Meet The Trustees

Allison Baines

Allison retired from teaching in 2014, having spent 40 years working in primary schools in Kent and East Sussex. She has extensive experience of working with children with a range of  individual needs and believes that all children can make progress given the right opportunities, encouragement and support.

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She has been involved in EFT from its earliest beginnings and is proud to be a Trustee and current Chair.

Alex Reed

Alex is Assistant Principal at Robsack Wood Primary Academy and has been a teacher in the local community for 17 years. Alex also works voluntarily as a guide leader, providing opportunities for girls aged 10-15 outside of school.

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Organised and motivated, Alex has worked with a range of people within her role in a school and is looking forward to making links with the local community while working with a charity that supports young people in the area.

Stephen Manwaring

Steve is the Director of Hastings Voluntary Action and has been involved with EFT since its establishment as an educational trust. He holds a legal qualification and was formally Deputy Leader of a Local Authority. Steve was also one of the founder Trustees of the Sussex Community Foundation – a philanthropic organisation which has distributed over 10 million pounds to community groups in Sussex. He specialises in enabling partnership working and serves as the current chair of the East Sussex Strategic Partnership bringing together public sector, voluntary sector and business interests.

Simon Hubbard

Simon is currently a carer. As well as being a trustee, he is a volunteer at Hastings Voluntary Action and worked particularly on the response to COVID. He provides input to the organisation’s policy work and supports the Hastings Community Hub and its development. He is a board member of the Lets do Business group and has recently joined the board of Rother Voluntary Action and will be involved in the development of community hubs there.

Prior to this he served as Director of Operational Services with Hastings Council and shared the responsibility of CEO. His background is regeneration and community development, and prior to Hastings, he worked in inner Birmingham, Lewisham and Greenwich, in a variety of third sector and council roles.

Simon lives in St. Leonards and his children attended local schools and colleges. He served as a governor of Sussex Coast College and its predecessors. He is committed to our town’s future and particularly the need for transformed lives for many families and young people as this is absolutely central to Hastings’ sustainability. He regards EFT as an absolutely central part of the town’s future and its success as one of the most beneficial regeneration projects that the town has seen.

Hannah Brookshaw

Hannah is part of the

Employment and Skills Team at East Sussex County Council. Working with businesses, education, employment support agencies and other stakeholders to address critical skills gaps across the county.

Born and raised in Hastings, Hannah has extensive local knowledge and experience having previously worked for Hastings Borough Council. During that time Hannah worked in the regeneration, community development and tourism marketing teams, leading a range of projects and programmes over the years alongside local, regional and national organisations, including Education Futures Trust.

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Hannah serves as a school governor for St Leonards Academy, as well as 10 years experience through chairing the New Horizons and Hollington Primary School boards, giving her extensive experience and understanding of school operations, as well as the challenges and issues faced by families in Hastings.