Members

Bishop Richard Atkinson, OBE

Bishop Richard is the Bishop of Bedford and Chair of the Diocesan Board of Education. He was previously Archdeacon of Leicester where he led the development phase and opening of the St Philip Inter-faith Centre in 2006. He has a strong commitment to social justice which has included being Chair of both a New Deal for Communities Programme and New Deal for Employment Programme. In 2002 he awarded an OBE for services to the unemployed in Rotherham. He has been Vice-Chair of a major Housing Association. He is currently a Governor of Bedfordshire University, Chair of the Eastern Region Ministry Course and Chair of the Church of England’s committee for ministry of and among deaf and disabled people. 

Jenny Jenkins

Jenny is an editor in the health and social sectors, and has extensive communications, marketing and governance expertise in the education, youth charity, healthcare and professional services sectors. She has over 10 years’ experience as a governor, including overseeing primary/secondary; the transformation of an underperforming infant and nursery school to an Ofsted Good standard; and the achievement of a SIAMS Excellent judgement for a junior school. Most recently as Chair of Governors she led the combinations of two Church primary schools in Berkhamsted, Herts, to form Castle Church of England Federation, which is a finalist for an Outstanding Governance Award 2021. She volunteers with a number of local groups where she lives including the Scouts, and the Canal & River Trust.

Mike Bailey CBE

Mike was a career Civil Servant working in areas responsible for corporate planning, finance, housing, inner cities and local government re-organisation. His final posting was as Director of HR. As well as having overall HR responsibility for all staff in the Department he organised and took part in the recruitment and appointment of senior staff. Since retiring he has undertaken a number of voluntary posts including Board Chairman of a charitable housing association based in Hemel Hempstead with 4,500 properties and a turnover of £45m, being the independent member of the Alzheimer’s Society Nominations and Appointments Committee and Governor of a mixed secondary school for students with complex social, emotional and mental health needs. Currently he is involved in a number of local groups in the area where he lives, including being a member of his Parochial Church Council. He was awarded the CBE in the June 2005 Birthday Honours List and has been a Chartered Member of the Institute of Personnel and Development. Mike was Chair of the Board for the Diocese of St Albans Multi Academy Trust before moving to our Members.

Liz Pollard

As a serving Headteacher in Hertfordshire, Liz has been a member of the Diocesan Board of Education for a number of years and has valued the opportunity to provide strategic oversight to ensure that Christian values and ethos underpin the work of our families of schools. Having worked in VA and VC schools in the St Albans Diocese for 38 years, 20 of which as a headteacher, Liz brings first-hand experience, understanding and knowledge of the positive impact that Church of England schools have on children and staff to the role of Member for our Trust.

Liz appreciates how a school’s distinctive ethos can be developed and strengthened and values how Collective Worship is an integral part of the life of the school. She has a wide range and depth of understanding of Church School Education at different strategic levels, the ability to work with different organisations towards a common goal, knowledge of the expectations of the Diocesan Board of Education with regard to its schools and a commitment to excellence in schools for all children in them.