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The Beaconsfield Society's Committee consists of the Officers, chairs of Subcommittees responsible for the different activities of the Society and other elected members. The Officers consist of the Chair, Secretary and Treasurer who are eligible for re-election at the Annual General Meeting for a maximum period of five years. The Committee is delighted to have the benefit of advice from Les Davies, our President, who is a former Chairman. The current Committee consists of the following members: |
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Alison Wheelhouse, Chair After reading Law at King's College London, I practised as a solicitor in the City of London for many years before moving to Beaconsfield where I have lived for the past 25 years. I have more recently worked in Maidenhead as Head of Property for a firm of solicitors and now work as a Consultant solicitor specialising in property and planning law. I led the Society's highly successful Save Our Green Belt Campaign for the past 5 years, opposing the (now withdrawn) Local Plan which sought to develop 117 hectares of Beaconsfield Green Belt for a business park, a housing estate of 1600 homes and a travellers' site. The Plan was defeated and as we wait to see what shape a new Bucks Local Plan will take, my particular interest is in protecting our Green Belt and keeping residents informed about planning issues in the town. I am very proud of my fantastic Committee who work so hard as volunteers to keep our town an attractive place to live and also our wonderful members. I aim to keep our community at the heart of what we do and protect the special character of Beaconsfield. I have two sons and in my spare time I am a keen rugby supporter, enjoy cinema and exploring our beautiful countryside. |
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Kate McLeod, Treasurer I first came to Beaconsfield 40 years ago, when my father was posted to Wilton Park. My parents settled in the area, but I only returned to live here 10 years ago, after many years in London. Beaconsfield has always felt like home and I am very happy that I am able to live in this beautiful part of the country. I joined the Beaconsfield Society as I am concerned about the proposed changes to the Green Belt land. Whilst all towns need to evolve over time, we also need to take care that we protect the natural landscape and ensure growth is measured and manageable. I recently retired as Chief Financial Officer of the Royal Mencap Society, where my responsibilities covered property and IT as well as Finance. Prior to that, my career was spent working in various finance roles in Investment Management firms. I now sit as a board member for a local housing association and on 2 other Risk, Audit and Finance committees of Not for Profit organisations. |
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Les Davies, President We have lived in Beaconsfield since 1983 when my employment with a blue-chip multi-national healthcare company brought me to the area. My children were educated in Holtspur and my support for the school’s parent association drew me into service in the local community. My wife is a retired teacher, my son is serving with the Army and my daughter lives and teaches locally. I served on Beaconsfield Town Council for 20 years and was Mayor in 1998-99. I have seen many changes in the town and like to think that I have contributed to improvements such as replacing roadside trees, upgrading children’s playgrounds, installing CCTV and providing finger posts in the town. Conservation of the built and natural environment is important to me and I am a keen allotment gardener. I have been involved with the impressive Holtspur Bank Local Nature Reserve since it was designated in 1995 and I am an active Friend of Holtspur Bank. My willingness to get involved with the local community and an interest in healthcare has led to an understanding of the challenges faced by community groups, the voluntary sector and local government in delivering high quality value added services. I have been Chairman of Holtspur Scouts, was a governor of Holtspur School for 10 years and was a member of the Buckinghamshire Primary Care Patient and Public Involvement Forum for four years. I have been a member of the Beaconsfield Society since 1998 and was its Chairman 1999-2004. I have also served as its Vice-President before being appointed President in 2008. I am also Chairman of Carers Bucks, a Buckinghamshire charity which provides support to family carers, and a member of the Woodlands District Scout Executive Committee. |
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I’m a relative newcomer to Beaconsfield, having lived and worked in London for nearly 20 years before moving out here a few years ago with my husband and two young daughters. We were drawn to Beaconsfield’s history, beautiful countryside and sense of community, and after getting involved in the Vision for Beaconsfield project I joined the Beaconsfield Society committee to continue to support and preserve the things I love about living here. I am a strong advocate of volunteering and community engagement, both personally and through my career in HR and business management, and am keen to help in promoting these through the Society. |
Rachel Ferguson