Our experienced and dedicated team work alongside the trustees and are here to advise and
support all those who need our help. From the smallest problems, to life changing situations and events, they will always do all they can to operate the charity’s assistance with beneficiaries’ needs and requirements.

Staff:

David Hicks, Chief Executive:

celebrated 43 years in the voluntary sector in 2020 - having worked for over 26 years with The Book Trade Charity.

Graduated with a degree in Business Studies in 1976, sponsored by De La Rue, and worked for a year in their security printing division. He then moved into charities, starting with The Children's Society and after ten years moving through senior fundraising roles in three other 'people' charities, covering deafness, physical disability and care for elderly people. He became CEO of BTBS in 1994. Although not having worked in publishing or bookselling, he is an avid reader and book collector (particularly Crime & Thriller Fiction), sponsor of the Petrona Award for best Nordic crime fiction in translation, and enjoys attending Crime fiction festivals and author events. In 2012, David became a Liveryman of The Stationers' Company, and until 2019 was a Trustee and Vice-Chairman of the Stationers' Foundation (the Company's charitable arm) and Chairman of its sub-committee, the Academic Awards Committee.

Glenda Barnard, Operations Manager:

Graduated with a degree in Humanities in 1990 and subsequently trained as a solicitor, but decided not to pursue this as a career, instead working in Further Education as a student adviser and grants manager at West Herts College, and then moving to Hertfordshire Library Service. Before joining BTBS in 2011 Glenda worked in managerial roles in local charities, setting up a day centre for homeless people and leading a "back to work" project for people with disabilities and/or health issues. She lives in Hertfordshire with her husband and adult daughter. She enjoys reading, modern art, films, spending time with her parents (discovering new cafes/combing the local charity shops for bargains!) and walking her Patterdale terrier, Hamish.

Nicki Cattle FCCA, Finance & Admin Manager:

Nicki joined BTBS in 2016 and says she loves working here! She enjoys reading so this was the perfect job to combine her love for books with her career in figures. Nicki has worked in charity finance for over 20 years and is ACCA qualified, she also has a degree in applied accounting.

Outside of work Nicki enjoys spending time with her family, running, reading (or watching) murder mysteries, and going out for drinks and dancing!

 

Keith Foster, Special Projects Manager:

Keith joined BTBS at the end of 2010 to help with the management of a major refurbishment of The Retreat at Kings Langley which was undertaken in 2011, having worked with a building based Social Enterprise Company that had undertaken works on site previously. On the conclusion of that project he stayed on looking after the management of building and estate based projects for the Charity. More recently his involvement has been primarily with the redevelopment of the Bookbinders Cottages at our Whetstone, North London site.

Board & Trustees:

The Charity is controlled by a Board of Trustees, appointed for an initial term of 3 years, then becoming eligible for a further term.

Chair: Jonathan Nowell (also, Finance Committee)

Vice-Chair: Ann Woodhall (also Chair, Grants & Housing Committee)

"After leaving school I followed various paths and gained a range of qualifications, including a Teaching Certificate and ICSA Part 1 in Law, Accountancy, Economics and Business.   I worked in a number of different companies, mainly in administrative roles e.g. BBC, law firms, music companies.   My longest period of employment was in book publishing where I worked for Little, Brown Book Group for 30 years, retiring in 2015 as HR/Facilities Director. 

I have been involved in the Book Trade Charity for over 20 years, helping to raise funds through charity walks and other events while working at Little, Brown as well as assisting with HR issues. I joined the Board of Trustees and became Vice-Chair three years ago and am also Chair of the Grants & Housing Committee. 

I have retained an interest in education and have been a School Governor for my local secondary school for over 15 years. I became Chair of Governors 5 years ago. Two years ago I became a Trustee of Barnet Carers. They are an independent charity offering advice, information, emotional and practical support for all informal carers who live or work in the London Borough of Barnet. They also have a separate arm which provides home care."

Jonathan Nowell, Chair, with supporters Jonathan Lloyd & Jane Gregory

Emily-jane Taylor, Hon Treasurer, and Chair of Finance Committee
and Ann Woodhall, Vice-Chair

President: Ursula Mackenzie

Trustees:

Trustees:

Jeremy Brinton

Elise Burns (also, Grants & Housing Committee)

Isobel Dixon

Kate McFarlan

David Neale

Sam Smith

Fraser Tanner (also, Grants & Housing Committee)

Gemma Woodward (also, Finance Committee)

Paul Chapman is co-opted to the Finance Committee

Sally Atkinson, Ben Gutcher, Marie Bucksey and Barbara Taylor are co-opted to the Grants & Housing Committee)

Patrons:

Nigel Batt
Kip Bertram
Edwin Buckhalter
John Elsley
Christopher Foyle
Trevor Hing
Bill Samuel
Timothy Wright

Ambassadors:
We are in the process of appointing an advisory council of younger ‘Ambassadors’, this will be established to act as a two-way liaison body between BTBS and the industry, to improve user (and potential-user) representation, to strengthen the charity’s diversity and inclusivity objectives, and to act as a source of informed and involved future trustees.