Our Trustees

Karl Debenham: Treasurer

Karl has lived on the Essex-Suffolk border all his life. He enjoyed a forty-year career as an investment analyst – the last twenty at Merrill Lynch. Karl is involved with a range of local voluntary organisations, a passionate and energetic communicator, dedicated to both the preservation and the proper development of our wonderful county.

Katherine Anderson-Scott MA

Katherine is Executive Director of Charisma Charity Recruitment, a national executive search consultancy dedicated to the charity and not-for-profit sector. With degrees in art history and archaeology, Katherine’s career has included senior roles in arts and heritage, shaping strategy, fundraising, and commercial growth. At Charisma, Katherine manages the day-to-day business and delivers CEO, senior leadership, and Board-level appointments for museums, arts centres, and heritage organisations across the UK. Having relocated to Suffolk in 2024, Katherine dedicates her non-working time to restoring the 17th century, grade II listed home she shares with her husband. 

Karl Constable BA (Hons) Cert CII

Karl is an Operations Manager for  Ecclesiastical. He specialises in art and heritage building insurance having worked for organisations in those areas prior to moving into the insurance industry over a decade ago. Karl has made Suffolk his home in the last few years having renovating and converted his current home in West Suffolk.

Sophie Douglas BA(Hons), Dip Arch, RIBA, RIAS, AABC

Sophie is an architect with 20 years experience specialising in the conservation of historic buildings and new development in sensitive sites. Passionate about historic buildings and understanding their evolution, Sophie also has a particular interest in regeneration of redundant and at risk buildings and sites and designing thoughtful ways to ensure their continued viable and sustainable future use. Originally from Scotland, Sophie moved to Suffolk, via London, in 2014, to settle with her family.

William Dunn

William works in the insurance industry and has experience of several classes of insurance. He is currently working in natural resources as a broker at Willis Towers Watson. William is also a farm manager on his family farm in Layham and serves on the local parish council.

Gill Jolly

Gill runs a successful management consultancy, Achieve Consultants, working with charities across the UK and Europe. With a background in professional fundraising, marketing and communications, Gill was made a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Fundraising a number of years ago. She has extensive experience of a wide range of charities working with their senior leadership teams and trustees. She is passionate about heritage, environmental and conservation charities as well as the county.
Gill moved from Lancashire to Suffolk in 1996 when she and her husband bought and renovated a Grade 2 timber-framed, farm house which she still owns and has in-depth knowledge of what’s needed to preserve the county’s historic buildings for future generations.

Thomas Seymour

Thomas is a very experienced Chancery barrister who has practised in a broad range of areas; he has  substantial experience of advising on charities and charity law. He is a Bencher of the Inner Temple and a Member of the Chancery Bar Association and the Association of Pension Lawyers. He has considerable experience as trustee, having served as  trustee of the Royal Hospital for Neuro-Disability (in the 1990’s), a member of the Council of Radley College (1996-2021), trustee of the Radley Foundation (2000-2-21) and its chairman (2011-2020). Thomas moved to Suffolk in 1997 and lives at Gothic Farm, Heveningham, an unusual grade II listed house, dating from the mid-15^th century.

Simon Sturgis AADip RIBA

Simon is an architect widely recognised as an expert on delivering a low carbon, resource efficient, built environment. He has produced industry guidance for the RICS, RIBA and others. In 2018 Simon founded Targeting Zero LLP which provides policy and strategic advice to companies and consultancies as well as advising project teams on reducing construction and lifecycle carbon emissions. He was the Sustainability Advisor to the RIBA Stirling Prize in 2017, is a member of the Construction Industry Council (CIC) Climate Change Expert Panel, and is a member of the British Council for Offices Sustainability Group. He is also the founder and Chair of the ‘Whole Life Carbon Network’ and in 2021 was appointed as Special Advisor to the Environmental Audit Select Committee, covering ‘Sustainability in the built environment’.

Claire Tenwick

Claire is a Partner at Birketts LLP specialising in Private Client Advisory work and has a great deal of experience in assisting clients achieve their philanthropic aims.  Claire was born in Suffolk, returning to the county from London three years ago and is committed to protecting and preserving the county’s historic character and cultural heritage.