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As this week is Trustees’ Week, which celebrates the achievements of nearly one million trustees in the charity sector across the UK, we pay tribute to the hard work, expertise and vision that each of our own trustees bring to the Society. It is also an ideal time to introduce the five new trustees who joined us at the Society’s AGM on 19th October.

The new trustees are:

Peter Chivers – With extensive expertise in music and creative education, including managing large-scale services such as Create Music, Peter is also passionate about volunteering and has been working with the Society through the Good Space volunteering programme, which supports inclusive volunteering opportunities in cultural and heritage venues.

Pamela Kent – An accomplished communications director, strategist and cultural sociologist with fifteen years’ experience working with award-winning arts and heritage organisations across the UK, including Worthing Theatres and Museum, Nottingham Playhouse and New Art Exchange. Pamela recently founded Pamela Kent Consulting Limited, focused on empowering arts and heritage organisations to think strategically and foster an audience-first mindset.

Michael La Rooy – With a 35-year career working in finance and IT, including 12 years as Global Head of Customer Service Capabilities at American Express, Michael brings significant business experience to the Society but is also a committed champion of historic preservation, winning a Sussex Heritage Trust Award in 2018 for the restoration work on his Grade II* listed home near Uckfield, East Sussex.

Jean Sanderson – Recently retired from professional life, has a background as a serving RAF officer and is a member of Military History Live and the Battlefield Archaeology Group, where she took part in a two week dig to find evidence to support the accuracy of the military records for the Normandy campaign in WW2. She is also an active member of Liss Archaeology and a Trustee at Bohunt Education Trust.

Portia Tremlett – Born and raised in Brighton and a museum professional with over 12 years’ experience, Portia maintains a lifelong passion for the heritage of Sussex. In her work at the Novium Museum in Chichester and in her current role as Curator of World Art at Brighton & Hove Museums, she brings extensive experience in collections care, exhibition programming and museum education.

Amanda Jones, Chair of the Council of Trustees at the Sussex Archaeological Society, said: “Our new trustees will be a huge asset to the Society as we continue our vital role in providing access to the history, heritage and archaeology of Sussex. They each bring with them a wealth of highly relevant experience and will put us in an even stronger position to successfully deliver our programme of strategic change. I am honoured to have the opportunity to work alongside them.”