Like a lot of residents we relocated to Hermitage with a young family back in 2007 and quickly we fell in love with village life and feel we have now well and truly put our roots down here and feel part of the community.

Both my daughters attended the pre school in what was the old old village hall and subsequently went onto Hermitage School and now are both at the The Downs.

I decided to join the Village Hall committee in September 2020 with the intention to make a difference. My main objective was to get the Village Hall completed, it’s been left unfinished for far too long and I would love to see it being used to its full potential and to become a focal point for the residents of Hermitage to enjoy. Happily, with the help of West Berkshire and the Parish Council we have now secured the funding required to finish the hall.

Personally, I own a busy Fine Art Shipping company based close to Heathrow and Im really looking forward to bringing the experience I’ve gained in the commercial world to help make a success of the Village Hall. Once we get the Hall finished its very much my intention to help bring a variety of activities and interests to the Village Hall that will cater for all age groups, so we can truly call it a community hub.

Since joining the committee I’ve quickly realised how passionate the fellow trustees are about the village, and with the smaller hall now being finished and available to hire, there will be a new energy and impetus amongst the team and with the wife also becoming the Chair I know she’ll keep us all on our toes!