Pat Wilcox - Chair of Trustees

Pat has worked within the Education Sector for 40 years, as a teacher in secondary schools (Science, General Studies), a lecturer in Further Education (Biology, Anatomy and Physiology), a Learning Support Co-ordinator (providing, tracking and reviewing support) and most recently as the Manager for Additional Learning Support at Shrewsbury College (developing and organising support across college, training staff, liaising with other agencies).

She retired from full-time employment in 2015 and became a co-opted governor at Mount Pleasant Primary School in March 2016. In May 2017 Pat joined the training section of Telford After Care Team (TACT), who develop and deliver training to small groups of adults in recovery, and in November 2017 she also joined the Exams Team at Shrewsbury School as an invigilator and specialist reader/scribe.

Pat has a particular interest and expertise in the welfare and progress of students with special educational needs, those who are looked after and those with other vulnerabilities, including mental health difficulties.

Being a Trustee has given Pat the opportunity to contribute to the community on a voluntary basis and be involved in the vision and strategic development of the MAT. “It has been very rewarding to continue to be involved in local education, getting to know the staff and children, supporting new initiatives and celebrating success.”

Martin Kirk

Martin’s career began in 1982 when he graduated as a Mechanical Engineer, and he worked in design engineering for ten years. He qualified as a teacher in 1993 and went on to spend twenty years teaching at the Thomas Telford School in Telford, twelve of which were as Head of Physics.

Martin joined Shrewsbury School in 2011, where he taught as Head of Physics until his retirement in 2020.

Martin hopes that his appointment will provide him an opportunity to use his industrial and educational experience to offer advice where possible and give something back to the community.

Julie Lockley

Julie has 30 years experience of working  in UK retail banking and has held a variety of positions during her career.

Having gained the necessary qualifications, she has worked in schools, both on a voluntary and casual basis, and also given up her time to be treasurer and fundraiser.

Julie is currently attending college and training to become a Person Centred Counsellor.

Kathryn Parsons

At the end of university, Kathryn started a career as a Chartered Accountant but soon realised that this wasn’t for her.  After two years of training, she applied to do a PGCE, left work and spent eight months travelling around the world. She was appointed in her first teaching job by Belvidere School, and stayed there for 28 years.  

Despite the role evolving over the years, being a Maths teacher in the classroom was always the most rewarding part of her job.  It was the reason she went into the profession in the first place; nothing beats the relationships that are developed with pupils when you are teaching.

In her three decades in the profession, she was responsible for numerous roles, initially with responsibility for Maths and as a Head of Year, and then latterly as the Deputy Head for many years. This involved responsibility for reporting and assessment, curriculum, QA, examinations, data and performance measures, and deep-dives, to name a few.  Finishing classroom teaching in December 2020, Kathryn continues to work with students by tutoring Maths which she continues to find very rewarding. 

With a vocation in education, she believes that you get the best out of people by being supportive, positive and modelling good practice, rather than adopting a less encouraging leadership style.

Carl Stacey

Carl is a Financial Planner with Azetss, with experience in the financial industry spanning 17 years. He is a practitioner of and enthusiastic believer in the principles of ‘Lifestyle Financial Planning’ focussing on the client and creating financial plans they can get excited about.

He hopes that he can add further value in being a Trustee, believing that providing support for the school, teachers and children enables the best outcome for all involved.

Carl provides a ‘Making Sense’ financial education program to schools in order to best prepare students in their future, volunteering to go into schools to talk with students about a variety of financial aspects.

Carl is the Chair of the Trust Board Finance Committee.

Ian Yeadon

Ian is currently a Senior IT Operations Manager at BT PLC. He is responsible for delivering Group HR and Finance IT services, which underpin BT group operations.

He has worked for BT for 30 years, during which time he has held a number of significant roles, leading parts of the organisation through major transformation, leading people change programmes and developing strategies. He has worked with major IT Service companies, working in Australia, US and more recently India.

Ian has supported educational establishments for over 30 years, in the capacity of Governor, Chair of Governors or Trustee. It’s important for Ian to be able to use his business skills to support schools in delivering the very best environment, enabling every child to reach their full potential.

As well as being a trustee at Severn Bridges MAT, Ian is also a trustee at Excelsior MAT.

Stephanie Kelly

Stephanie currently works in Children’s Services at Shropshire Council, but has worked with children all her working life in various roles. She has been a school governor since 2004, with the Haughmond Schools, prior to becoming a Trustee when Haughmond joined Severn Bridges MAT in April 2024.

Stephanie feels strongly that children of all ages should be supported in the school environment to learn and achieve their academic potential. She also feels it is vital that they learn to keep themselves safe in the wider world too by asking questions and widening their understanding of the society in which they live.

Phil Wilson

Phil has worked for Shropshire Council since 1983, having joined the authority as a trainee accountant straight from university.  After securing his accountancy qualification, he worked across a range of finance teams within the council before moving into a management role in the education department, as it was then, in 1996.  As a senior education manager, he has led teams providing support services to schools including: school admissions, schools finance, governor support services, early years funding, professional development, Shire Services, School Library Service and Shropshire Music Service.

As the lead officer for school place planning, Phil oversaw the building of a large number of new classrooms and school expansions across the county, including a new school in Shrewsbury in 2023.  In relation to the Severn Bridges Multi-Academy Trust, he project managed the expansion of Harlescott Junior School and the relocation of Sundorne Infant School onto the Featherbed Lane site prior to them joining the Trust.

In his 25 years in the education sector Phil has built up particular knowledge and expertise in schools finance and funding, both revenue and capital, having been clerk to the authority’s Schools Forum and been responsible for the annual allocation of funding to maintained schools and academies.  During this time he delivered finance training courses for senior school leaders and governors.

After 40 years’ service with Shropshire, Phil now works part-time for the local authority, overseeing the conversion of Shropshire maintained schools to academy status.

In his semi-retirement, Phil has taken on the role of Chair of Governors for Bowbrook Primary School, the new school in Shrewsbury he played a role in getting built.

Having invested so much time and energy in his professional career in contributing to the provision of quality education in Shropshire, Phil is delighted to be able to continue this work in a voluntary capacity both as Chair of a local primary school and as a Trustee with the Severn Bridges Multi-Academy Trust.  He looks to bring extensive knowledge, experience and understanding of how education works in the local Shropshire context based on over 25 years working in a senior education management role.  Front and centre are the individual needs of every child within the Trust’s schools, as well as the most effective and high quality support to the staff and volunteers who work in the individual schools and across the Trust.

Phil is Chair of Governors for the Local Governing Body for Bowbrook Primary School, part of The 3-18 Education Trust.  He also continues to work in the Learning and Skills team at Shropshire Council.