The role of the Committee is to ensure that the Society fulfils its business and community objectives. We are also required to produce an Annual Report for members, setting out details of the Society’s performance over the past year and its plans for the year ahead, and to report once a year to the FCA, which is the regulatory body for community enterprises. You can download a copy of our latest accounts here.
Members of the Management Committee are individually and collectively responsible for ensuring that the organisation is efficiently run, solvent and meets all its statutory requirements. If members believe the committee is failing in its duties, they have the right to hold them to account by calling a special general meeting.
Current Members
The current Management Committee were elected at the Annual Members Meeting held on 26 April 2022 and will hold office for the next three years.
Kate Blinston has lived in Newnham since 1989 and works as an educational psychologist for local authorities and schools. A former Parish councillor and member of The George Choir, she is also active on the village Fairtrade committee.
Paul Manning (Secretary) moved to Newnham ten years ago and has worked in book publishing as a freelance editor and designer. As well as co-running Newnham Film Club, he is on the local Library committee and until recently was a regular volunteer at The Grange, one of the two local Camphill communities.
Carolyn Black (Vice Chair) is a practising artist and has worked in the culture sector for more than twenty years. Alongside her own creative work, she has extensive experience of curating, fundraising, marketing, and delivering art projects in the public realm.
A former Parish Councillor, Linda Love has lived in Newnham for more than thirty years and until recently worked part-time for The National Trust at Westbury Court Garden. A keen supporter of local businesses, she has been on the committee of Newnham on Severn Community Benefit Society since its inception.
Sarah Tempest (Chair) is an award-winning BBC radio producer, journalist, PR and Comms specialist who now works for a not-for-profit social housing company. A former Parish Councillor, she has two young children and is a passionate believer in community, inclusivity, equality and social justice.
Denise Roberts is a practising artist who also works professionally in spatial design and retail visual merchandising. She has lived in Newnham for more than thirty years, bringing up two sons here and providing foster-care to several children and young people.
Bruce Leigh is a retired Chartered Surveyor specialising in Licensed Property and has lived in Newnham for sixteen years. Having previously run his own practice in Gloucester, he brings a wealth of expertise in property as well as general business experience to the committee.
Tony Kossykh-Bearman has worked for the last thirty years in hotels and corporate catering. His last full-time job was at the Moet Hennessy, where he worked for eleven years as in-house catering manager. He currently runs a B&B in the converted and refurbished Severnside Press, having moved to Newnham from Lyme Regis.
Jenny Jop is an artist, teacher and creative designer with a passion for organising community events. Since moving back to Newnham from London, she has mounted an art exhibition at the Severnside Press and is currently organising the first-ever Newnham Arts Fayre, a week-long event coinciding with the Jubilee weekend.
