institute of Marketing and a degree in European Studies. He is a fluent French speaker and is a qualified TEFL (Teacher of English as a Foreign Language)

Mike is married with 2 sons who both play rugby. He believes rugby does more than any sport to develop core values in his family like discipline, teamwork, enjoyment and respect. Mike still enjoys the physical and mental well-being that sport brings and regularly skis, cycles, plays football, golf and runs the beautiful trails in and around Gnosall with his favourite sports team, the Gnosall Globetrotters.

email: michael.sullivan@gnosallparishcouncil.org.uk

Councillor Graham Symons

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Having spent twenty-four years living and working overseas, Graham and his wife have taken the opportunity to put down roots nearer to their children and grandchildren. Their Coton home was in an area new to them but now that they have had a couple of years to settle, they have appreciated the strong community spirit in the area and Graham wanted to play his part in developing that further.

With a wealth of experience in national and international cable systems, Graham has plenty of hands-on knowledge of managing projects and deadlines. His interest in engineering will be of great benefit to the Parish Council and the community

Email: graham.symons@gnosallparishcouncil.org.uk

Councillor Doug Webb

Doug Webb (Image)

Doug and his Wife Sandra moved to Gnosall in 1987 when he took up a Lecturer's post at the BT College in Yarnfield. Subsequently, he became a Tutor Manager and then went back into Engineering and ultimately took a post as a Lead Consultant on BT's 21st Century Network Project., retiring in 2010. Doug is originally from Islington, London and Sandra from Deal in Kent. They have two children, Vicky who graduated from Sheffield University with a degree in English in July 2014 and is now teaching at The Chislehurst & Sidcup Grammar School and Tom who graduated from Birmingham University in 2016 with a degree in Mathematics, he is due to take up a teaching post at the Saint Paul's High School for Girls in Birmingham in the Autumn term. Doug's hobbies include Dog Training, (he founded The Church Eaton & District Dog Training Society in 1988 which is still running very successfully!) and watching Football and in the other available periods of time, he is the Chairman of the GGs Youth Club Management Committee.

Email: doug.webb@gnosallparishcouncil.org.uk