Having lived in Thornton-le-Clay for 14 years and always enjoyed the welcome received in the White Swan, when it seemed that it would no longer be available to the community I felt it was time to take action along with many others that live in the surrounding area. Since mid 2021 I’ve been playing a central role for the community in building a case to protect and then re-establish the much loved pub. I am thankful to have such an experienced, professional, committed and hardworking steering committee and wider SOS group to work with in driving toward re-opening the pub.

I have a background in engineering and management having worked a variety of manufacturing, operations and research & development roles in blue chip companies, with experience of leading teams and delivering business change spanning facility, organisation, and process improvement with an international focus.

I have lived in the village for 14 years. My husband and I dined at the White Swan every week & also enjoyed the various events put on there, so we are passionate about keeping it open. I am a retired management accountant and have worked in both private & public sectors, firstly as an accountant in a pubco and then with an oil company.

After moving to Scotland, I was chief accountant in a county council and then deputy finance director in a large primary care trust. Since moving back to England I undertook the same role in both private & NHS hospitals. Although my work for the pubco was many years ago, I hope that my experience from then will help the SOS group as we try to get the pub reopened.

We moved into the village during ‘lock-down’ and was disappointed to find a village community in the middle of an anxious debate over the re-openning of The White Swan. Being so close to the pub, we were looking forward to making this an important meeting point to get to know everyone. When I was invited to support the steering group I was happy to help, because I had experienced in my home village what can happen when a village loses not just one but both pubs.

My primary roles over the years have been in events management in the UK/Internationally at York St John University, fund raising for the Catholic Diocese of Leeds, PA to Chair of the York and Hull District Methodist Church and Prior Provincial of the Order of Carmelites. Previously I have worked at Yorkshire Bank and been self-employed running a successful distribution business, database management and secretarial services company for 6 years, as well as later running a local holiday let for 7 years.

My wife and I have enjoyed living in Thornton Le Clay over the last 10 years and I have been a member of the Village Hall committee for the last 4 years.

A significant part of the community has been lost with the closure of the White Swan.

I spent the whole of my working life in aviation as an Air Traffic Controller, the vast majority of my career working at Leeds Bradford Airport. In addition, I was involved with training and also acted as a Local Competency Examiner, responsible for ensuring colleagues were working to the highest standards.

I have been involved with fundraising in a series of different guises. I wrote a successful bid for a new school sports hall in Bradford that was awarded a grant of £1 million towards the project.

In addition as a Bradford City Football Club supporter, I have raised in excess of £20,000 for club funds and over £25,000 for the Bradford Plastic Surgery & Burns Research Unit (PSBRU) that was established after the the Bradford City fire at Valley Parade in 1985.

I aim to bring some of my fundraising skills to help re-establish the White Swan back to its rightful place in the heart of our great community.

I was lucky enough to discover the White Swan 35 years ago and feel strongly that it should remain as our vibrant village hub. After 40 years working in Civil and Criminal Courts, latterly as a business analyst, I hope that my communication, report writing and analytical skills can help us keep this much loved 'local'. In retirement, though involved in several voluntary roles, I value more than ever our thriving school and friendly local pub at the heart of the community, vital to keeping and attracting young families and ensuring the village thrives.

I have lived in the village for 35 years with my wife Carolyn and have seen my children grow up here.

The White Swan has been associated with family celebrations as well as being a constant hub in the village. It is the only place where all ages can exchange news and views. It is a melting pot for village life.

As a retired Chartered Surveyor covering an area of North and East Yorkshire for over 40 years, I am painfully aware of the decline of villages where pubs have been lost or shut. I cannot think of any village that has benefitted as a result of such vandalism. I feel I can contribute a good knowledge of property and have a number of useful professional contacts in the York area.

As a family with strong roots in the village, our children being the eighth generation to live here, I would be deeply saddened to think that we would lose our White Swan - the heart of the village. It’s been the centre of many of our family celebrations and was often used to catch up with neighbours and friends over great food and drinks all year round.

With 20 years in public service I have developed a broad balance of professional and technical skills. Over the years I’ve had to demonstrate self discipline and attention to detail to perform tasks and lead others often under severe pressure. I’ve learned an array of skills that include risk analysis, communication skills on a one-2-one or larger group basis, negotiating for myself and others on matters of employment and contracts.

With regard to the SOS Group, I see my role as bringing good common sense, the art of the possible, and with my family being an important link across the community and particularly across the generations in the village.