Trustees and patrons
Trustees
Christine Blower, Baroness Blower of Starch Green, Chair
Christine is the former General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers (now the National Education Union), having stood down 2016, but continues to be involved in the NEU’s work as its International Secretary. In 2013, Christine was elected as President of the ETUCE (European Trade Union Committee for Education) and she is also Convenor of the Commonwealth Teachers' Group. Christine changed the direction of her career in 1990 and began working with children at risk of care or custody. She worked as a member of Hammersmith and Fulham’s Primary Behaviour Support team working with children with challenging and unsettled behaviour. In total, Christine has taught for 33 years. Christine was elevated to the House of Lords in 2019.
Dr Linda Hugl, Company Secretary & Treasurer
Linda works professionally in business operations and finance for a small chemistry services company, following on from 20 years as a bench scientist in the pharmaceutical industry. She has been the Treasurer of CND for over ten years, a voluntary position, and was instrumental in the setting up of NET; she has been a NET Trustee since its inception.
Peter Burt, Vice Chair
Peter is currently a researcher with Drone Wars UK working on the UK's armed drones programme and the development of autonomous weapons technology. Previously he was Project Director at Nuclear Information Service. With an academic and regulatory sector background in environmental management, he has 30 years experience in research on the UK's nuclear weapon programme and accidents involving nuclear weapons.
Professor David Webb
Dave was a Professor of Engineering who switched subjects and departments to become Professor of Peace and Conflict Studies at Leeds Beckett University, becoming an Emeritus Professor on retiring in 2012. He is also Convener of the Global Network board of directors, a Vice-President of the International Peace Bureau, a board member of Abolition 2000 and a patron of the UK group Scientists for Global Responsibility. He has published a number of articles on issues involving engineering, conflict, nuclear weapons and the militarisation of space, giving expert evidence to various bodies including the European Parliament.
Fausta Valentine
Fausta started her career as a Lecturer in Physics in India. After coming to the UK in 2000, she has been involved with Justice and Peace projects within the Catholic Church. She presently works for Pax Christi UK and is also a Trustee of Cultural Exchange with China, a charity building bridges between the Catholic Churches of Britain and China. Learning Mandarin has been her latest interest!
Dr Jenny Clegg
Jenny is an independent writer and researcher with a specialist interest in international relations and East Asia. She was formerly a senior lecturer in Asia Pacific Studies and International Studies at the University of Central Lancashire, Preston. She has undertaken a variety of funded research projects, including fieldwork investigations both in China and Britain. Her work has been published in books and articles in academic journals. She continues to write for a wider readership on China’s development and its global implications. She has been elected as a member of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament National Council for a number of years and is a member of the CND International Advisory Group. She is currently Chair of North West Labour CND.
Rebecca Parford
Rebecca has worked in the voluntary sector for over 15 years for a range of charities and campaigning organisations including Shelter and ActionAid. She has experience in governance, strategy and project management, however she specialises in fundraising and marketing. Rebecca's current role is as Head of Public Fundraising for a development charity who partner with farming families growing their way out of poverty in rural Africa.
Steve Barwick
Steve has had a lifetime in politics with a strong interest in nuclear disarmament. He has been an elected representative, assistant to three Westminster MPs and latterly a professional political consultant. He also has an academic perspective having both undergraduate and Masters degrees in Government. Steve led on two projects for NET - Trident Alternatives Review and the Future of Barrow and UK Defence Needs and International Nuclear Disarmament Responsibilities - and is now a director at both the Smith Institute, an independent think tank, and DevoConnect, a bespoke agency focussed on the new devolved political landscape. A resident of Yorkshire he is also a trustee of the White Ribbon Campaign, focussed on ending male violence against women.
Patrons
Major General Patrick Cordingley DSO DSc FRGS
Patrick commanded the Desert Rats during the 1991 Gulf War. His huge tank formation led the British and American attack, which breached the Iraqi defences. Then he commanded the 2nd UK Division before being appointed as the military adviser to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos of Oman. Patrick retired from the Army in September 2000 and became chairman of a technology company for 8 years. He is now chairman of Defence and Security Forum, past chairman of the trustees of the Gilbert White’s House and the Oates Collection, chairman of the National Memorial Arboretum Appeal, Past Master of the Worshipful Company of Ironmongers and past chairman and vice-chairman of the governors of two schools. He also worked as a lecturer on decision-making and leadership and as a military commentator, working mainly for the BBC. He is the author of two best selling books.
Dr Stuart Parkinson
Stuart is Executive Director of Scientists for Global Responsibility, a UK-based organisation of about 750 natural scientists, social scientists, engineers and others concerned about the use and misuse of science and technology. He has held this post since 2003. He has researched, written and spoken widely on ethical issues in science and technology, including the threat from nuclear weapons. He is author/ co-author of numerous reports, including 'UK nuclear weapons: a catastrophe in the making?' and 'Offensive insecurity: the role of science and technology in UK security strategies.' Stuart has degrees in physics, engineering and environmental science. He has worked in academia, industry and for campaign groups, including a period as an expert reviewer for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
Professor Marjorie Mayo
Marjorie has worked in adult and community education and development, including working with trade unions and communities as a tutor at Ruskin College Oxford. She is currently based at Goldsmiths, University of London where her research includes a focus upon learning for active citizenship, and access to justice in disadvantaged communities. Her publications include: Imagining Tomorrow: Adult Education for Transformation(1997); Cultures, Communities, Identities: Cultural Strategies for Participation and Empowerment, (2000); Global Citizens, (2005), with Paul Hoggett and Chris Miller; The Dilemmas of Development Work, (2008) and with John Annette, Taking Part?: Active Learning for Active Citizenship and beyond, (2010).
Professor Andy Stirling
Andy Stirling is Professor of Science and Technology Policy in the Science Policy Research Unit at Sussex University where he co-directs the ESRC STEPS Centre. Publishing widely on issues of democracy, power and uncertainty in science and innovation, he’s served on many science advisory bodies for the UK Government, including on toxic substances, GM Crops, science advice and public engagement and on the Research Committee of the ESRC. He’s also been an advisor for the Royal Society, Nuffield Council, Demos, and Green Alliance and for the EU and European Science Foundation bodies on uncertainty, energy policy, science in society, sustainability, collaborative research and science governance. He is an elected fellow of the UK Academy of Social Sciences.
Former Trustee
Madeline Held MBE
It is with great sadness that the Trustees learned of the death of former Chair of the Nuclear Education Trust, Madeline Held MBE, early in March 2020.
Madeline was a Trustee of the Nuclear Education Trust from its inception in 2007, with her wide-ranging education background providing an essential attribute to the Trustee team. She used her expertise to support the fledgling but now nationally recognised CND Peace Education programme, which was, and continues to be, the major beneficiary of the Trust's grant programme. Madeline had extensive knowledge of the learning and skills sector from her experience of twenty years as Director of LLU+, a professional development centre at London South Bank University with a national and international reputation. She was awarded an MBE for services to Adult Education in 2006 for her national role in furthering the Skills for Life strategy in post school education and training. Madeline was a qualified Corporate and Executive Coach and a member of the steering group of the Health Literacy Group UK. She latterly worked as an educational consultant and evaluator on regional and national projects.
Madeline became Chair of the Trustees in 2011 and took the Trust to a new level. Excitingly, Madeline drove the commissioning of research projects to further NET's goals, with NET becoming proactive rather than reactive to grant requests. This led to projects concerned with defence diversification, the lack of which diminishes union support for the removal of the UK's Trident nuclear weapons system. The Trust started to gain a wider profile as a result and this work will continue into the future.
Madeline stood down as Chair in 2016 due to illness but continued tirelessly as a Trustee until early 2020, shortly before her death. She will be sorely missed.