After I became disabled due to MS, I undertook an Open University degree which allowed me to represent disadvantaged students for the South West region with the various requirements of support required for them to be able to successfully achieve their degrees and to go on to follow their dreams. This experience taught me about how disadvantage can negatively impact on people’s lives and that education is very important in helping support children our students, families and communities to see the value of education, widen horizons and contribute to society.

I first became an elected Parent Governor in 1987, when our daughter joined Bideford College for her secondary school education, continuously serving in differing roles and then joined Launceston MAT in March 2016 as Vice Chair and safeguarding governor. The experience of becoming a Trust governor since 2020 and as an Athena Learning Trust has continued to underpin the value of education to me and the wider levels of support for schools and are available to ensure governors can continue to develop positively to make beneficial strategic decisions to support the leadership and management of the College.

During my time as a governor at the College I have learnt a wide range of transferable management skills and knowledge from personnel, finance, premises to safeguarding to mention a few and it has been invaluable to be part of a team of governors all volunteers working together for the benefit of not only the College but wider community.

I first became a governor towards the tail end of 2016. I joined a Full Governing Body as our school at that time was still under the Local Authority's regulation. I was enlisted because there was a need for specific finance experience on the board for oversight of school budgets, and being a company director with accounting experience I sort of fit the bill - plus no one else wanted to do it! The overall role then was slightly different to that of our LGB roles now, but my reason for joining then remains the same as why I'm still here 8 years later - I want to do my best to be a part of ensuring that all of our pupils have the opportunities to fulfill their own potential, for them to know they have no limits! To know that the voluntary role that we undertake, perhaps, has a small part to play in impacting the futures of the children within our community.

Being a governor can be challenging, (it certainly felt daunting at first), there is a lot to learn and we are sometimes faced with difficult situations that need robust questioning, but it is also immensely rewarding - seeing pupils and staff progress over the years, watching as milestones are hit and transitions successfully made.

We build relationships with staff and pupils, get to know the 'behind the scenes' and are there to ask questions. We raise challenge with our leaders and set strategic direction for our schools, to make sure they're providing the best education that they can and we do that through our monitoring visits and with our LGB meetings. There is a (sometimes significant) time commitment, but I think that most of us feel that the time we give is well spent and appreciated.

Schools need governors with a wide range of experience, you don't need to come from an educational background (I don't), we all bring a different way of thinking to our governing board and those differing perspectives make for excellent challenge. Being a part of a board where we listen and learn has allowed me to grow in confidence, become a leader and hopefully give the confidence to others to have a voice and raise challenge.

Ultimately, no matter our place within the Governance structure, we're all doing it to support our wonderful schools and their staff to benefit the education of the children within Athena and provide them with better chances for their futures. I've enjoyed my time so far, am incredibly proud of what we do and would definitely recommend others to get involved