Members
Academy trusts do not have shareholders; they have Members. The role and rights of Members is analogous to that of shareholders. Members of an academy trust do not have rights of ownership in the company like shareholders because the profits of the company cannot be distributed to them. However, the Members can control changes in the constitution (subject to DfE approval) and other fundamental decisions relating to the academy trust.
The role of Member is a sometimes defined as “eyes on and hands off”. This describes their responsibility for overseeing the governance of the Trust rather than operating the schools or the central functions.
The Articles of Association indicate a four-year term for all but ex-officio and Corporate Trustees or Members.
The Articles of Association indicate Members shall appoint up to 5 Trustees with the Diocese of Bath & Wells appointing no fewer than 2 Trustees provided that the total number of Trustees would not thereby exceed 33% of the total number of Trustees. Further Trustees can be co-opted by Trust Board.
Our members are as follows:
Suzanne McDonald
Diocese Corporate Member
Foundation Appointed (Diocese Corporate Member): 1st September 2016 - no term end
Business & Pecuniary Interests: Employee of the Diocese of Bath & Wells from January 2008; Director of Nexus Carbon Management from 2016; Director of Nexus Carbon Resource Recovery Ltd from 0101/16; Voluntary Director of Julian House Trading from 01/01/16; Site Trustee - Chew Stoke Education Trust (CSET)
Simon Stevens
Community/Member Appointed: First appointed 1 April 2023.
Business & Pecuniary Interests: Nil
Jon Gill
Community/Member Appointed: First appointed 30th March 2021- 29th March 2025
Business & Pecuniary Interests: Partner - Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP from 01/09/21
Alf Coles
Alf joined the Lighthouse Trust as a Member in 2021. He is a Professor of Mathematics Education at the University of Bristol, where he has worked since 2010. Before then, Alf taught in secondary schools for 17 years, including roles as a Head of Mathematics and Assistant Headteacher. His PhD study investigated the development of school classroom cultures and also the development of culture within a department of teachers. He continues to have an interest in practitioner-research and research into how teaching can make space for learning. His more recent research has been exploring the implications of the climate emergency on mathematics education: how does a warming world change how we need to go about mathematics teaching?
Community/Member Appointed: First appointed 10th November 2021 - 9th November 2025
Business & Pecuniary Interests: Chair of Trustees, Walter Theodore Coles Memorial Trust from 1998; Professional Membership, Association of Teaching of Mathematics; British Society for Research into Learning Mathematics; International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education
Adele Haysom
Adele is qualified as a management accountant with many years of experience and is director of a small consultancy business in the Bristol area.
Having successfully completed the National College for Teaching and Leadership Chairs’ of Governors Leadership Development Programme in 2014, she was designated as a National Leader of Governance (NLG). This designation has given Adele the opportunity to support a variety of schools in both the Primary, Secondary and Special school sectors as they strive to establish, develop and embed effective Governance practice.
Foundation Appointed: First appointed 1st September 2016 - reappointed 5th July 2022 - 4th July 2026
Business & Pecuniary Interests: Director - Root 121 Limited Sole Owner; AJH Governance Director - Bristol Engineering and Technology Academy; Trustee - Olympus Academy Trust