Our Governing Body

Governors

• President

  His Grace The 12^th Duke of Devonshire CBE

• Chair of Governors: Mrs Deborah Evans

  Deborah Evans is an experienced Chief Executive, non-executive Director, and school governor with a heart for learning, development and building strong communities. With a strong focus on good governance, she has a love of education and a positive outlook; embracing change and innovation with a view to building truly sustainable organisations with strong values and a real heart.

   

  With a first class degree in genetic engineering and an MBA, she embarked on a career spanning Chief Executive roles across the legal sector for as Lawyers in Local Government, the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers,  and the Legal Complaints Service, and management roles within Anthony Collins Solicitors, the Legal Aid Board and the in-house legal team of Boots. With previous experience of top table discussions in parliament, and coverage in the press and media, Deborah works to shape policy for the public good. 

   

  Throughout her career she has worked closely with schools and universities to develop children and young adults of all ages into the fully rounded professionals of the future. Whether it be through leading a governing body through school improvement and expansion, encouraging children to speak confidently on a stage, offering internships to undergraduates, mentoring post graduates, or running workshops on interview techniques, Deborah works hard to instill confidence to bring out talent and character in even the youngest of children.

   

  Outside of work, she lives in Ashby de la Zouch and leads a full life with husband, two sons and a dog the size of a small horse. She organises village fetes, runs a choir, and writes and stars in the annual village pantomime. 

  To contact the Chair of Governors please email: clerktothegovernors@trentcollege.net

• Mr Stephen Anelay

  Stephen is a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.   He has practised as a Chartered Surveyor in the East Midlands for over 40 years and has extensive experience in property matters, new development, project management and the repair, maintenance and refurbishment of buildings.  He is married with two children.  His son and two grandsons are Old Tridents.

• Mr Gary Bates

  Gary was the chairman of Serif, the Nottingham-based software company that developed and sold the Affinity range of design and photo editing software. Gary is married and has three children, who all attended The Elms and Trent College and are now Old Tridents.

• Mr Ian Bowness

  Recently retired, Ian has been the Finance Director of a number of companies including DFS Furniture Company plc and United Carpets Group plc.  He is married and his son and daughter are both Old Tridents.

• Mr Aidan Butler

  Aidan Butler is an Old Trident and attended Trent between 1982-90.  Aidan is an Partner with James Hambro & Partners, heading up their Leeds office.  He has a wife, Kate who is also an Old Trident, as well as two children.

• Dr Glenn Crocker

  Glenn Crocker is CEO of BioCity Group Ltd, a biotech incubation and investment business based in Nottingham. He has a DPhil in Immunology from Oxford University and qualified as a chartered accountant with EY, focussing on working with biotech companies in Palo Alto, California and Cambridge, UK, where he headed up the UK Biotech practice for EY. He has four children, all of whom are Old Tridents.

  In 2014 Glenn received an MBE for services to the biotechnology industry.

• Mr David Evans

  Practising Community Pharmacist locally in the Ilkeston and Long Eaton area, David has a long association with Trent College having been a pupil from 1976 – 1983, before moving to the University of Bath, where he undertook a degree in Pharmacy.

  At Trent, David was in Wright House, and represented the 1^st XI at cricket for 3 years. In addition, both of David’s children are Old Tridents.

  David has sat on various national committees associated with work, and has a number of post graduate qualifications which enables the him to offer a number of innovative services – in particular Travel Vaccination Clinics – where he has seen a number of Trent pupils & teachers over the last few years when preparing for expeditions.

  Interests include beer and cider making, and of course sport. David has played cricket and golf locally for over 30 years and is a long-standing member of Ilkeston Rugby Club. After finishing playing rugby, David took up refereeing and some of you might remember him officiating some schools fixtures a number of years ago.

• Mr Ian Griffin

  Ian currently teaches in a small independent school for students with autism and anxiety. Before taking up this post, he held senior leadership posts in several independent schools, including two headships. He is married with a daughter who currently attends a boarding school.

• Mr David Humes

  David is an Associate Professor of Surgery at the University of Nottingham. He is a robotic colorectal surgeon and current Divisional Director of Surgery at NUH NHS Trust. He spent his childhood in Liverpool before going to King’s College London to study medicine. He moved to Nottingham in 2003 and has undertaken his PhD and surgical training in Nottingham. He has two children at The Elms and enjoys coaching rugby at the Long Eaton Rugby Club.

• Professor Jeanette Isaac

  Jeanette is Professor of Physiology and Pharmacology and Fellow of the British Pharmacological Society. In addition, she is the associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor for the Researcher Academy and Research Culture Development at the University of Nottingham. She has extensive experience in research, strategic leadership and higher education.  She is married with two children.  Both of her children attended The Elms and Trent College and are now Old Tridents.

• Mrs Daisy Omissi

  Daisy-Ellen is Director Of Communications at Avincis – Europe’s largest provider of emergency helicopter services. She joined Avincis in May 2024. Prior to this, she was Senior Vice President of External Communications at Rolls-Royce Civil Aerospace. Daisy has had an international career in media and communications, which has taken her to the UAE, Spain and Qatar. She has two daughters, one of whom is a pupil at Trent College.

• Mr Joseph Pygall

  Joe works at Ideagen as the Senior Vice President for Technical Operations. He is married and has two sons who both attended Trent College and were previously at The Elms.

• Mrs Sally Rosser

  Having taught in secondary schools for 39 years, Sally recently retired from Rugby School.  During her time there she was a Boarding Housemistress and most recently Deputy Head Pastoral, and Designated Safeguarding Lead.  She is now a volunteer for the NSPCC delivering ‘Speak out, stay safe’ workshops in primary schools, and is also a governor in a Warwickshire Independent Day School.  Married to Philip they have four adult children who are now all making their own way in the world.

• Mrs Stephanie Steele

  Stephanie has been a Solicitor for over 25 years, is a retired Coroner and a Judicial Office holder. She is married with one daughter, who was at The Elms from Year 6 and at Trent through to Year 13. A keen amateur musician, Stephanie has a particular interest in children’s mental wellbeing and in how their participation in music, drama and the arts in general can support and enhance this.

• Mr David Woodward

  David is a chartered management accountant with more than 30 years’ experience. He is currently a non-executive director for National Savings & Investments (NS&I), where he is chair of the Audit and Risk committee, and also for Aspire Housing Limited. He is a Trustee for the Consumers’ Association, a charity, that operates as Which?. He has previously held non-executive director roles in the NHS and other financial service organisations.  During his executive career David held commercial finance director roles in the transport and food sectors delivering major change including turnarounds and transformations. David is married with three children, the youngest being an Old Trident.

• Bursar: Mrs Claire Astell-Crocker

  Claire Astell-Crocker Bursar and Clerk to the Governors.