Francesca moved to Milton Keynes in 1977 and spent the first 14 years commuting to London, first working on the commercial side of The Guardian newspaper, later moving over to IPC magazines where she worked on the launch of a new women’s magazine OPTIONS. She later became publisher of Ideal Home magazine. On the birth of her second child in 1991 she decided to work locally and she moved from the private sector to work in the voluntary sector, where she managed Relate MK for ten years.  The community of Milton Keynes became her focus and she later became a trustee of the Milton Keynes Community Foundation, where she also served a three year term as Chair. She joined the Board of Governors at MK College and served as Chair for six years from 2008-2013.

She is a Deputy Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire and was High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire 2015/16. In 2016 she took on the role of Chair of the Arts and Heritage Alliance Milton Keynes, which has over 35 members and stakeholders. AHA-MK champions the rich heritage and creative future of Milton Keynes, and is also the lead on MAKE, the Milton Keynes Cultural Education Partnership. MAKE’s vision is to work in partnership to enhance the lives of children and young people in Milton Keynes through outstanding and inclusive cultural education and creative enrichment. 

In 2020 AHA-MK produced a report ‘Rethinking Cultural Inclusion and Diversity: A Call to Action for Milton Keynes’. AHA-MK was delighted to be nominated for a MK Black History Month Award for ‘an organisation which actively reaches out to black communities’ and was very proud to win the award in this category at the Gala Awards Dinner October 2021.

Francesca has had a long association with Milton Keynes Community Foundation, as a trustee and as a donor. She and her husband John set up a Foundation Skelton Fund, as they and their grown up children Tom and Anna are very committed to Milton Keynes and to supporting its community development. Her time as a trustee ended in 2018. She was very pleased to be invited to take on a new role in 2021 as one of the Vice Presidents of the Milton Keynes Community Foundation in 2021.

Bryan is still enjoying a business career that has spanned 46 years during which he has worked as a designer and strategist and developed a passion for, and deep understanding of, the forces that govern people’s behaviour and levels of trust as customers and employees. You can see evidence of his work for organisations of all sizes and sectors in every continent globally.

Bryan was one of the early pioneers of multichannel design and marketing, setting up the first retail interactive agency in the UK in 1990. He has created strategic innovations for both large and small organisations and have been responsible for several industry firsts such as ‘Click & Collect’.

Bryan founded a company called Yellowyoyo alongside his wife Amanda back in 1998. Yellowyoyo is a business transformation company specialising in improving growth, income, and brand awareness for their clients right through to planning and facilitating the desired business exit. They do this using their expertise in business futures, strategy and leadership, brand design, marketing, and business exit planning and implementation.

Bryan has been asked to use some of his extensive experience in the creative and business communities by being a visiting lecturer to the business schools at both the University of Buckingham and Milton Keynes College.

Bryan and Amanda moved that business to Milton Keynes in 2016 and followed that by moving home to Sherington in 2020. Latterly they now live in Olney and love immersing themselves into the energetic local activities both in Olney and Milton Keynes. They are both volunteering for the International Festival in 2025.

Bryan has supported the Community Foundation for many years both in terms of its profile, Yellowyoyo was behind the design and production of the 10-year anniversary Vital Signs report and launch event in Midsummer Court, and also with strategic thinking and presenting behind the Giving for Growth Campaign in both 2023 and 2024. Bryan is looking forward to building on that good work as a VP.

If you want proof of his resilience and staying power, he’s an avid supporter of Derby County Football Club.

Enough said.

Robert has lived and worked in Buckinghamshire all his life. He was the Administration Director for a large Insurance Group, with responsibility for their premises and employees in its head office near High Wycombe and other offices in the City of London and Essex.

Robert moved to Chicheley, near Newport Pagnell, with his wife Claire and two sons in the mid-1980s and has been actively involved in all aspects of the management of the family farm.

Robert is Chairman of the Buckinghamshire CLA (Country Land and Business Association); a member of the Thames Valley Rural Crime Partnership (TVRCP); a member of the Milton Keynes Independent Advisory Group (IAG); Chair of the Rural North & East Community Forum and of Chicheley Parish Meeting.

Robert is a Trustee of The Buckinghamshire Historic Churches Trust and a Trustee of a small local Charitable Trust that is a MK Community Foundation Fund holder.

He has been a Vice President since 2011 and former Chair of the Grants Panel. He is passionate about the Community Foundation’s ability to provide support to the voluntary and community sectors of Milton Keynes.

Kurshida has a research, policy and strategy background working for local and central government with a strong track record in social action. She designed and supported delivery of Homes England’s Care and Support Specialised Housing Fund, Homelessness Change and Platform for Life and was the lead for the Vulnerable and Older People Advisory Group.

Kurshida is Chair of Midlands Region of the Housing Learning and
Improvement Network (Housing LIN). Within the Housing LIN, Kurshida has lead the debate to draw attention to the need for better evidence on the housing and support needs and aspirations of older people from BAME communities. This culminated in the joint Race Equality Foundation and Housing LIN report – Housing and the older ethnic minority population in England (Feb 2019). She is also a lead voice in the “Ageing well in BAME communities” with a recent summit bringing housing providers and policy makers together at a summit in October 2019.

Kurshida was the Chair of Citizens MK from 2016 – 2019 and Board member of Midsummer Housing Association (now part of the Guinness Trust Partnership). Kurshida is married with two children and has lived in Milton Keynes since 1990. She has a passion for
working with communities and has developed a unique vehicle in Milton Keynes for engaging with diverse communities and in particular Muslims and faith-based communities who are seldom heard and less visible. Kurshida is the founder of Trubys Garden Tea Room, an interfaith café promoting dialogue between Muslims and the wider community in MK. She also founded and created the annual Great Get Together Iftar in 2017 to bring the diverse communities in MK to celebrate Ramadan with the Muslim community attracting over 1000 attendees.

Peter moved to Milton Keynes in 1980 and gradually became involved in the voluntary sector in Milton Keynes in the early 90s, when he decided to manage more of his business interests from home. He is a qualified accountant with a history of management buyouts and investments in trading companies and has also served terms on the boards of local NHS organisations.

His involvement in the Milton Keynes Community Foundation started at the request of its then Chief Executive and his dear friend and neighbour, Tim Hill, to assist with the assessment of financial viability of organisations applying for grants.

Appointed as a Trustee of the Foundation in 1995, together with Francesca Skelton and Michael Murrey, he was asked later to join the board of its subsidiary, MK Community Properties Limited and has served terms as chair of both organisations.

He became an ardent supporter of the ethos underlying Community Foundations following meetings with a Mott Foundation representative sent to the UK to promote a partnership challenge between CAF and Mott in 1990 to stimulate endowments in the UK and was delighted, during his term as Chair of the Foundation, to see it produce its first Vital Signs report based on Canadian Community Foundation models released in 2011.

The importance of the Vital Signs Report was not only to highlight issues of deprivation affecting the growing community of Milton Keynes, but also to provide a much-needed focus for the Community Foundation’s grant-giving programme, enabling it to address some of the issues raised in the report in a targeted way at a time when demand for such grants was expanding.

Since leaving the Community Foundation board he has continued to encourage individuals and companies to support the Community Foundation financially in its vision to the create a community in Milton Keynes where equality of access to education, health, mental well-being, employment, leisure and the arts can lift the lives of those for whom such access is limited or difficult. Leaving such deprivation unaddressed, he urges, ultimately has a negative impact on the quality of life of all who reside in that community and therefore the combined perceptions of philanthropy and self-interest should be an incentive to all to become involved.

He promotes the idea that using the Community Foundation as a one-stop conduit provides the advantage of being able to support one or more causes close to donors’ hearts in the knowledge that the impact of their contribution will be enhanced by the professional and ethical processes imbedded in the Foundation’s operations to maximise positive social outcomes in a cost-effective, fair, and efficient manner.

Brenda was born in London to Irish immigrant parents and she emigrated to Milton Keynes in 1981 to work in the legal sweatshops of the new city as a property solicitor. She has been involved in the Community Foundation for over 30 years, both as a donor and a Vice President, representing and promoting the Community Foundation’s ideals and many causes.

Since retirement, she has travelled extensively and experienced much need abroad but believes that charity begins at home and home is where the heart is. She therefore included the Community Foundation in her will and hopes not to spend it all before her time.

Shammi completed her BA and PGCE in Religious Studies at Kings College London and MA in Religious Education at UCL.

Originally from Luton, she moved to Milton Keynes in 2005 and has been teaching Philosophy and Religion for 18 years. She is currently the Head of Humanities Faculty at Denbigh School.

As an RE consultant, SACRE member and recently appointed National Executive leader for NATRE, Shammi has been actively involved in promoting RE, interfaith dialogue and the inclusion of non-religious worldviews.

She is the founder of Youth SACRE MK which is a group of teachers and students that work together to improve RE and promote freedom of thought across primary and secondary schools in Milton Keynes. In 2017, Shammi was awarded an Equality award for outstanding contribution to religion and faith and in 2018 she received the change-maker education award.

Shammi has been a member of the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee and she worked with the local council and secondary schools as a consultant for the CCSSC community cohesion project. She has supported collaborative projects such as MK2050 plans by promoting student voice and collaborative work with the RS department at the Open University.

“I am passionate about supporting our most disadvantaged in society through the power of education. I believe that education and positive experiences are the most powerful tools that can help both adults and children to set free from the problems that we often see in our society.

I feel very lucky to have settled here in Milton Keynes, purely by accident as we stumbled across the beautiful lakes. I am proud of what this town has offered my children in terms of opportunities and wonderful green spaces.  Milton Keynes represents an egalitarian, peaceful and forward thinking community with so much to offer future generations. I would like to support the foundation through further collaboration and bringing the views of our young people to the table. Our young people are full of love and compassion for the needy and want to be more involved in supporting their communities. I would like to utilise their wonderful ideas and make them a reality.

I feel very lucky to have gained so much from living here and this is an opportunity to give back and help the foundation with my contacts and experiences to widen the network.”

Suresh is a Tamil, and was born in Kuala Lumpur, in the then Malaya. His father was a diplomat and the family moved with his posting to London in 1969. After schooling in Finchley, London, Suresh read Chemical Engineering at Imperial College, London, and went on to take a Masters and a PhD in Biochemical Engineering at the University of Birmingham, completing his studies there in 1979.

He then worked in Malaysia, at a very large Engineering Consultancy. Following this, he took up a post at the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, devising systems for the treatment and reuse of petroleum refinery wastewaters in agriculture (growing alfalfa and tomatoes) and aquaculture (growing Tilapia, known as ‘the aquatic chicken’!). In addition, he was involved in several other interesting projects.

Seeking experience in a different sphere, he then joined the Ministry of the Environment in Muscat, Sultanate of Oman, where he was responsible for the approval of effluent treatment plants, and for investigating pollution incidents. Then, he got married and moved back to the UK, taking up a job which involved two locations - The Institute of Offshore Engineering, at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, and the Orkney Water Test Centre, in Flotta, Orkney.

Suresh, his wife and two children, moved to Milton Keynes in 1991, when he joined The Open University, where he is presently a Senior Lecturer in Environmental Engineering.

In Milton Keynes, he was a Committee Member and later, Chairperson, of the Milton Keynes Racial Equality Council (MK REC). In 2008, he received the first Championing Change Award of the MK REC.

Suresh has been the Secretary of the Milton Keynes Tamil Forum since its formation in 2008, and is a Trustee of the Milton Keynes Murugan Temple, located in Neath Hill. He is also the Secretary of the Milton Keynes Council of Faiths.

At the OU, Suresh is a Member of the BME Network Steering Group, and tries to bring The OU’s expertise in race matters to benefit various bodies in Milton Keynes (e.g. the Police, etc.).

Suresh would like to contribute to environmental aspects of the Community Foundation’s work, and help in publicising how the Foundation can help, and be helped, by the BME Communities of Milton Keynes.

Having read the most recent Vital Signs Report of the Community Foundation, Suresh is particularly keen on a project to bring out the full potential of black male pupils in Secondary Schools in Milton Keynes. Currently, he is building up a team to do this.

Fidèle is a public academic and a social entrepreneur. He is a multi-skilled professional and holds a PhD in sociology (University College Dublin). He has extensive experience in research, programme management, event planning and management, and conceiving and executing successful campaigns. He has published extensively on leadership, equality, diversity, inclusivity, immigration, integration and social cohesion. He has worked in the voluntary sector at all levels (employee, volunteer, manager and trustee) in Africa and Europe for over 25 years. Since moving to the UK in 2014, he has been working as an Independent Consultant with DILEAS Consulting, is a Visiting Research Fellow at the Centre for Voluntary Sector Leadership at The Open University and as a Volunteer Community Organiser with Citizens:MK, a chapter of Citizens UK, where he has been leading the Fight Against Hate Campaign. He has extensive experience of voluntary sector and public sector boards.

Fidèle is passionate about social justice and equity and he is interested in current affairs and politics. He is an advocate of meaningful participation of all members of society, including the so-called hard to reach. Fidèle likes story-telling and discussions on transition from oral tradition to written tradition and has an interest in social media and blogging. He enjoys walking and listening to the voice of nature, as well as being passionate about bio-diversity and sustainable development.

TJ is an experienced community leader and passionate advocate for intersectional equity, inclusion, and grass roots empowerment. With a background in transformation, engagement, and governance, along with a strong connection to local voluntary sector work, they bring a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing communities in Milton Keynes. As a VP for Communities, they are committed to ensuring that diverse voices are not only heard but remain central to the Foundation’s work in creating a fairer, more connected City. TJ passionately believes that the recipe for successful communities relies on creating environments where local people can work together to find mutually beneficial solutions that work.

Vicki grew up in north Bedfordshire and watched the development and expansion of Milton Keynes since its inception.  She has spent most of her adult life living in Olney and Emberton. The majority of her working life was spent working for Avon Cosmetics which enabled her to work her way through a variety of disciplines namely Finance, Regulatory Affairs, HR,  Supply Chain and latterly crisis management and business continuity.

She retired early to support Keith in his year as Mayor which was a wonderful opportunity to learn more about Milton Keynes.  As Mayoress she was first introduced to the Milton Keynes Community Foundation and has continued to support and promote as a VP. 

Since retiring fully her activities have included latterly being Chair of Emberton Parish Council and Emberton Sports and Social Club.  To keep her brain engaged she undertakes specific projects for the Community Foundation and Ride High.

Vicki loves to be outside and walking her dogs, gardening and cycling are her go to activates and likes nothing better than a bracing walk on a Norfolk or Northumbrian beach.

A natural communicator, business leader and public servant, Nicholas is as confident in a boardroom, civic reception, or strategy meeting, as he is in a networking environment, leading a team or understanding emerging technologies.

Throughout his successful career, Nicholas has consistently proven his commercial and technical acumen having founded both a software company, which he sold lucratively, and the region’s oldest digital marketing agency, Interdirect, in which he continues to take a leading role.

As a champion of his community, public service and supporting the third sector have long been central tenets of Nicholas’ life. He has supported a variety of local organisations, most notably as Vice President, Milton Keynes Community Foundation, an organisation that he has supported for over 18 years.

In addition, Nicholas chairs the Milton Keynes Business Leaders Partnership, a membership organisation comprised of significant businesses based within the local area. Throughout his two years as chair, he has successfully modernised the organisation to ensure its corporate governance, executive practices, and membership demographic exceed contemporary standards of transparency, equality, diversity, and inclusion. Having now ‘steadied the ship’, a job made much harder by the pandemic, Nicholas strives to ensure Milton Keynes and its satellite towns, including the county of Buckinghamshire, unite to capitalise upon the opportunities presented by the Arc, by competing actively with the cities at its poles.

Aged 52, Nicholas lives in Stoke Goldington with his three (mostly) adult children. Away from the throng, he relaxes by coaching rugby at his local club, trying to cook authentic Asian cuisine and enjoying the footpaths of the beautiful Buckinghamshire countryside.

Pam has a wealth of knowledge and experience gained over 20 years across all aspects of business within the private, political, public and voluntary sector. 

Until very recently Pam worked at Milton Keynes Council (MKC) for 15 years, her work spanned many areas, including Regulatory Service, Policy, Events, Economic Development, Culture and she has led on numerous policy and strategy areas that have benefited businesses and residents in Milton Keynes (MK).  Her work at MKC was instrumental to receiving a host of accolades including being recognised as the best place for business investment and job growth. She has delivered MK’s most challenging but significant inward investment projects resulting in the creation and retention of thousands of jobs.

By fostering partnerships with the private and voluntary sectors Pam has been able to deliver cultural and sports events in MK that bring diverse communities together.

Pam is also a very successful entrepreneur, starting from the age of 17; she has built up a portfolio of properties and many successful businesses.  Her belief is to never stop learning; and therefore, places great importance to furthering her own education by completing an MBA in 2011 and is currently studying for a Doctorate of Philosophy specialising in skills and training within the business sector.

Pam is great believer in giving back. She is a trustee for the MK Women Leaders Awards, having won the Women Leaders Business Award in 2015 and the Public Service Award in 2018.  She is also a trustee of CBM UK, the largest Christian disability charity in the world.  Helping others is her mantra, providing her own time mentoring people from diverse backgrounds into education and employment.

Keith spent nearly 50 years working in Information Technology, with roles in programming, systems analysis, project leadership, sales and latterly project management. The last 3 years of Keith’s working life was spent as Executive Office Manager for Iain Stewart, MP for Milton Keynes South, ensuring that businesses, schools, voluntary organisations and charities received visits from their MP.

Since 2011, Keith has been a ward councillor at Milton Keynes Council. Keith was Mayor of Milton Keynes form May 2015 – May 2016. It was during this period that Keith gained an insight into Milton Keynes Community Foundation and he has continued to support the Community Foundation from then.

Using contacts made during his time working for Iain Stewart and as a Councillor, Keith has been able to promote the Community Foundation.

Keith is married to Vicki, also a MK Community Foundation Vice-President, and they have one daughter, Isla. Sport has been a major part of Keith’s life, with rugby union and tennis being the prime focus. Olney Rugby Football Club’s colours are Cerise and French Grey; many people recall Keith wearing his club blazer at many events during his Mayoral year. Other interests that Keith has include travel and walking, usually with between one and three dogs!

Emberton is the village where the McLeans have lived since 1990 and Keith has fully participated in village events throughout that period; the adage being if you put effort into a community you will get much from it!

Becoming a Deputy Lieutenant in 1995 and subsequently holding the role of High Sheriff gave Elizabeth the most rewarding opportunity to get to know Milton Keynes. 

The Community Foundation offered an in-depth insight into the challenges facing the city, and also enabled her to meet so many of the leading players.  As a former chairman of Heart of Bucks, the Buckinghamshire Community Foundation, she has developed an understanding of how Community Foundations can work to improve and build stronger communities.

Through active networking and collaboration, she has been able to give both validity and encouragement to those groups working with the most deprived and vulnerable members of the community and through developing connections with MK Islamic Arts and Culture she has opened up opportunities to strengthen social cohesion. 

Her career as a teacher has enabled her to play a pivotal role in school governance, and when High Sheriff she was able to champion education in the county. Having a particular interest in music, she has been central to founding a new orchestra, providing support for music festivals and societies, both in and outside the county, and encouraging local music making. It is very much her vision to develop partnerships with business and the statutory bodies to bring people with shared goals together thus enhancing community involvement and fostering a sense of belonging. Her recent appointment as HM Lord-Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire will enable her to focus fully on what makes Milton Keynes special and in what ways she may be able to help the city achieve its goals.

Vasco worked as a Consultant Physician with the local Health Authority/Community Health Services since 1985, taking on the role of Associate Medical Director from 2001 to 2007, and retiring in 2011. He worked in the specialities of Public Health and Substance Misuse, and General Practice.

Dr Fernandes was Chair of the British Medical Association’s (BMA) Regional Public Health Committee (and Member of the National Committee) from 1989 to 2010. From 1995 to 2000, he served on the National Public Health Laboratory Service Board, having been appointed by the Minister of Health as the BMA representative.

From 1993 to 2010, Vacso was the Honorary President of the MK Equality Council, and until a few years ago, was a Member/Chair of the MK Community Foundation’s Grant Panel.

Dr Vasco Fernandes is the Patron of the MK Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Group, and an appointed Independent Person (helping to maintain standards of conduct of elected Councillors) for the Milton Keynes, Luton, and Central Beds Councils, and the Beds, Bucks and MK Fire Authorities. In addition, he is also on the Board of the YMCA MK.

Vasco enjoys playing table tennis and bridge. Weather permitting, he also likes walking. Since retiring, he has undertaken Biblical and related reading and research and finds it fascinating to be able to reconcile Christian beliefs and faith with Science.

Following her Cordon Bleu Diploma (London), Debbie worked in France, Australia, Switzerland, Antigua and London. She became a Konditorin (German Pastry Chef) and then spent time in Austria, Switzerland & Germany before qualifying as a Konditormeisterin (German Master Pastry Chef).

Debbie established Brock Chocolates (a small business 1999-2005) in Newport Pagnell opening two shops.

Debbie is very active locally, as amongst other commitments she has been;

• An Elected Member Milton Keynes Council Representing the Olney ward 2006-2014
• Mayor of Milton Keynes 2010-2011
• Cabinet Member Adult Social Care, Health & Wellbeing 2011-2014
• Health & Wellbeing Board Steering Group Member
• Chair the Milton Keynes Health & Wellbeing Board 2012-2014
• Member Milton Keynes Hospital Council of Governors 2011-2014
• Member of the Milton Keynes Adoption Panel and later Fostering & Adoption Panel 2011-2016
• Chair the Milton Keynes Cenotaph Trust co-commissioner of the Milton Keynes Rose
• Commission as a Deputy Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire 2015

Debbie is married to Peter Geary and they have a daughter Frankie who is 12 years old. Peter remains an elected Member of Milton Keynes Council. He has represented the Olney Ward since he was first elected in 2008.

Debbie is a farmer and her and Peter run a small farm at Tathall End, Hanslope. From their home at Emberton they keep Southdown Sheep, Devon & Cornwall Longwool Sheep (a rare breed), a small herd of Lincoln Red Cattle and geese.  A passion is horse riding which keeps her fit and active. Since the loss of her father in 2019 my mother, Debbie’s mother, Patricia Brock, is very much part of their daily lives.

Peter and Debbie began the renovation of their house in 2014 undertaking a much of the work themselves.  What started as a temporary move to Debbie’s parents somehow turned in to 4 very happy years! They moved back to their own home at the end of 2018, but the house is still a work in progress.

Steve has worked in Financial Services for over 40 years and is currently a Chartered Wealth Manager and Head of Business Development for WH Ireland Plc, based in Milton Keynes and London.

Steve started his career with NatWest, holding various roles in Private Banking, before moving into training Private Bankers in sales, management and credit skills. In 1996, he moved to Coutts in London and then Oxford, launching the Milton Keynes branch of Coutts in 2006. He moved to WH Ireland in 2017.

One of the first events that Steve ran for Coutts in Milton Keynes was a dinner to introduce Clients to the Community Foundation, and Steve has been involved with the foundation ever since, accepting the offer of becoming part of the Honorary Structure in 2016. Steve takes a keen interest in philanthropy in general, but specifically supports work in the areas of disadvantaged and underprivileged children, as well as education, arts and sport. He also volunteers for Young Enterprise locally, as well as organisations such as Worktree.

The Hutchings family hold a growing Acorn fund, and live in Milton Keynes. Angela is a volunteer for MK Gallery, and an art lover, whilst their two daughters Amelia and Olivia continue their full time educatio