Our People

Click on the links to find out more about our patrons and trustees.

Board of Trustees

Andrew Appleby

President

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Email: president@johnraesociety.com

Andrew Appleby is an Orkney institution, successful businessman and artist, known across the world as ‘The Harray Potter’, having established the Fursbreck Pottery in 1975, inspired by his twin passions of archaeology and pottery. His artworks are of international repute. His passion for archaeology led to him co-founding The Orkney Archaeology Society, (when??) which he chaired for some years. Being involved with the story of John Rae since childhood, Andrew was a founder member of The John Rae Society, following the demise of The Orkney Boat Museum, which was going to restore The Hall of Clestrain.  Andrew was elected President at the society’s first official meeting in 2013.

Cheryl Chapman

Chair

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Email: chair@johnraesociety.com

Cheryl has worked in the charitable sector in development roles for many years, leading the City of London’s charity City Philanthropy and before that working with the Association of Charitable Foundations leading the Philanthropy UK charitable project. She has a background in comms and marketing. Cheryl currently works in the tourism sector as Orkney Destination Manager for VisitScotland and is Chair of Kirkwall Business Improvement District.

Fiona Gould

Membership Secretary & Archivist

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Email: membership@johnraesociety.com

A career in teaching and supporting students with special education needs (SEN), gifted children and asylum seekers led to Fiona’s appointment as Project Manager for West Sussex LEA where she established an outreach support service for students with social communication difficulties. Since retiring and relocating to Orkney, Fiona has worked as a volunteer for Advocacy Orkney and for the John Rae Society – as membership secretary and more recently leading historical and archival research and developing the partnership with Stromness Museum. Fiona was married for many years to a freelance journalist who specialised in wildlife and conservation. They shared an interest in history, heritage and the rural tradition. 

Donna Heddle

Trustee

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Professor Donna Heddle MA (Hons) PhD FHEA FSA Scot FRSA

Donna is Director of the University of the Highlands and Islands Institute for Northern Studies, which is based in Kirkwall, Lerwick, and Perth. She is also Head of Research Environment and Culture at UHI and leads on the development of the university’s Arctic strategy which includes the development of an Arctic Gateway Hub. Her research interests include Scottish cultural history, language and literature, and cultural tourism. She has won awards for course development and design. She was awarded a Personal Chair by UHI in June 2013 and served as UHI’s acting Vice Principal (Research and Impact) in 2021-22. She is currently a Trustee of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland and of Sir Sean Connery’s Scottish International Education Trust and has previously sat on the board of Museums Galleries Scotland and Hi-Arts.

Neil Kermode OBE

Trustee

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Neil is a Chartered Engineer, a Chartered Environmentalist and Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers. For over 18 years he has been the Managing Director of the world leading wave and tidal energy test centre EMEC situated in Orkney. He is Chair of the Orkney Renewable Energy Forum and Vice Chair of Orkney Heritage Society. He is passionate about ensuring society pivots from fossil to sustainable fuels as soon as possible and faces the challenges of climate change head on with determination and urgent action.

Andy Golightly

Trustee

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Email: secretary@johnraesociety.com

Andy has more than 20 years’ experience working in regeneration and economic development for local authorities and externally funded programmes. He has lived in Orkney (Stenness) for 9 years, and held development roles with Kirkwall Townscape Heritage Initiative and the North Isles Landscape Partnership. Andy currently works for Robert Gordon University as a Project Manager and Lifeguard at Stromness Pool. Andy has a BA (Hons) degree in Geography and a Masters Degree in Town Planning.

One third of the trustees retire annually by rotation if there is a full complement of trustees (12), but are eligible for re-election. There are currently six vacant trustee positions. If you are interested in becoming a trustee, email Project Manager Genna Adkins: gennaadkins@johnraesociety.com

Officers

Tracey Phillips

Treasurer

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Email: treasurer@johnraesociety.com

Tracey is a Fellow Member of the AAT (Association of Accounting Technicians) having qualified 27 years ago and since providing services for a range of clients. She has her own practice working from Orkney, having relocated from Hertfordshire in 2021. Tracey also serves as a business representative of the UHI Orkney College Stakeholders Group and is an elected member of the Orphir Community Committee.

Vacancies

PROJECT MANAGER, fixed-term, 14 months

£50,000-£60,000

The John Rae Society has secured funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund for its Fit for the Future project that will see the Society develop its resilience and plans for Category A Listed Hall of Clestrain as well as undertake a far reaching consultation and engagement programme to inform the future for this much-loved local landmark – birthplace and childhood home of Artic explorer Dr John Rae.

You will manage the delivery of the Fit for the Future project, appointed staff and consultants to ensure that all approved purposes and objectives are achieved over the next 14 months, as well as undertaking fundraising for our £1.8m Save Hall of Clestrain project.

Our ideal candidate will have heritage sector experience, knowledge of historic buildings, and a high degree of organisational, communication and interpersonal skills. If you can nail a funding application, negotiate contracts, oversee operations, engage communities, meet deadlines and keep to a budget, we would love to hear from you.

This is a self-employed position, mostly working from your own premises.

If you fit our requirements, please submit your C.V. and a fee payment schedule to chair@johnraesociety.com along with a covering letter explaining how you believe you fit the job description for the post.

Interviews will take place w/c 26 August.

Closing date for applications: 1pm, 23 August 2024

Patrons

• The Right Honourable Oliver Peter St John, The 9th Earl of Orkney Extraordinary Lives | Peter St. John Earl of Orkney – YouTube
• Elaine Grieve, Lord-Lieutenant of Orkney Welcome (orkneylieutenancy.org.uk)
• Ken McGoogan. Author Ken McGoogan
• Ray Mears, Writer and Broadcaster Ray Mears – Keynote Speakers | Speakers Corner
• Sir Michael Palin, Actor, Broadcaster and Writer Home – The Official Michael Palin Website (themichaelpalin.com)
• Magnus Linklater, Journalist and ex-editor of The Sunday Times, The Scotsman and The Evening Standard Magnus Linklater | The Times & The Sunday Times

Contact Us

President: Andrew Appleby – president@johnraesociety.com
Chair: Cheryl Chapman – chair@johnraesociety.com
Treasurer: Tracey Phillips – treasurer@johnraesociety.com
Membership Secretary: Fiona Gould – membership@johnraesociety.com
Secretary: Andy Bell – secretary@johnraesociety.com

Other contacts as follows:

Archive: archive@johnraesociety.com
Events Committee: events@johnraesociety.com
Webmaster: info@johnraesociety.com