Reading Room Trustees Committee
The Reading Room Trustees Committee is a voluntary group of local residents who are responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of this historic building. To achieve this task the Trustees organise several fundraising events and manage the Reading Room operations on a day-to-day basis including cleaning, health and safety, finances, bookings, decoration, equipment purchases, etc.
The committee comprises:
Steve Cooke, Pamela Edmiston, Sarah and Pete Merheim-Kealy, Steve Smith.
David Hellens provides a primary point of liaison between the Parish Council and the Reading Room Committee.
We are aiming to grow the number of regular activities and volunteers to assist with running events are always welcomed.
If you have any ideas for activities that you would like to see in the Reading Room and think you can help or any other general feedback then we would be very pleased to hear from you. Please use our Contact Us page.
Steve Cooke (Chair)
I have lived in the Village since 2011, and became a reading Room Trustee in 2018, taking the Chair in 2023.
Now that we have a beautiful, modern facility our task as Trustees is to raise funds to maintain the building into the future and to manage the day to day operations.
We have an enthusiastic and capable committee so if you have any feedback on any issues please do not hesitate to contact one of us.
We look forward to seeing you at the Reading Room at future community Events
David Hellens (Parish Council Rep)
Born in Kenya, went to school in Cheltenham, discovered Gloucestershire, retired from an international commercial career in 2013 and came back to the Cotswolds from London. Discovered Shipton and have lived here with my family since 2013.
Ran a Gloucestershire management consultancy until retiring in 2023.
Became a Shipton Parish Councillor and a trustee of the Reading Room in 2023. Walks with the Shipton Walkers, plays tennis at East Glos.
Steve Smith (Treasurer)
I have lived in the village since 2019 after retiring and moving here from Goring-on-Thames. I have been a trustee for over 2 years and took on the Treasurer role last year after Richard Bromwich stepped down. I am a Treasurer and trustee for another charity based in Reading and a trustee for a further three charities and am currently President of North Cotswolds Rotary Club.
Pamela Todd
I have lived in Hampen since Sept 2019 and been a Reading room Trustee since Jan 2023
Sarah Merheim-Kealy (Secretary)
TBD
Pete Kealy
I have lived in the village since 2006 and have helped out in the Reading Room in several roles in that time. I became a trustee about five years ago.
I was on the Parish Council for several years and in the Chairman role when the Village agreed to our great refurbishment in 2019.
