Nick Jones had a successful career in catering management before co-founding ‘Restaurants at Work’, a major UK contract catering company. He has extensive experience of setting up new businesses and is currently Chair of Maiden Erlegh Trust. Nick is a founding member and Director of the Maiden Erlegh Trust and has been a governor for 18 years.

Jonathon is the Chief Executive Officer at Maiden Erlegh Trust and was appointed as a Trustee by Members from 1 September 2022.

Maia is the Company Secretary and Clerk to the Trust Board. She is an experienced clerk who has been supporting schools within Maiden Erlegh Trust since November 2020. 

Mike graduated from London University and also qualified and worked as a teacher. He then worked in the NHS for over 30 years, 18 of these as a CEO, then ran a consultancy. He has non executive experience having been Vice Chairman of two University Boards and has also been on three NHS Boards. He is a Trustee of three other charities.

Paddy is currently (2023-7) Head of the Department of English Literature at the University of Reading, where we has worked as an Associate Professor since 2015. His career in higher education began in 2002 at Oxford University. He is the author of Satire, Instruction and Useful Knowledge in Eighteenth-Century Britain: The Enlightenment Mock Arts (Cambridge University Press, 2025), and of Edmund Burke and the Art of Rhetoric (CUP, 2011). He lives in Reading and has served as a School Advisory Board member at Maiden Erlegh Chiltern Edge since 2021. He is also a Trustee of Autism Berkshire and a long-serving member of the committee of The Museum of English Rural Life, Reading. Paddy believes strongly that the provision of excellent education to young people must be instituted and funded on a cross-community basis, so that pupils of all abilities and backgrounds have the opportunity to meet and then exceed their ambitions. This is why the diversity of the MET schools portfolio means so much to him.

Having attended Edinburgh University, Matt retrained in Law and became a Barrister. After successfully practicing for 13 years in both London and Manchester he gave up life at the Bar and did an MBA. This lead to teaching as a professor at a business school, across all areas of executive education, over a 5 year period. Another shift in career saw Matt move back to the commercial side of life, where he eventually became Senior Vice President and Global Head of Sales for EF Education First, Hult & Ashridge Executive Education, where he helped to substantially grow the business and integrate all three companies.

Matt is also a volunteer Shout Crisis Counsellor, where he supports many people young and old, at the times in their lives when they need help most.

Matt believes that all young people deserve an excellent education and anything he can do to help the Trust achieve this, for the young people of Maiden Erlegh, is the reason he has joined the Trust.

John joined the Trust in December 2017. He studied at Durham University, gaining a degree in Geography. He is a Chartered Fellow of the Institute of Personnel and Development. He has worked for 30 years in Human Resources, latterly in the IT support services sector, as an HR Director, where he was responsible for businesses in the UK, Europe and the Middle East.

Christine joined the Trust Board as SEND Trustee in October 2022. She has an extensive range of experience in both education and local authorities and brings with her detailed knowledge, experience and understanding of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, and the extensive legislative framework and guidance around it. 

Christine retired last year but previous to this, she was the Special Educational Needs Service Manager for Hampshire County Council for 12 years, following on from the role as Assistant Director Children's Services at Wokingham Borough Council. Previous to this she held a number of teaching roles and was Headteacher of a local primary school 2000-2005.

Bob Kenwrick spent 38 years in the Police Force and prior to retiring was Chief Inspector with British Transport Police. On retiring, he returned to British Transport Police for 7 years as their well-being manager with responsibility for Health and Safety and Occupational Health. Bob has been a governor for 12 years; he was Chair of Governors at a local primary school and is currently Chair of Governors at a local secondary school. He has been a governor at Maiden Erlegh School for four years and is a Director of the Maiden Erlegh Trust.

Brian began as a school governor in 2011 and has since contributed his expertise within primary and secondary schools across Bracknell and the surrounding area. With experience as both a chair and vice-chair, Brian has led multiple committees and working groups and has supported new chairs as a mentor.  In 2017, he completed the National College for Teaching and Leadership Chairs Development Program, and in 2019, he earned an MSc with Merit in Psychology of Work from the University of Leicester. His dissertation on training transfer for school governors was presented at the Division of Occupational Psychology Annual Conference in 2020.  Brian is deeply committed to fostering an environment where students and staff alike can thrive and to supporting the board’s efforts to drive positive change and promote excellence throughout the Trust.

Alastair Starnes is a chartered surveyor and an associate of one of the top design and construction companies in the UK – Ridge and Partners LLP and is a Director of the Maiden Erlegh Trust. He has two children who attend Maiden Erlegh School. Alastair has used his expertise to support the Trust in the building of our new school Maiden Erlegh School in Reading.

Jane qualified and worked as a solicitor at the city firm, Macfarlanes, before moving in-house to Goldman Sachs International. Her speciality was Tax & Financial Planning for Private Clients & Entrepreneurs on & offshore. When her children were born, Jane switched to home life and volunteering for local committees and interest groups, most notably Kidmore End Parish Council and the Kidmore End Neighbourhood Development Plan.  Jane joined the Maiden Erlegh Trust Board in November 2024.