Trustees

Karl Debenham

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. On his retirement, Karl took the opportunity to return to academia, taking a Batchelor’s and then a master’s degree in philosophy at the University of Essex. He is currently preparing to continue his research at PhD level. 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.

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

Sophie is an architect with 20 years experience working for Donald Insall Associates, a leading architectural practice 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 broker at Willis Towers Watson. 

William is also a farm manager on his family farm in Layham and serves on the local parish council

Sir Guy Quilter

Guy was born and raised in Suffolk to which he returned after careers in the Irish Guards and stockbroking. Together with his wife Jenny he restored the Sutton Hall estate over a period of 25 years before moving to Yoxford in 2018 to restore Grove Park, a Grade 2 listed Georgian house. He is also a Trustee of the Orwell Park foundation, which seeks to preserve this historic building. He rowed across the Atlantic Ocean in 2003, raising over £100,000 for charity.

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’.