Beryl Hales, National Chair

 I live in Nottingham and belong to Arnold Townswomen’s Guild. I am Chair of the Guild and enjoy using my organisational skills to help to plan what we do each month. I also enjoy using these skills to organise the weekly TG quiz and monthly TG evening events on Zoom.

The Zoom activities have allowed me to meet members who I probably would never have had a chance of meeting otherwise and to make new TG friends. I joined with some of them as a member of the TG Players online drama group and, as I love writing, and am now writing the next pantomime script for the them to perform through Zoom.

My first piece of writing for TG was a letter which was printed in the TG magazine. As a Trustee I have contributed to both the magazine and newsletter and been a part of the editorial team. It would be good to have some fresh input into this, if you feel that it is an area you could contribute to as a Trustee.

Of course, I like to meet members in person too and enjoy going to visit Guilds. If you would like me to visit your Guild, I am happy to offer you a talk in return. You can see what my talks are like in the members area of the website.

When I became a member of TG, I never imagined that I would be on the Guild committee, let alone become a Trustee or National Chair. Members of my Guild, Federation and other Trustees encouraged and supported me to take on more challenging roles and I have enjoyed every opportunity which has presented itself.

If you are interested in becoming a Trustee but you are nervous and feel that the Trustees are somehow ‘different’, I can assure you that we are just like you. Certainly, I am still a member of the Guild who pays her subs and brings in biscuits on her birthday.

Maureen Brown, National Vice Chair

I live in Newcastle Upon Tyne and am Chair/Secretary of High Heaton Evening Guild which was founded in 1945. I am also pleased to be on the committee of North Durham Federation.

I have been a Trustee since 2019 and very proud to have been appointed as Vice Chair in 2022 and in 2024 I took on the additional role of being Joint Honorary Treasurer.

Being part of the TG family has given me opportunities and the confidence to do things that ten years ago I would not have believed I could have achieved. I have been a long-time believer in life long learning and part of TG’s aims is women’s continuing education. I am grateful to TG for giving me the chance to continue with my education.

Along with the other Trustee’s I aim to continue to work toward the goals of Operation Townswomen, to see TG reach its hundredth anniversary and beyond and continue to provide women with the chance to educate themselves, support women in their communities, and provide opportunities for fun and friendship.

Karen Moore, National Trustee

I live near Sedgley in the West Midlands and have been a member of Sedgley E TG for 7 years but have been aware of TG from an early age because my mother was a Sedgley TG member for more than 50 years. I am now Vice Chair of Sedgley E TG and on the committee of West Midlands Federation. I had the honour of being made national Townswoman of the Year 2019-2020.

One of the things that I especially enjoy about being a Trustee is the opportunity to visit other guilds. Guilds all do similar things but are different in many ways and it is great to be able to share really good and unique ideas.

Advancements made in technology mean that TG website and Facebook pages playing a successful role in recruitment of new members, so I am hopeful that all guilds can make use of them. Please get in touch if you need help or support.

I am keen to build up the bank of craft resources on the TG website so please get in touch with instructions and photos of any successful craft project that you think might appeal to other guild members. I am also passionate about reinvigorating TG singing. In the past many guilds had their own choirs and, as singing is of great benefit to our physical and mental health, it would be wonderful if there could be many more guild members singing once again.

Linda Lewis, National Trustee

I am a very new member to TG but could see the benefit of getting involved with the organisation. Shortly after joining Pontardawe TG, I joined the committee and became a delegate to South Wales and West Federation. When the Federation secretary role became vacant, I offered to take on the position.

Most of my life and work career has been spent in Wales apart from a very short spell in Sidcup, Kent. I would like to see TG build in Wales with new guilds and Federations emerging and old one’s restarting.

My career was in women’s health, and I would like to see TG campaign to raise awareness of women’s health issues from the onset of menstruation through to post menopause.

Susan Stebbings, National Trustee

I was born in Durham and have lived in Chester-le-Street almost all my life. I worked for the MOD for almost 15 years. In 1989, after a brief stint in the Wirral, I moved to Germany with my husband. By then we had two young boys. After three years in Germany we moved back to the UK and started a medical device company.

I have many interests including theatre and the arts. My main hobby over the past five years has been dancing and I enjoy ballet, tap, ballroom, Latin American and fitsteps at the Dance City Academy in Newcastle on Tyne, which is a refreshing change after spending 22 years as a commissioned officer in the Army Cadet Force. I am still actively involved in competitive target rifle shooting and I am currently researching my family tree.

Wherever I have been involved, I have always taken a proactive role in driving the organisation and I hope that my work with the Townswomen’s Guild will be no different. My mission is to establish other local TG branches, attractive to younger members, whilst still being a member of Chester-le-Street Hermitage Afternoon Guild.                                                         

Sonia Copland, National Trustee

Introducing myself to the Townswomens Guild. I was born in Surrey and currently live in Saltdean, East Sussex.

I have known about the Townswomens Guild all my life, as my mother was President of her Guild during the 1950's.

I have a fairly interesting work background, switching from advertising to Social Work when I was 30. I am a qualified Social Worker and I have a Master of Science in Public Service Management.

I worked in Inner London for 25 years, specialising in older people and mental health.

I was a Magistrate on the adult bench for nearly 32 years in Greenwich and Woolwich. I was also on the licencing and gaming committee, granting licences to pubs and betting shops.

I was a Winston Churchill fellow visiting Jamaica, 8 states of the USA and Canada. I visited over 100 facilities in 9 weeks looking at the Care of older Black people .

I was chairman of BBC Radio London for 10 years and became a Freeman of the City of London in 1998. I was also a Churchwarden for about 25 years.

I have spent many years as an elected politician serving on the Greater London Council, inner London Education Authority and also served as a councillor on the London Borough of Croydon.

I am so enjoying my time as Social Secretary of Saltdean Townswomens Guild, arranging lunches, outings etc. and getting to know the most delightful, diverse group of ladies.

Becoming a Trustee of the TG, is another exciting chapter in my life.