“Roots and Shoots goes above and beyond, not only fulfilling the potential of our young people, but also helping protect the environment for future generations, it is an honour to support such an inspiring charitable organisation.”
As guardians of the charity, our invaluable Trustees oversee the wellbeing of Roots and Shoots, and it is their duty to ensure that the charity is legally compliant and financially solvent.
Trustees at Roots and Shoots have been chosen on the basis of their relevant skill set and what they can contribute to the charity in terms of finance, education and disabilities.
Valerie Stapleton
Chair of TrusteesValerie Stapleton is our Chair of Trustees. She has supported Roots and Shoots since 1996 as a Contracts Manager, becoming a trustee in 2016, and our Chair of Trustees in 2017. Valerie is a hands-on Chair who works closely to support Linda and the educational management team to deliver exceptional vocational training.
Michael Mitchell
TreasurerMichael Mitchell is our Treasurer, and is a long standing trustee, serving since 2009. He has lived in South London for more than 40 years and he helps the charity through his knowledge of accounts and accounting.
Glenda King
TrusteeGlenda King brings her vast educational experience as a former class and headteacher to her work as a trustee at Roots and Shoots, serving as a trustee since 1997. Glenda saw the positive impact Roots and Shoots had on her pupil’s wellbeing, confidence and skills, and is dedicated to supporting the continuation of that work.
Reverend Graham Cocking
TrusteeReverend Graham Cocking is a former teacher and school governor, and a long-time Methodist minister and prison chaplain who works with diverse communities in the UK and abroad, and has served as a trustee at Roots and Shoots since 2005.
Darren Coghlan
TrusteeDarren Coghlan is currently principal and chief executive of Bosco, an educational charity based in Bermondsey, South London. With 35 years of experience in teaching and local education authorities, Darren has been serving as a Roots and Shoots trustee since 2019.
Martha MacDonald
TrusteeMartha MacDonald has supported Roots and Shoots for over 25 years as an artist and art educator, and has served as a trustee since 2020. As a keen gardener and local resident, Martha has created several works of art at Roots and Shoots across the site with students, and has run many family art workshops during our Open Days.
Jacqueline Thomson
TrusteeJacqui Thomson has taught in schools and colleges in Lambeth for over 40 years, and ran Lambeth Autism. She has served as a trustee since 2020, with a focus on students in transition to next destinations.
Primrose Campbell
TrusteePrimrose Campbell has extensive experience of post-16 education as the managing director of Central Training Group, and has been supporting Roots and Shoots since 2016 with our educational data. She has served as a trustee since 2023.
We have fully audited accounts and have secure accounting systems in place to account for all funding received. Our Director Linda Phillips MBE is the Company Secretary.
Trustees hold a General Quarterly Meeting where all matters are discussed, including finance. A risk report is created by the director and presented to trustees. Quarterly management accounts are presented to the board for discussion and approval. Other items discussed during the quarterly meeting include student safeguarding, health and safety, and equality standards.
Trustees also hold a quarterly Finance and General Purposes Committee. The Finance and General Purposes Committee comprises Linda Philips MBE (Director and Company Secretary), Darren Coghlan and Michael Mitchell. The Committee then reports on the charity’s finances and potential risks to the organisation for discussion during the quarterly meeting.