Committee Profiles

Executive Members

President - Natasha Charlton (Prior) (New Stede 1986), has served on the TOB Committee since 1997 as Careers' Secretary, Assistant Editor of the OB Magazine and Deputy President.  She became President of TOB in March 2008. Natasha attended Berkhamsted School for Girls from 1979-1981 and then again from 84-86.  Her father, John Prior, three of her cousins and her husband Sean Charlton attended Berkhamsted School. Natasha has lived and worked in both England and Canada.  She gained her BA and MA degrees at the University of Toronto.  Natasha takes a great interest in music and currently sings with Berkhamsted's Chiltern Chamber Choir.  She lives in Aston Clinton with her husband and two young daughters, Katharine and Francesca.

Deputy President - Stephen Bourne (Lowers 1970) has been a member of the OBA (Old Berkhamstedians' Association) and TOB Committees since 1992.  He was born and raised in East Africa, and joined the school in 1961.  He gained his degree in French and German at Edinburgh.  Stephen went on to live for many years in Hong Kong.  Stephen joined Cambridge University Press in 1997 and since 2002 has been Chief Executive of the Press.  Stephen is a Fellow of Clare Hall, Cambridge.  His leisure interests are wine and music and he is a member of the Committee of The Wine Society and a Director of Britten Sinfonia.  Stephen and Stephanie have two children, Jessica and Robert.

Honorary Secretary - John Bale (Incents 1956) is the eldest of five Bale brothers who were at the School from 1947 to 1975.  John was Chairman and Managing Director of "Kleenoff Brand' until 1990.  In 1993. he joined the Ministry of Defence as Senior Health and Safety Auditor until his retirement in 1998.  John lives in Cranleigh and has a grown-up family.  John has been Honorary Secretary of TOB since 1998 and was President from 2005-2008. 

Honorary Membership Secretary - Yvonne Rush (Caudery) (Burgh 1961) was at the Girls' School from Kindergarten until the Sixth Form.  She has been Membership Secretary of TOB since its inception in 1998, and before that, was Secretary of the Old Girls' Guild.  John and Yvonne's two children both attended the school.  Yvonne is a very keen golfer and is has served as Captain of the Ladies Section of Berkhamsted Golf Club within the last couple of years. Yvonne is also involved with the Regional Committee for Riding for the Disabled and also a local RDA group.

Treasurer - Andy Bale (Incents 1975) is the youngest of the five Bale brothers who were at the School from 1947 to 1975.  He is a qualified Chartered Accountant and is currently Group Finance Director of a privately owned group of diversified businesses.  A keen sportsman (now more watching than playing) but still is a regular visitor to his local gym and enjoys playing golf when time permits.  Andrew lives in Woking with his wife Gina and four children Benjamin, Toby, Amanda and Lucinda.

Sports Secretary - James Langley (Adders 1995) has served on TOB Committee since 2000. His main focus has been to help develop the OB Sports Clubs and the relationships between the School and TOB Sport.  James studied at Edinburgh gaining an MA in Politics and Social Anthropology.  He now works for a business consultancy firm in London.

TOB Representative Governors

Emma Jane Jeffrey (Fanning) (Russell 1981) attended Berkhamsted School for Girls as a boarder from 1972 - 1981.  Emma gained her degree (LLB) in Law and Politics from Birmingham University and practised as a solicitor, working in the music industry.  Emma is currently involved in fundraising for Cancer Research UK.  Emma's brother and sister, and husband George all attended Berkhamsted and her daughter has also just started at the School.

Mike Horton (Swift's 1964) is also a TOB Representative Governor.  Mike works for Serco Plc and has recently returned to the UK after working for several years in Oman. He is a past President of the OBA and has been on the committees of the OBA and TOB since 1981.

General Committee Members

Keith Goddard (Adders 1962) has served on the OBA and TOB committees since 1983.  Keith is usually involved in the interviews for both Travel Grants and Knox Johnston Awards and was recently Chair of the Gala Ball Committee.  Keith has retired from teaching Chemistry at Kings Langley School and the Purcell School.  He is a past Master of the OB Lodge having been a member for over 20 years.

Gavin Rees (School House 97) was a boarder at the school, first in St Johns from 1989 and then School House until 1997. Gavin joined the committee in 2009 as an active member of the Old Berkhamstedian Rugby Club. Gavin is also a keen sailor and is currently setting up an Old Berkhamstedian Sailing Club. He works as a National Account Manager for a Pharmaceutical firm and lives in Northchurch with his wife Vicky and daughter Mollie.

Peter Rodwell (Fry's 1974) has been a member of the Committee since 1995.  Peter's two children attended the School. He is a past Chairman of the Berkhamsted School Association (now the Friends of Berkhamsted School).

Dan Skinner (Russell 1997) joined the Committee in 2008.  Dan attended the School from Prep right through to the Sixth Form and was at the Boys' School (as was) when girls first joined in year 12.  Dan is keen on sport and is mainly involved in the running of the very successful OB Rugby Club.  When not exploring new places in his Land Rover, Dan teaches Geography at Aylesbury High School.

Liz Tory (Holme 1968) has been a member of the Old Girls' Guild and TOB Committees since 1992.  She runs her own chiropody practice in Tring.

Andrew Williamson (Bees/Burgh 2000) joined the TOB Committee in 2007. He works as a Solicitor at Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP, in London.

Peter Willson (Cox's 1966) has served on the Committee since 2003 and runs Club 2000, which is a monthly draw, the net proceeds of which are used to provide the School with additional funding.  Peter is a past Master of the OB Lodge.  He is Managing Director of Hopespare Ltd, a business in Hemel Hempstead.

Sue Wolstenholme OBE (Holme 1958) was the long time Secretary of the Old Girls Guild from 1970 onwards, heavily involved in the foundation of TOB in 1998 and President of TOB from 2002 to 2005.  Sue is a Governor and Chairman of The Berkhamstedian Foundation. Sue gives an invaluable level of support to all TOB activities, particularly to sporting events.  She was awarded an OBE for her work as a Director of the British Tennis Foundation and also for her involvement with paralympic sport, particularly tennis.