MEET THE BOARD
Each member Community Council nominates a Community Councillor to serve as a Trustee on the Board of GDT and additionally there can be up to five independent Trustees. Current Members are the following Community Councils: Balmaclellan • Balmaghie • Corsock & Kirkpatrick Durham • Crossmichael & District • Dalry • Royal Burgh of New Galloway & Kells Parish • Parton
Find out more about our current Board of Trustees below.
FIONA SMITH
Chair, Independent
Fiona is an independent Trustee, joining the Trust in 2018 as Chair. A farmer’s daughter brought up near Crocketford, Fiona has been a regular visitor to the Glenkens for over forty years and resident in Balmaclellan for over 14 years. Fiona is a solicitor by training, working in large corporations at senior level. She is currently a non-executive director at Penrith Building Society. Fiona's key focus for GDT is ensure that community benefit monies make a real difference in both the short and long term to the people who live and work in the area. In her spare time she enjoys travel to remote places (when allowed) and all aspects of the arts.
STEPHEN CONNELLY
Trustee, Independent
Stephen joined as an independent Trustee in November 2023, having moved to Dalry in August the same year. The move comes after two careers. The first was in rural development in the global South, building on a Master’s in Forestry. The second was as an academic specialising in environmental policy, sustainable development, and local democracy, which led him into working alongside voluntary and statutory organisations to advise on stakeholder engagement and evaluate their work. He has also served as a trustee for environmental and educational non-governmental organisations, and as a director of a social enterprise. He hopes to contribute in particular to helping the Trust evaluate its impact. In good weather he hill walks, cycles and rock climbs; when it rains you’ll often find him baking bread and cakes.
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GILES DEARDEN
Trustee, Independent
Giles joined as an independent Trustee in 2023, having lived in Moniaive for 24 years. Giles trained as a Rural Chartered Surveyor and after a spell in Scottish forestry joined Natural Power in 2001. His time in renewable energy has taken him across Scotland, Europe and the Americas and work in planning, community consultations and financing required to bring projects to fruition. Outside of work, Giles is keen on environmental and economic sustainability - something that in an increasingly changing world needs to be a focus for our rural communities. In his spare time he enjoys music, travel and cycling in the Galloway hills.
MATTHEW SHEDDEN
Trustee, Independent
Matthew joined as an independent Trustee in 2021, having grown up on the family farm near Crossmichael. Matthew is now based in Edinburgh but remains a frequent visitor to the area. He retains a shared desire for prosperity in the Glenkens and feels the distance helps him bring some objectivity to his role. Matthew is a data scientist working in investment management and is excited to support projects that facilitate a connected community and additional youth opportunities. In his spare time he enjoys helping on the farm and hiking.
DENISE MACDONALD-KIERNAN
Trustee, Balmaclellan
Denise has lived in the Glenkens for 7 years and has been the Trustee for Balmaclellan since 2019. Denise has over 23 years' development experience in policy and practice, with a particular focus on work in social care and education concerning children and young people, and equality issues. Denise loves seeing the projects that come into the Fund and how, in many diverse ways, this money contributes to positive changes for a wide range of people in the area. She supports and works in various animal and environmental initiatives and science groups.
GEOFF MONK
Trustee, Balmaghie
Coming soon....!
WILLIE DICKSON
Trustee, Corsock & KPD
Willie has lived in Galloway since 1986. Willie's career took him around the world, first as an Investment Surveyor in Asia and later working with a Scotland based NGO working in Africa and Asia. Willie returned to Galloway to farm, taking over from his cousin. Willie has wide interests in sport, gardening, reading and some work in the voluntary sector. Willie was a founder member of GDT; helped establish the Kirkpatrick Durham Recreation Association and is a patron of the Castle Douglas Army Cadet Force.
PROFESSOR RICHARD MIDDLETON
Trustee, Crossmichael & District
Richard has lived near Crossmichael since 2011 and has been a Trustee since 2016. Before retirement, he was an academic specialising in music. Richard retains a keen interest in the arts and education, but in his work with the Trust he is also keen to pursue broader issues to do with local economic and cultural regeneration. He helps to run a small farm, managed on agro-ecological principles; chairs Crossmichael & District Community Council; and is a Director of Glenkens Community and Arts Trust.
MORAG PATERSON
Trustee, Dalry
Morag Paterson became a Trustee in August 2022, she has lived in the Glenkens since 1993. Morag is a self-employed artist and has been a member of Dalry Community Council since 2015. With a long history of volunteering, she is particularly interested in the environment, land-use, and community empowerment. In her spare time she enjoys running, cycling and hiking in the Galloway hills.
GRAHAM WALKER
Trustee, Dunscore
Graham became a Trustee in 2021 as a resident in the Dunscore Community Council area. Having spent much of his life in Edinburgh and sailing the southern seas of Spain, he returned to his hometown in 2011. Throughout the week, Graham works for the NHS and enjoys Zoom talks by local historians and geographers of an evening. On the weekend, he enjoys walking the local hills whilst searching for a good bowl of soup. You can usually find Graham in the kitchen cooking a tasty meal or baking some crusty bread. Graham is keen for GDT to assist in maintaining vibrant local communities.
JOHN MCGAW
Trustee, New Galloway & Kells
John has lived in the Glenkens all his life. He has been a local postman for over 34 years and is Watch Manager at New Galloway Fire Station. He has been a Retained Firefighter for over 43 years and a member of New Galloway and Kells Community Council for around 14 years. His dedication to his community was recently recognised when he received the Judge's award at the D&G Life Awards. He hopes to bring his commitment to his local community to his role in the Trust. In his spare time he repairs bodywork on cars and helps run the local Karate Club where he is a 3rd Dan.
TOM MARSHALL
Trustee, Parton
Tom lives in Parton and joined as a Trustee in 2020. Tom's professional background is in science, technology development and engineering management. Tom moved to Parton in 2018 after deciding to change his lifestyle in response to the climate emergency. Tom volunteered to become a Trustee because he wanted to help out in the community where he has chosen to live. Tom likes animals, nature and outdoor activities, particularly cycling.