Our Trustees come primarily from within the Unitarian community and occasionally we invite like-minded individuals from other traditions to join. They are responsible for setting the strategic direction, agreeing the scheme and managing and administering the funds.
The Hibbert Trust (incorporating the Case Fund and Gregson Trust) is administered by a group of Trustees.
The Trustees meet several times a year to consider applications for grants and to review progress of existing projects.
The Current Trustees
James Chiriyankandath
Dr James Chiriyankandath is a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London, having previously been a principal lecturer and departmental research director at London Metropolitan University, amongst other university posts. His research interests lie in the politics of development, and the politics, international relations, and modern history of South Asia and the Middle East. He edited Commonwealth and Comparative Politics, the premier comparative politics journal published in the UK, for 15 years until 2020, and has covered South Asia for the Annual Register since 2010. An Elder of Rosslyn Hill Unitarian Chapel in Hampstead, he is a former London borough councillor and has served as a trustee of several educational and development charities including the Political Studies Association and the Manchester Academy Trust.
James Croft
Biography coming soon…
Catrin Davies
Catrin has been involved with the Unitarian community since 2016 and has been a Hibbert trustee since 2019. She works as a lawyer and specialises in wills, trusts and estate planning. Catrin’s first degree in anthropology and sociology sparked a lasting interest in human culture and the ways in which we use storytelling to improve our lives. She is particularly interested in how open and inclusive approaches to spirituality, belief and meaning can strengthen our communities.
Catrin lives in Shropshire and writes and performs her own songs.
Helen Mason
Helen is the Director of Unitarian College in the UK and Ireland. A born Unitarian (Helen’s family goes back 6 generations in UK Unitarianism), Helen is an educator by profession having worked at senior levels in mainstream education before become a Unitarian educator.
Helen lives in rural West Lancashire in the North West of England and enjoys walking in nature, pub evenings and spending time with her family.
Derek McAuley
Derek has been a trustee since 2010. He is a former Chief Officer of the General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches with a professional background in public sector management. He is an Elder at Rosslyn Hill Chapel in Hampstead.
His interests are in dissenting history, international Unitarianism and liberalism.
Mark Pearce
Mark is an Architect Accredited in Building Conservation with over 25 years’ experience, specialising in historic buildings – particularly churches. He was first introduced to Unitarianism through work on King Edward Street Chapel in Macclesfield.
Recent projects include the Grade II listed William Temple Church in Wythenshawe (heating renewal and reordering), a new community building at the Grade I listed Church of St Wilfrid’s in Grappenhall, and quinquennial inspections with multiple phases of funded repairs at the Grade I listed Holy Name of Jesus Church in Manchester. He has also led repair and decoration works at Nottingham Cathedral (Grade II*).
Dr Melanie Prideaux
Mel is a longstanding trustee and sits on the Academic committee. Formerly Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Leeds she now works in woodland management in mid Wales. A Unitarian for over 30 years she is co-founder of Mid Wales Unitarians.