Meet the Trustees and Officers

Chairman and Vice Chairman


 

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Gordon Craig, Chairman

Gordon is a retired management consultant and became Chairman in January 2018 following the retirement of John Beevor. He is currently a District Councillor, chairman of the Bristol Channel Yachting Association, RYA south west committee member and sits on a variety of local trusts and committees. He is also a keen sailor.

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Nigel Vaughan, Vice Chairman

Appointed in 2016, Nigel was appointed Vice Chairman in January 2019.  Nigel is a chartered electrical and systems engineer and owned a successful, locally-based engineering science consultancy, He has always been interested in ships and the sea, is a former Royal Navy officer, and has enjoyed sailing in and recreational flying above, the Severn estuary for over 30 years. Nigel is also GHT’s ‘Designated Person’.

Trustees and Officers


 

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John Christie

John is retired after a career in river pollution control.  He is on the Board for Young Enterprise, Gloucestershire and has worked with schools as a YE Business Advisor.  John is involved at a senior level with Toastmasters International.  A long-standing member of Lydney Yacht Club, John also sails in the Severn Estuary and Bristol Channel and trails to other sailing areas in the UK and Ireland.

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Carl Merry

Master Mariner and Gloucester Pilot. Command experience in the short and middle sea trades; he has also served as a pilot on the East coast. As a keen yachtsman he enjoys sailing the waters of the Bristol Channel and also supports the Willow Trust as a volunteer skipper.

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Geoffrey Comer

Geoffrey was appointed to the board in 2019. Geoffrey retired after a long a career that started as an apprentice with Rolls Royce and ended as a Chief Financial Officer working with international engineering and property services groups.  He spent 6 years as a non-executive director of Ipswich Port Authority prior to its privatisation. 

  

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Garry Strickland

Garry is the Director and General Manager of Sharpness Dock Limited which carries out the port operation at Sharpness. He is the Chairman of the Merchant Navy Welfare Board Bristol Port Welfare Committee and a member of the GFirst Local Enterprise Board Transport and Logistics Group. 

Mike Studden

Appointed in July 2019, Mike is a retired public health scientist with a background in government, commercial consultancy sector, local government and the armed forces and brings additional skills in risk assessment and corporate governance to the Board. Currently Chairman of the Cotswold Edge and Severn Vale Tourism Network, Member of GFirst LEP Tourism and Visitor Economy Group and Hon. Treasurer of Berkeley Community Trust, his many interests include the marine environment, shipbuilding and engineering.

Paul Turner

Paul joined the trustees in October 2024 after a career in retail, sales and marketing management which included being a regional manager, training manager and National sales manager. Following this he launched and ran three successful retail businesses.  Paul has an interest in boating and, after his retirement, owned a motor cruiser in Plymouth Yacht Haven.  Paul and his wife moved to Berkeley in 2021 where he became a Town Councillor the following year and a Stroud District Councillor in May 2024.

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Timothy White

Timothy is a solicitor of more than forty years’ experience.  He started in the City of London and spent several years working in one of the firms that specialised in maritime disputes.  Subsequently he moved to White & Co, a family firm established by his grandfather, and practised from London and Berkeley.  As well as his normal day to day legal work he is engaged with the work of the Segelman Trust, a grant making charity of which he is one of the founding trustees.  He and his wife lived in Berkeley from 1988 until 2001 and have recently returned.

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Stewart Henderson

The Trustees' Harbour Master, Stewart joined GHT in February 2021 after a successful career planning, supervising and participating in marine operations at a number of ports around the UK and abroad. Stewart is a keen sailor and well-known on the estuary. As the Principal Operational Officer he is a Trustee ex-officio

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Susan Hill

Susan, our Finance Officer, is an experienced AAT who works for a number of local clients and joined GHT in January 2015. When not at work, Susan is a leading light in the Gloucestershire Guiding movement and also enjoys time afloat and exploring the canal network with friends.

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Jill Joyce

The Trustees' Admin Officer and Clerk, Jill joined GHT in September 2022 with considerable administration skills gained from a career in education and local government services.