GLADE Centre is a registered charitable company (limited by guarantee) and is overseen by its Board of Trustees who are also Directors of the company. The day to day responsibility for GLADE Centre is devolved to our Programme Director who oversees all our project and contracted work, and liaises with clients to respond to commissions and consultancy. We have Associates and Volunteers who undertake specific tasks and delivery according to their expertise and our requirements.
Sandra Aldworth,
Trustee & Volunteer, favourite is Global Bite for God’s Eyes or Ojo de Dios Sandra is a chartered accountant who has been in practice since 1988. She has a good range of business experiences through working with local small businesses. She has a particular interest in Charities and global education and has twice been to Zambia as part of the Cary-Mufulira partnership working with the Church and on an educational project.
Olivier Bagnara,
Trustee, favourite GLADE Collection is Ghana A teacher of many years standing, Olivier has a passion for global learning and development education. Something he leads on in his own school, he’s drawn on a whole range of GLADE’s services and support which has helped build global learning into school progression plans, including delivering ISA, school partnerships and links, Erasmus projects, staff training and mentoring and curriculum development. He’s currently leading on the World Class Teachers project with GLADE, which as well as building expertise for global learning across secondary subjects, is starting to widen reach into feeder primary schools.
Lynn Cutler,
Programme Director and Lead Trainer & Facilitator, her favourite GLADE Collection is Ethiopia and in particular this coffee pot During a work-visit to Addis Ababa, Lynn grew fond of the coffee “culture” that runs deep in Ethiopia; a good day always starts with fresh coffee! Lynn is highly regarded in all fields across development education & global learning for her professionalism and depth of knowledge. She has extensive expertise in both face to face and online delivery, and has built up a reputation for leading inspiring and interactive workshop sessions using online platforms. She has specialist expertise in aligning Development Education Global Learning with the national curriculum (all subjects, across primary and secondary), priorities such as SMSC and British values, building an ambitious curriculum, skilled teachers, and motivated learners and more recently, DfE’s Sustainability and Climate Change strategy. She is adept at providing bespoke responses to schools’ requests around workforce development encouraging ownership and staff retention. Lynn provides consultancy services to British Council including training and validating trainers from SSA, MENA, South America, SE Asia, re-purposing face to face courses for live, online delivery and materials for refreshing teachers’ delivery around global citizenship skills and outlooks. Most recently Lynn led a series of interactive webinars to bring UK teachers together with overseas teachers, for short term partnership projects, around climate change and pupil’s taking action together. Pearson appointed her as Global Learning Programme Advisor to schools across 6 counties, where her coaching & mentoring support to lead teachers in expert centres /CPD hub schools helped progress whole school take up of global learning aligned to educational priorities. She is adept at working with practitioners, both face to face and online, including mentoring and coaching teachers to become Lead Practitioners and gain recognition for their global learning delivery through the Global Teacher Award. She was previously Director of the UK One World Linking Association, helping overseas community links and school partnerships develop reciprocity and equitable approaches, running conferences, workshops as well as supporting links to seek solutions of sustainability. Her passion for community development and lifelong learning comes through in the opportunities she now builds into funded projects and commissioned work. Bringing people together, constructing activities to ease conversations along, and helping people of all ages find their own response to global and local challenge, she has been instrumental in GLADE Centre developing their CONNECT, CHALLENGE, CHANGE approach for a range of community focus areas, including heritage & intercultural understanding, enterprise & entrepreneurship. She leads the GLADE Centre’s community-based project A Place Called Home – encouraging new conversations and new socialising activities to increase connections and deepen social learning around heritage in Somerset.
Jon Gray,
Trustee & Volunteer, favourite GLADE Collection is India Jon has been a Trustee of GLADE since its inception, when he was working in the Local Education Advisory Service and helped to transfer the Somerset Multicultural Education project into the voluntary sector. He now chairs the charity. Jon has worked alongside colleagues fostering the provision of development education across Somerset schools and beyond. He believes passionately that spreading knowledge of how people from a range of cultures interact with each other can reduce global tension and facilitate greater understanding and co-operation across the world.
Liz Johnson-Idan,
Trustee & Volunteer, favourite Global Bite is Adinkra Printing Liz returns as a Trustee after living and working overseas. Her expertise is wide, including youth and community development. Her interests lie in diversity and identity, making global issues have a local feel and in widening experiences of people and places, through food, activity and finding common ground.
Robin Russell,
Trustee & volunteer, favourite GLADE Collection is A Triangle for Adaora Robin has an engineering degree and experience of running a number of businesses. He currently works in Building Heritage and has previous experience of a diverse range of industries – including aerospace, electronics, fabrication and steel. GLADE benefits from his experience of running and growing businesses and in developing, funding and marketing GLADE’s offers. Robin is passionate about creating unity between people from all parts of the globe and cultural backgrounds, and believes this can be achieved through communication, education and understanding each other; dispelling the fear and resentment that otherwise occurs.
Laura Tilling,
Trustee and volunteer, favourite GLADE Collection is Zambia Laura has a wealth of expertise, including an MA in International Development. Her passion is helping others learn about development through bringing the benefits of first hand experience overseas. She co-leads visits to Zambia, supports school and community partnerships with the copperbelt area of Zambia, helping build local and global relationships that last. Every year, she leads the GLADE team, devising, resourcing and delivering workshops to around 240 pupils within the Diocese of Bath and Wells Year 6 leavers conference, drawing on her reserves of creativity, energy, friendship and development education.
Jan Wingfield,
Trustee and volunteer, favourite GLADE Collection is Bangladesh Jan is a Maths Tutor with Somerset skills and learning, and a primary school Governor. She is a longstanding trustee and was drawn into GLADE Centre as a result of her time with VSO in Bangladesh – doesn’t time fly? She has been invaluable with her collaboration to reviewing and amending our strategy policies. She brings the best bits of her methodical working out to bear in meetings and in GLADE’s planning.
Jess Witchell,
Bev Janes,
Glade Uganda collection of artefacts
Trustee and volunteer, favourite GLADE collection is Uganda Bev is an experienced teacher and a tutor with SSE, inspiring and training new teachers. She has a passion for global citizenship education and outdoor learning, and brings these alive to new trainee teachers training with Somerset school centred initial teacher training (SCITT) in partnership with the University of Worcester and to early career teachers. In 2022 she gained recognition with the Global Teachers Award-2 from CODEC and GLADE Centre, for inspiring and leading global learning with teachers, trainees and fellow tutors. Bev curated the Uganda Collection during a 5 week Global Teacher placement to Uganda working alongside teachers in Ugandan schools, so has a real understanding of how handling objects and artefacts can deepen learning and build curiousity.
Banah Crook
Project worker on our A Place Called Home project and Heritage Associate. Favourite item? “I chose broken bangles from the GLADE India collection because it took me back to my childhood. I use to play with broken bangles with my cousins in Pakistan in the summer” Banah was born in Pakistan, where she graduated in Psychology and Education and now has 20 years’ experience of teaching in a variety of educational settings in Pakistan and the UK. Arriving in England in 1996 , she first worked as a counsellor with a Christian Charity. Since then she has been involved in education and is now a local councillor. She is passionate about connecting with people from diverse cultures and has been involved organising community events, cultural days at schools and World dance and music events in local communities. Banah was appointed as Heritage Associate in May 2023 and is one of the project team encouraging new conversations and new socialising activities to increase connections and deepen social learning around heritage in Somerset. Information can be found at https://aplacecalledhome.glade.org/
Ingrid Edginton
Banana fibre doll from Uganda
Project worker on our A Place Called Home project and Heritage Associate. Favourite item? “I chose this doll from the GLADE Uganda Collection as my favourite item, as I have fond memories of my time in Ugandan schools; the doll represents my support for Children’s Rights and International Protection and symbolises my passion for sustainable horticulture – this doll is handmade from a dried banana leaf.” Ingrid has worked in primary education as a class teacher, a Global Teacher, Special Needs Co-ordinator and Head of School. She has always had a keen interest in global learning and development education. She now runs a floristry business, developed from her experience of growing plants and understanding their cultural symbolism and uses. She is a co-founder of Nightingale, an organisation supporting Ukrainian refugees, hosts and volunteers in the community. Ingrid was appointed as Heritage Associate in May 2023 and is one of the project team gathering and curating collections of memorable items, heritage and cultural objects, books, photos, arts and crafts, homeware. These new Home & Heritage Collections will help start new conversations and encourage curiosity around the heritage in Somerset society. Information can be found at https://aplacecalledhome.glade.org/
Vera Marques
Wooden printing blocks from India & Uganda
Project worker on our A Place Called Home project and Heritage Associate. Favourite item? Her two favourite objects are from GLADE’s Uganda Collection and India Collection, 2 carved wooden printing blocks to print patterns into fabric. “As an artist I really appreciate it’s beauty and it’s craftsmanship. Symbols are very important in cultures around the world and I am looking forward to develop work by exploring printing techniques and personal artist development by collaborating and sharing experiences. “ Vera is a Portuguese Artist and came to Somerset 10 years ago. She is very interested in developing collaborative artworks and workshops in the community and build up relationships with her peers to bring Art to our day to day lives. Vera was appointed as Heritage Associate in May 2023 and is one of the project team devising new activities, finding new materials for the Home & Heritage Collections and being part of new conversations about home and heritage in Somerset. Information can be found at https://aplacecalledhome.glade.org/
Luan MacDonald
An antique camera
Project worker on our A Place Called Home project and Heritage Associate. Favourite item? “I chose the old camera, as it reminds her of precious family photos and the need we all have to capture and preserve memories. “ Luan was born in England. She is Irish-Malaysian and spent her childhood in The UK and Malaysia. She has a degree in Interactive Fine Arts and a degree in Nursing and Social Work. Luan has worked for 20 years with people with learning disabilities. She moved to Somerset 15 years ago and is active in community cultural events. Luan was appointed as Heritage Associate in May 2023 and is one of the project team devising workshops, try out new activities at community events and encouraging people to take part in new conversations around home and heritage in Somerset. Information can be found at https://aplacecalledhome.glade.org/
Susann Savidge
West Africa music collection
Project worker on our A Place Called Home project and Heritage Associate. Favourite item? Susann chose 2 percussion instruments, originating in West Africa, these shakers are found in the Caribbean and in Europe as peoples have migrated, by force or by choice and held on to music, stories and creativity. Susann was appointed as Heritage Associate in May 2023 and is one of the project team liaising to gather and curate collections of memorable items, heritage and cultural objects, books, photos, arts and crafts, homeware, and encouraging a flow of memories, anecdotes, knowledge, perspectives & new conversations around home and heritage in Somerset. Information can be found at https://aplacecalledhome.glade.org/
George Hodges
GLADE Associate – Website Management. Favourite item? George chose this motorbike crafted from pre-used cans. One of the items in the 3Rs Collection and made in Ghana, this motorbike prompts his memories of being a teenager, developing his father’s motorcycle shop’s website! George has been working with GLADE Centre since 2022, providing a much-needed digital specialist support in hosting and managing the glade.org website. He is designing the website for the ‘A Place Called Home’ project, bringing a fresh look to GLADE Centre’s online presence. If you’re interested in Kernel’s services do check them out on their website – kernelitservices.co.uk
