Patrons & Governors

Mr Michael Bray (Patron)

Michael Bray was educated at Worth School Sussex, followed by 34 years as an Army officer after which he spent time in the Defence Industries before working in Armed Forces Charities and finally developing and expanding the Confederation of Service Charities encouraging helping and supporting the 400 member charities.
He became a Governor at St Teresa’s School in 2007, including Chairman of the Prep School Committee and then four years as Chairman of the Board. He handed over Chairmanship to the current chair Annette Turner in 2017 and stood down from the Board in December 2018. He was very honoured and humbled to be invited to become Patron in January 2019.
Michael is involved in his local Catholic parish as Chairman of the Planning Team and has lived in Effingham since 1997 with his wife Jo who is an ex-pupil of St Teresa’s.

Professor Sheila the Baroness Hollins (Patron)

Professor Sheila the Baroness Hollins is Professor Emeritus in Psychiatry of Disability at St George’s University of London. She has been President of both the Royal College of Psychiatrists and the British Medical Association, and was appointed an Independent member of the House of Lords in 2010 where she speaks on mental health and disability issues. Her main research has been in the mental and physical health of people with intellectual disabilities. She is a member of Pope Francis’ Commission on sexual abuse. She currently chairs the BMA Board of Science and is Executive Chair of Beyond Words, which publishes picture books with an international reach to communicate about life events, relationships and wellbeing to children and adults with communication disabilities. Her husband is a science educator, and the eldest of her 4 children is a psychiatrist. She lives in Bookham and is an active member of the local Catholic Parish.

Mr Mike Henderson (Patron of Effingham Schools Trust)

Michael Henderson was a Governor of St Teresa’s School from 2003 to 2014 and a Governor of Cranmore School from 1994. He qualified in London as a Chartered Accountant in 1961 and joined a small industrial Group in 1965 later renamed Cookson Group PLC ( a FTSE 100 Company ) in 1984 . He was appointed to the Board in 1975, Managing Director and then Chief Executive from 1978 and Chairman and CEO in 1989. He is currently on the Board of a large international industrial Group headquartered in the US. He has lived in East Horsley since 1973 and is an active member of the Catholic Church in Effingham, a Council Member and on the Executive Committee of the Catholic Union of Great Britain and was appointed a Knight of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem in 2005.

Mrs AnnetteTurner (Chair)

Annette became a Governor in March 2014 and has been the Chair of Governors since September 2017. She graduated from Cambridge University having studied geography, is a member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and has a Master’s Degree in Personnel Management from Kingston University. She lives in Fetcham and recently retired as Vice President, HR for a US multinational Engineering and Project Management company with a regional office in Leatherhead. Annette has over 25 years’ experience in Human Resources, is an active member of the Catholic Church of Effingham and Fetcham where she is a catechist on the Confirmation Programme. She chairs the Academic Committee and is the lead Governor for Science and Careers Advice.

Mr Michael Agius

Michael Agius is a Chartered Engineer and Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers. He started working with Hertfordshire County Council in 1966, moving to Surrey in 1974, living first in Fetcham and then moving to Effingham in 1978. He worked with Leatherhead based civil engineering consultants Howard Humphreys/B&R/KBR, staying with them until he retired at the end of 2005. 20 years of this period was spent overseas, 15 years in Tanzania, 10 years as Managing Director of Howard Humphreys Tanzania and then 5 years in Greece, as one of three Project Managers on the construction of 680 km of motorway from the Adriatic to Turkey. He has been an active parishioner at Effingham and Fetcham since 1974. He was appointed a Governor at Cranmore in 2013, becoming Chairman of the F&GP Committee in 2016.

Mrs Sally Hayes

(Chair Pastoral Committee and nominated Safeguarding Governor)

Sally became a Governor in September 2014. She was a Lloyd’s Broker for eighteen years before becoming a mother to twin daughters who were educated at St. Teresa’s. Sally now works as a nursery assistant at a local school. She was Chair of the Friends of St. Teresa’s for eight years and is enjoying continuing her happy association with the school. Sally is the Designated Governor for Child Protection.

Mrs Sally Hall

Sally Hall became a Governor in March 2020. She is a Geography graduate of the University of Sheffield, where she also gained her PGCE. Sally has taught in the independent sector for almost 20 years and is Deputy Head Pastoral and Designated Safeguarding Lead at St George’s College. Sally is also part of Surrey’s Schools and Education Safeguarding Forum. Sally lives in Weybridge and enjoys travel, cooking, jogging and watching most sports, especially her home team, Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Mrs Angela Higg

Angela became a Governor in October 2024 and is a member of the Finance & General Purposes Committee. After studying Economics at the London School of Economics and Political Science, Angela joined KPMG where she qualified as a Chartered Accountant and specialised in the not-for-profit sector including working with Charities and Universities. She then moved into the independent schools’ sector where she was the Bursar for Worth School and Financial Controller for Worth Abbey for over 12 years. Following three years at Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity, Angela has undertaken the roles of Bursar & Clerk to the Governors at Caterham School and Woldingham School and is currently the Director of Finance and Operations at Benenden School.

Mr Damian Honey

Damian Honey became a Governor in February 2022. He was educated at Stonyhurst College in Lancashire, and is a Law Graduate of the University of Sheffield. After studying at Bar School in London and qualifying as a barrister, Damian then requalified as solicitor. Since 1996 Damian has worked for Holman Fenwick Willan LLP. In 2003 he became a partner of the firm. Since then he has served terms on the Management Board and Strategy Board of the firm, and is currently the Head of International Arbitration and the Global Key Client Partner. He is a Freeman of the City of London and a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Bowyers. Damian has lived in Great Bookham since 2002 and his two daughters attended St Teresa’s.

Mr Iain Morgan

(Chair Finance and General Purposes Committee)

Iain became a governor in January 2017. He is a Chartered Accountant and a Chartered Engineer with an Engineering BA from Cambridge University. With over 30 years’ experience in finance, he is working as a Finance Director at an internationally important Civil Engineering contractor where he also chairs a pension fund committee. Iain is married and lives in Bookham. His 3 daughters were all educated at St Teresa’s.

Ms Margie Kieran

Margaret graduated from St Mary’s University, Twickenham. She is a dedicated educator with a passion for fostering the intellectual, social, and emotional development of young learners. Throughout her career, she has embraced diverse educational environments, gaining invaluable insights and experiences that have shaped her approach to teaching and leadership.

She has worked in both the State and Independent Sector of Primary Education throughout her professional career. She worked at Cranmore School as a young teacher and left in 1984 to have her first child. She subsequently worked in Asia for ten years, teaching in Hong Kong, Japan, and Thailand. She repatriated in 2004 and was thrilled to rejoin Cranmore School. She was appointed Head of the Junior Department in 2010 and retired from teaching in 2017. A year after her retirement she was appointed as a Governor of Manor House School and became Chair of the Education Committee. She was delighted to be invited to join the EST Board in September 2023.

Margaret has many interests which include travel, yoga, walking, reading, arts and crafts of any form, but most importantly she values spending precious time with her family. She continues to have a love of learning and in 2022 became a qualified NLP practitioner, with particular reference to the mental health of young children. She lives with her husband in Guildford and is a member of the Catholic parish of Guildford.

Margaret is grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the advancement of education and the well-being of students, and she looks forward to continuing this journey with enthusiasm and dedication.

Mr John Rourke

John Rourke began his academic career lecturing in the University of Wales. He subsequently moved into school teaching, becoming Head of Gunnersbury School in West London, and ultimately the founding Principal of a Catholic sixth form college, St Charles, also in London. Upon retirement in 2002 he co-founded and managed the educational consultancy ALPS (A Level Performance System) for a further fourteen years. He has served as Governor at several educational institutions, including being Chairman of a University College, an Academy, and St. George’s College Weybridge. He has also served on local and national educational bodies, and on the educational boards of two dioceses. He was appointed CBE (New Year Honours 2000) and KSG (Papal Honours 2002). He lives in Weybridge, is active in parish life, and became a Governor of the Effingham Schools Trust in 2022.

Mrs Geraldine Sims-Brassett

Geraldine became a Governor of Manor House School in June 2014 and was appointed the Chair of Governors in April 2019. As well as her ongoing responsibilities for Manor House School , Geraldine is also a member of both the Board and Finance and General Purposes Committee of the Effingham School Trust. Geraldine is a Fellow of the Pensions Management Institute and works as a senior consultant for a pensions consultancy where she specialises in delivery of regulatory change projects.
She resides, with her husband in Fetcham and has two grown up children.

Canon Paul Thompson

Canon Paul joined the Effingham Schools Trust in September 2022.

Educated at Cuddesdon Theological College and the University of Oxford. He was ordained to the priesthood in his home Diocese of Liverpool, initially spending three years as Curate in Kirkby new town, before moving to an ecumenical appointment in the world of education and industry in Knowsley.

Joining the British Army as Chaplain soon followed, with several tours of duty in teaching/training establishments. During that period, completing two tours in Northern Ireland, and further operational tours in Bosnia and Kosovo.

In 2001 Paul was appointed Senior Chaplain at Epsom College, a co-ed HMC boarding school. This role involved total involvement in the school. Teaching ‘A’ level and GCSE RS, Philosophy, Ethics and New Testament. Sports coach in rugby, hockey, cricket and soccer, and of course liturgical oversight in the daily worship of the College Chapel.

For the last three academic years he has been working part time at St Teresa’s, teaching various year groups and assisting the work of the chaplain.
He is an Hon. Canon at Guildford Cathedral, and firmly believes it is a privilege, to be called to work with the pupils and staff committed to our care and oversight in the field of education. Although now living in North Norfolk, Canon Paul hopes to play his full part in the trust and prays that this will bear fruit that will endure.

Mrs Sue Walker

(Nominated Safeguarding Governor at Cranmore)

Susan became a Governor in March 2024 and is a member of the Pastoral and Safeguarding Committee. Having studied History & Geography at St. Mary’s in Twickenham Susan’s first teaching post was at Our Lady Immaculate in Tolworth, following a break to bring up her two children she moved to St Joseph’s in Guildford where she taught in the special needs department. Her next move took her to Cranmore where she taught for 24 years, the last 16 as Deputy Head, during which time Susan was responsible for pastoral care and day to day running of the Senior Department. She was also on the Academic and Pastoral Committee. During her career she taught children from reception through to year 8.
She is involved in local voluntary work and after her retirement from teaching was invited to become a Trustee at Cherry Trees. Susan recently moved to Farnham and is an active member of her local Catholic Parish. She has two grown up children, a son who attended St. George’s and a daughter who went to St. Teresa’s Prep school. As well as her family, interests include keeping fit, travel, reading and cooking.

Mrs Maureen Wilkinson ( née Murtagh)

Maureen is a partner at DMH Stallard LLP and leads the real estate residential team in their Guildford office, having been a partner at AWB Partnership where she qualified as a solicitor in 1989.

She lives in West Clandon with her husband and (periodically!) their two sons, and as a former pupil of St Teresa’s together with her sisters, is very interested in the development of the equestrian centre having represented the school nationally some years ago!

Clerk to the Governors: Mrs Claire Minikin (Director of Finance)

The Chair of Governors can be contacted at the school via the Clerk to the Governors, Mrs Claire Minikin (Director of Finance).

Letters should be addressed to:
The Chair of Governors
c/o Mrs Claire Minikin
St Teresa’s
Effingham
Surrey
RH5 6ST
UK

Emails should be addressed to: c.minikin@effinghamschools.org