Alan Menzies (Chair)
Alan is currently Director of Planning and Economic Regeneration, which combines Economic Development with Planning and Development Management/Sustainable Communities and Strategic Management of Assets and Communications, and Deputy Chief Executive with East Riding of Yorkshire Council. The Directorate includes Corporate Press and Marketing functions.
Kevin Kendall (Vice Chair)
Kevin studied agriculture at Myerscough College in the 1970s followed by several years of working practically in farming on dairy, beef, sheep, pig and arable farms. After gaining a teaching qualification, he taught agriculture for 10 years at Oaklands College in Hertfordshire. In 1988 he went to Askham Bryan College as a lecturer in Agriculture and stayed for 20 years in a range of positions but finally as Assistant Director Food, Farming and Innovation and Farms Director. At this time, he was also an Additional Inspector with Ofsted for Land-Based Colleges and started reviewing higher education on a part-time basis with the QAA.
In 2008 Kevin moved to Bishop Burton College as Deputy Principal Higher Education, where he stayed until he developed his own business in 2013 working as a Quality Manager with QAA and offering consultancy and project work to colleges.
Kevin has three adult children and two aged 14 and 9, and lives in Walkington.
Susan Hamer
Susan’s varied career is in the fields of higher education, health services management and leadership. Susan has a clinical background in nursing and moved into education at the University of Hull. Following a period working in The National Health Service, Susan retuned to higher education at the University of Leeds where she worked for over 25 years, during that time Susan has held a number of senior roles which have given her deep experience of designing and leading large transformational programmes in the public sector. Susan has also worked in the field of knowledge transfer and enterprise, directly supporting academic colleagues to enhance the impact of their activities. Susan is increasingly interested in accelerating the use of digital technologies to enhance access and empower individuals and communities. Susan has led a number of initiatives to support agile high-quality workplace learning in diverse locations.
Susan’s first degree is in nursing, she has a master’s in Women’s Studies and a doctorate in Post Compulsory Education. Susan is a regular writer and the author of “Achieving Evidence-Based Practice” and “Leadership and Management: A Three-Dimensional Approach”. She was awarded the University of Leeds Women of Achievement Award in March 2016 and the IACRN Distinguished Clinical Research Nurse Award 2018. Susan has been a Fellow of the Queen’s Nursing Institute since 2004.
Susan is married to Ian and lives in Beverley. They have two children Callum and Holly. Susan has a keen interest in keeping fit and leads a weekly women’s walking group in Beverley.
John Hurst
John graduated from Walford College in 1976 following two years in farm management in Shropshire. For the last 30 years, until his retirement in July 2018, John worked for Farmcare, originally Booker Farming which then became part of the Co-ops farms and latterly the Wellcome Trust. John was responsible for the management of 26,000 acres on five estates across the country. He was also responsible for the company’s Management Trainees and Apprenticeship training schemes.
John attended the 40th Worshipful Company of Farmers - Advanced Farm Management Course in 1990 and he still meets up annually with his fellow colleagues. He is a member of the Oolitics farmer discussion group whose 14 members meet monthly. John is married to Gill, they have two children David and Emma. John lives at Saxby all Saints on the South Bank and is a keen cyclist and walker.
Adam Milner
Adam was born and raised in East Yorkshire, where he spent the first 10 years of his career working in the property sector. Following a change of direction in 2012, Adam pursued his lifelong interest in farming and the countryside by becoming a student at Bishop Burton College, where he studied for a degree in Agricultural Resource Management. Graduating in 2015, he then went on to Harper Adams to undertake an MSc in Rural Estate and Land Management. Adam now combines the knowledge he has gained over two very different careers in his role with the East Riding of Yorkshire Council, where he manages the council farm estate.
Not coming from an agricultural background, Adam is particularly interested in encouraging new entrants into the farming sector. He is also a big proponent of sustainable agriculture and of better public engagement.
Adam lives in Kirkella with his daughter, two dogs and an array of chickens. He is actively involved in field sports during the winter months and enjoys spending any remaining free time gardening and walking. He will happily tell you that his years as a Bishop Burton student were some of his best!
Emma Milson
Emma grew up in the East Riding of Yorkshire, attending schools in the county and then university in Manchester and Rochester, New York, leaving with a first degree in Hospitality Management and a PGCE in Secondary Food.
Her primary career has been in teaching, firstly in Goole and then spending ten years in a variety of roles at Longcroft School in Beverley (where she also acted as a Governor) before teaching in adult education.
Since leaving teaching Emma has worked as Catering and Visitor Services Officer for Yorkshire Wildlife Trust based at Spurn National Nature Reserve and specialising in rural tourism and locally produced food; was Regional Development Manager at FareShare Hull and Humber; and was County Organiser for the East Riding Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs. She also studied at Bishop Burton herself and achieved a floristry qualification.
Emma is currently a Rural Development Officer for East Riding of Yorkshire Council. In her spare time, she is an Education Mentor for the Prince’s Trust; volunteers with Ladies in Pigs, a national organisation that promotes British Food and Farming and is a qualified National Federation of Women’s Institutes Cookery Judge.
She lives in Beverley with her two teenage sons and Springer Spaniel Lola.
Angela Moran
Angela was born in Hull and graduated from Edinburgh University before working for RHM Agriculture as a nutritionist for 4 years. In 1984 she joined Page Feeds in Tadcaster, near York and has never changed company since but been demerged, merged and sold several times before finally becoming part of AB Agri in 2001. Angela has done a variety of roles including marketing, purchasing, supply chain management, transport, commercial account management, nutrition, quality assurance, food safety and business development. She was recently Director of Feed Safety and moved to a new role as Responsibility Director in July 2021.
Externally, Angela is involved with the Agricultural Industry Confederation and the European Feed Manufacturer’s Federation, the FEFAC Feed Safety Committee.
Angela lives with her husband and son on a small grassland farm in North Yorkshire. She enjoys riding her horse, seeing her extended family, doing as much amateur theatre as time allows and being part of that rural community.
Ian Sackree
Ian has lived in Lincoln for more than 40 years. He is an Accountant who trained in a local Accountancy practice and attended North Lincolnshire College (now Lincoln College) studying AAT. He applied his professional trade in other county-based accountancy practices, the NHS, where he qualified as a Chartered Certified Accountant, and the Education sector. Between 2005 and 2014 Ian was a senior post holder at Lincoln College where he played a pivotal role in leading the college to an Ofsted Outstanding grade. Ian held responsibility for Finance, HR, IT, Learning Resources, Marketing, Partnerships and Estates. In his time at Lincoln College Ian gained direct experience of delivering further education in the East Midlands HM Prison(s) and also abroad in China and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He was part of a team that set up Lincoln UTC and was a member of a Multi Academy Trust, with two secondary schools. Since 2014 Ian has worked in private equity and recruitment, first as Chief Operating Officer and since 2017 as Chief Executive of Protocol, a national recruitment company focussed on Further Education, Skills and Higher Education.
Ian is a fellow of the Society of Leadership Fellows, St George’s House in recognition of his wide leadership experience. Ian is a keen volunteer and leads the Board of Trustees as the Chair of YMCA Lincolnshire, a large Housing and Youth Charity where he puts his governance knowledge into practice. A former Army Reserve officer and current senior Army Cadet Force Officer of 35 years (and counting) he is also Commandant of Lincolnshire Army Cadet Force. Ian enjoys any sport and regularly runs, plays golf and referees adult football.
Victoria Shannon
Victoria lives in a village just outside Hull, where she works as an accountant. Victoria spent five years as a trainee in the Landed Estate and Agriculture department at PricewaterhouseCooper LLP’s Hull office, before that department moved to David Turner & Co in 2008. In 2013 that practice was in turn purchased by Victoria’s current firm, independent local practice Smailes Goldie, who have offices in Hull and Lincolnshire.
Having started her career as a general practitioner, Victoria now specialises in looking after clients in the rural sector and in 2017 was appointed as Director of Agriculture and Landed Estates at Smailes Goldie, before joining the partnership in April 2021. Victoria is a qualified Chartered Certified Accountant and is also a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners.
In her spare time Victoria enjoys travelling when she can, gardening, walking, travelling and spending time with family and friends.
Martyn Thomas
Martyn was born and brought up in Sheffield. He studied Economic and Social History at the London School of Economics and Political Science and enjoyed eleven years in London, qualifying as a Chartered Accountant with Touche Ross and Co.
On moving to Beverley, Martyn worked for Kingston Communications in various roles for eleven years before moving to TSYS International based in York, where he is currently Director, Finance & Accounting.
Martyn has two children, both working in the UK, and two step-children, one about to go to university in London and one at school. He recently moved to Brighton for work and fun. He is trying to keep fit, is a dedicated supporter of Sheffield United, and sometime trumpet player.
Clare Walters – Audit Committee
Clare was born in Dunbartonshire, Scotland and moved to North East Lincolnshire as a teenager. She graduated in 2001 with a BA (Hons) in Fine Art from Middlesex University. Clare spent a decade working for Centrica Plc, the owners of British Gas, where she was responsible for implementing the operational risk framework, assurance and insurance programmes across its Power Business Unit and then the offshore gas production field. In 2020 Clare left the private sector and joined Ebor Academy Trust, a York based primary focused multi-academy Trust, as director of Risk, Governance and Compliance.
Clare lives in Market Weighton, with her partner and two sons. She’s a keen rider, competing member of British Dressage and enjoys RoR and veteran showing.
Rebecca Brassington
Rebecca graduated from Lincoln University in 2005 with a BSc (Hons) Equine Science before qualifying as a McTimoney Corley animal therapist. Rebecca has a background of working as an equine therapy practitioner, as well as a shift manager in a Microbiological testing laboratory, before joining the lecturing team at Bishop Burton College.
During her teaching career Rebecca has developed the BSc (Hons) Equine Therapy & Rehabilitation programme, lead the validation of the suite of equine degree titles and is currently HE Academic Lead for the Equine, holding Senior Fellowship with Advance HE.
She has published work in equine hydrotherapy and presented research on hydrotherapy and equine behaviour at UK and International conferences. Rebecca continues to research water treadmill exercise, in collaboration with researchers at Nottingham Trent University, and supports students with presentation and publication of their research. Rebecca owns an ex-racehorse and enjoys walking with her husband and border terrier.
Sharon Kirby
Sharon is a member of the Higher Education Faculty leading up the Land Based department. A farmer’s daughter from Yorkshire, but now residing in Lincolnshire. Sharon has worked for the college for over 25 years and has recently been in receipt of a long service award.
Sharon began her teaching journey at Caythorpe Court Campus, when it was part of the Lincolnshire School of Agriculture, and then helped oversee the transition of the curriculum and resources when they moved to the Riseholme Campus in 2002. Sharon has a real interest in getting young people into agriculture from a non-traditional route. Sharon sits on the Lincolnshire branch of the institute of Agricultural Managers. Away from work she can be seen walking her two terriers, riding or volunteering at a variety of local and national events.
Bill Meredith
Bill has spent most of his career in Further Education (FE) and was appointed CEO and Principal of Bishop Burton College in October 2018. Bill was born in Lincolnshire and studied Agriculture and Crop Protection at Harper Adams. He has spent most of his career in specialist land-based education, primarily with Bishop Burton College.
Bill is the current Chair of the Humber Principals’ Group and represents the group on the Local Enterprise Council’s Employment and Skills Board. He is also a national director of Landex – a consortium of colleges which was formed to promote excellence in teaching and learning within the land-based sector.
In 2012 Bishop Burton College acquired Riseholme College near Lincoln and, shortly after, Bill was heavily involved in the establishment of an entirely new specialist land-based campus on the Lincolnshire Agricultural Showground. The distinct identity of Riseholme College has been maintained whilst the range of provision has been extended to include general FE and Higher Education.
In 2019 Bishop Burton College was successful in its application to become part of two new regional Institutes of Technology: the Yorkshire and Humber Institute of Technology and the Lincolnshire Institute of Technology. Bill is a director of both of these institutions which have a remit to work with employers to deliver higher level technical skills training.
Bill is passionate about sustainable farming and skills development. He has three adult children and lives in Ellerker, East Yorkshire.
