The Board of Governors are ultimately responsible for the overall management and control of Trent College and The Elms. They are responsible for the school’s vision, ethos and aims, the strategic direction of the school and the management of risks faced by the school. However, the day to day running of the schools is delegated to the Heads, the Bursar, other key management personnel and membership of the senior leadership teams.

Governors

  • President

    His Grace The 12th Duke of Devonshire CBE

  • Chair of Governors: Mrs Deborah Evans

    Deborah Evans is an experienced Chief Executive, non-executive Director, and school governor with a heart for learning, development and building strong communities. With a strong focus on good governance, she has a love of education and a positive outlook; embracing change and innovation with a view to building truly sustainable organisations with strong values and a real heart.

     

    With a first class degree in genetic engineering and an MBA, she embarked on a career spanning Chief Executive roles across the legal sector for as Lawyers in Local Government, the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers,  and the Legal Complaints Service, and management roles within Anthony Collins Solicitors, the Legal Aid Board and the in-house legal team of Boots. With previous experience of top table discussions in parliament, and coverage in the press and media, Deborah works to shape policy for the public good. 

     

    Throughout her career she has worked closely with schools and universities to develop children and young adults of all ages into the fully rounded professionals of the future. Whether it be through leading a governing body through school improvement and expansion, encouraging children to speak confidently on a stage, offering internships to undergraduates, mentoring post graduates, or running workshops on interview techniques, Deborah works hard to instill confidence to bring out talent and character in even the youngest of children.

     

    Outside of work, she lives in Ashby de la Zouch and leads a full life with husband, two sons and a dog the size of a small horse. She organises village fetes, runs a choir, and writes and stars in the annual village pantomime. 

    To contact the Chair of Governors please email: clerktothegovernors@trentcollege.net

  • Mr Stephen Anelay

    Stephen is a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.   He has practised as a Chartered Surveyor in the East Midlands for over 40 years and has extensive experience in property matters, new development, project management and the repair, maintenance and refurbishment of buildings.  He is married with two children.  His son and two grandsons are Old Tridents.

  • Mr Gary Bates

    Gary is the chairman of Serif, the Nottingham-based software company that develops and sells the Affinity range of design and photo editing software worldwide. Gary is married and has three children who all attended The Elms and Trent College and are now Old Tridents.

  • Mr Ian Bowness

    Recently retired, Ian has been the Finance Director of a number of companies including DFS Furniture Company plc and United Carpets Group plc.  He is married and his son and daughter are both Old Tridents.

  • Mr Aidan Butler

    Aidan Butler is an Old Trident and attended Trent between 1982-90.  Aidan is an Partner with James Hambro & Partners, heading up their Leeds office.  He has a wife, Kate who is also an Old Trident, as well as two children.

  • Dr Glenn Crocker

    Glenn Crocker is CEO of BioCity Group Ltd, a biotech incubation and investment business based in Nottingham. He has a DPhil in Immunology from Oxford University and qualified as a chartered accountant with EY, focussing on working with biotech companies in Palo Alto, California and Cambridge, UK, where he headed up the UK Biotech practice for EY. He has four children, all of whom are Old Tridents.

    In 2014 Glenn received an MBE for services to the biotechnology industry.

  • Mr David Evans

    Practising Community Pharmacist locally in the Ilkeston and Long Eaton area, David has a long association with Trent College having been a pupil from 1976 – 1983, before moving to the University of Bath, where he undertook a degree in Pharmacy.

    At Trent, David was in Wright House, and represented the 1st XI at cricket for 3 years. In addition, both of David’s children are Old Tridents.

    David has sat on various national committees associated with work, and has a number of post graduate qualifications which enables the him to offer a number of innovative services – in particular Travel Vaccination Clinics – where he has seen a number of Trent pupils & teachers over the last few years when preparing for expeditions.

    Interests include beer and cider making, and of course sport. David has played cricket and golf locally for over 30 years and is a long-standing member of Ilkeston Rugby Club. After finishing playing rugby, David took up refereeing and some of you might remember him officiating some schools fixtures a number of years ago.

  • Mr Neil Finlay

    Neil is an Old Trident, having attended Trent 1979 to 1986.  He was a member of the first cohort of students to board in Blake House.  After leaving Trent, he graduated from the University of Birmingham with an honours degree in French and German.  Neil began his career in education teaching at Trent College in 1990 and has subsequently worked at schools in Derby, Birmingham and Stafford. For the past 10 years Neil has been the Head at a large comprehensive school in Stafford. Neil is married to Joanne and they have two children, Will and Molly. Neil is passionate about sport and retains a love of cricket from his time at Trent where he was vice‑captain of a reasonably successful 1stXI.  Neil coaches his son’s junior football team and, when time allows, enjoys playing golf.

  • Mrs Christine Gamble

    Christine is currently Deputy Head (Academic) at Wellingborough School in Northamptonshire where she also teaches Mathematics. Prior to teaching, Christine led a number of large Software and Communications projects for government and industry bodies. She is married with three children; one son and two daughters.

  • Mr Ian Griffin

    Ian is currently Deputy Head at RGS Springfield in Worcester and is also the Designated Safeguarding Lead there. Before taking up this post, Ian had been a Head of two schools. He is married with a young daughter.

  • Mr David Humes
  • Miss Emma Lindblom

    Emma is a Chartered Accountant and currently Head of Quality Assurance at MHA, a charity which enables people to live later life well through the provision of residential care homes, retirement living communities and community based services. Emma leads the nationally based internal audit and assurance team undertaking quality, operational and financial audits. Previously Emma was a Senior Manager at KPMG, working across the East and West Midlands undertaking financial risk management investigations and supporting companies on legal disputes from an accounting perspective. She has previously been heavily involved in statutory audits, and managed the day to day finance function at a Bank.

  • Dr C. Paul Nathanail

    Paul is Managing Director of a specialist environmental consultancy, Land Quality Management Ltd.  He has over 20 years’ experience in delivering university and CPD training. Most recently he has taken that online and regularly runs webinars for audiences across Europe and in Australia.  Paul is committed to the UK maintaining the excellent standard of education it has become known for in both the private and state sectors. He is married and has two sons, who are both Old Tridents.

  • Mrs Daisy Omissi

    Daisy-Ellen is Senior Vice President of External Communications at Rolls-Royce Civil Aerospace.  Prior to her current role, she has had an international career in media and communications which has taken her to the UAE, Spain and Qatar. She has two daughters, one of whom is a student at Trent College.

  • Mr Joseph Pygall

    Joseph is Head of Global Operations for the Telco, Media & Technology Industry at Atos and has worked in IT Services for 20 years. He is married to Karen and has two sons, George and Henry, who both attend Trent College and were previously at The Elms.

  • Mrs Kalmeet Rai

    Kal is a Head of Technical & Responsible Business for a large food manufacturing business supplying the major retailers. Her remit includes the governance of food safety, legality, and quality as well as environmental, sustainability governance.  Kal is proud mum to two children that are at The Elms and Trent College and is keen to use her experience in the food industry spanning over 20 years managing risk and compliance to support the school community with its strategic plans for a sustainable future.

  • Dr Komal Raj

    Komal is an Old Trident having attended between 1993-1998. He is currently a GP partner at Wilson Street Surgery in Derby and is the lead clinician for mental health and a GO partner. He is also the primary care representative for the Derby City Place Alliance, bringing different health and social care providers together. Komal has two children who are currently at The Elms.

  • Mrs Sally Rosser

    Sally is currently Deputy Head with responsibility for the oversight of Pastoral Care at Rugby School and also the School’s Designated Safeguarding Lead.  Sally joined Rugby School in 1992 to assist with the transition to full co-education in 1993 and has run three boarding houses during her time at the School.  Married to Philip, who also teaches at Rugby and together they have four children.

  • Bursar: Mrs Claire Astell-Crocker

    Claire Astell-Crocker Bursar and Clerk to the Governors.

  • Mr Karaan Sabherwal
  • Mrs Stephanie Steele