Directors – Chance Heritage Trust

Mark Davies

Director & Chair
Retired Director of MCD Project Management, advising the commercial, public and third sector, focusing on business development, change management, funding and continuity planning. Chair, Wild Goose Rural Training, a Worcestershire based charity providing learning support to people with learning disabilities, autism and mental health issues. Former Governor, Newman University and Chair of the University’s Finance Committee

Henry Chance

Director
Henry has given over 30 years of service in the voluntary sector and has served as chairman for his local parish council, deanery, church council, Royal British
Legion branch, and as a volunteer for various trusts, councils and committees.
Henry is descended from both of the brothers who founded the firm of Chance Brothers & Co. His paternal grandfather, Sir Hugh Chance, was the last family chairman of Chance Brothers; his maternal grandfather was the last chairman of
Himley Brick, which was part of the broad portfolio of companies created by Lucas Chance. Henry’s particular interests within the Trust’s activities are heritage, about which he gives lectures to history groups, education and the community.

Madelene Schofield-Whittingham

Director
A Commercial Property Lawyer with Excello Law. Madelene is experienced in acting for large and small commercial firms as well as residential developers and investors. Prior to working with Excello Law, Madelene worked with Martin Kaye LLP as Head of Commercial Property, at Silks Solicitors as Head of Commercial Property, and at Harrison Clark as a Commercial Property Lawyer.

Marianne Monro

Director
Has over 20 years experience of working in Sandwell developing communities and resident groups to improve their quality of life in areas of housing and community regeneration. Previously Chair of a local Smethwick secondary school and on the board of a Womens Refuge and Citizens Advice Bureau. Working for a community led Community organisation supporting residents and communities to harness their skills to share with communities they live within.

Tonia Flannagan

Director
Tonia has lived in Smethwick for most of her life. She has worked in her local community for 15 years and is CEO of a very busy medium sized charity. Previous to that she worked at Big Lottery Funds Awards for All programme. She is well connected in the local area and is passionate about local people and places.

Kieran Dyde

Director
Kieran has just graduated after spending the last 4 years studying a Bsc in Politics with International Relations at Aston University. As a local resident and after spending 1 year on a voluntary placement with CHT Kieran has become very passionate about being part of what could be the most significant regeneration project in Sandwell. As a member of the Board, he believes he will be a voice in representing the young people who eventually take up the mantle of protecting heritage such as Chance Glassworks.

Tom Haydon

Director
Tom has been an Investment Manager at Quilter Cheviot for 14-years and is a charity specialist within the Birmingham office, managing funds on behalf of charity and not-for-profit organisations. Having studied Money, Banking and Finance at The University of Birmingham and now as a local resident, Tom is keen to help redevelop the Chance site for the benefit of both the local and wider communities.

Joshua Lowe

Director
Joshua has grown-up in Smethwick and has a keen interest in social history, particularly the lives of the working people of Sandwell. He currently works for the National Trust, looking after conservation and volunteering and hopes that he can bring some of his expertise to the Chance Heritage Trust. Josh is passionate about the regeneration of Sandwell and raising awareness for the CHT and wants to help bring the local communities together to understand the public benefits of the scheme and ensure the survival of the Chance site.

Suzanne Lal

Director
Suzanne is a CIMA Associate with over 30 years commercial finance experience within several industries such as Aerospace, Automotive, Government, Global Publishing and most recently a national children’s charity. Suzanne has been involved in several complex national and international financial projects, has a BA Honours Degree in Accounting and is a Member of the Institute of Directors. Although not a native to Sandwell, Suzanne became interested in CHT whilst volunteering on the Lighthouse Project and wanted to become actively involved in helping CHT achieve their vision and goals.

John Montague

Director
With an engineering degree from Liverpool University John worked for Kier and then Mowlem and was involved in numerous construction projects across the UK. In 1999 John set up a construction social enterprise in the East Midland which grew to a £13m turnover before integrating into two social housing organisations. In 2012 John joined Big Issue Invest and by 2013 was elevated to MD for the TBI Group to strengthen and develop its infrastructure. John has a passion for Victorian engineering. Delivering value to individuals/communities that are not necessarily being supported and given opportunity, is a driving ethos for him.

Malcolm Dick OBE

Director
Malcolm lives near the Chance site and taught in further education in Sandwell before managing two lottery-funded local history projects. His work on the Revolutionary Players digitisation project stimulated his interest in the history of Chance glass and led to articles on https://www.revolutionaryplayers.org.uk/. He has published on refugees, the Lunar Society (including two books on James Watt) and the history of the Black Country. Malcolm recently retired as Director of the Centre for West Midlands History at the University of Birmingham but continues to supervise PhDs and is Chair of the Black Country Society. In 2019 he was awarded an OBE for services to History in the West Midlands.