CTfC is governed by a board of trustees. The organisation is managed on a day to day basis by a part-time director who works from home and is mobile across Cumbria.

Bryan Gray (Chairman)
Bryan Gray is Chairman of Peel Media, the company responsible for Media City in Salford.  He is Pro Chancellor of Lancaster University, Chairman of Westmorland Motorway Services, Chairman of Carlisle Renaissance, Chairman of the Lowther Castle and Gardens Trust and a Trustee of National Museums Liverpool.

Bryan retired as Chairman of the North West Regional Development Agency in August 2009 after over seven years. He Chaired Liverpool's European Capital of Culture Company and is a former High Sheriff of Lancashire.  He is a Reader in the Church of England and was until recently a member of Liverpool Cathedral Council.  He was awarded a CBE in 2009 for sevices to the North West.

Chris Carr
Chris Carr was born and brought up in North Yorkshire. He studied as an undergraduate and as a postgraduate at Oxford University, where he read law. He spent the whole of his career in higher education and his last post before he retired in April 2009 was as the Vice Chancellor of the University of Cumbria.

Chris has been an active member of the Church of England for many years and he currently chairs the Blackburn Diocesan Board of Education and is a director of DBE Services, an organisation which brings together the Boards of Education of a number of northern dioceses. He is also a Lay Canon of Blackburn Cathedral.

Chris is a keen cyclist and spends as much time as possible outdoors.


Claire Hensman
Claire moved up to the South Lakes 30 years ago, after a short career in the City as an investment adviser.  Besides family commitments, she has since been involved as a volunteer working with various organisations in health, higher education, a grant-giving Trust and a charity for disabled and disadvantaged young people. She is also currently Treasurer of her local Parochial Church Council, a Trustee of Carlisle Cathedral’s Development Trust and on the Financial Advisory Committee to the Cathedral Chapter.


George Howe
George has been the Archdeacon of Westmorland and Furness since 2000, serving the parishes, clergy and people of the Diocese of Carlisle and representing the Bishop as a member of his senior staff in South Lakeland and Barrow. He is also Diocesan Ecumenical Officer and has responsibility for rural issues and strategic church buildings issues across the whole diocese.

Nationally George is a member of the Church of England's General Synod, and is Chair of the Church and Community Fund (formerly the Central Church Fund) which gives grants to local churches to further their community outreach. He longs to see churches better equipped and resourced for wider community use.


Jim Irving
Jim Irving is a retired Police Superintendent and Management Consultant who is now the District Property Secretary for the Cumbria Methodist District.  He was the co-chair of a National Methodist Working Group dealing with the introduction of "Consent Giving", a project designed to computerise the administration of Building Schemes in the Methodist Connexion. 

Jim is also active in the administration of Penrith Methodist Church where he is a member. Formerly, the North West and North Wales Regional Secretary of the British Association of Public Safety Communications Officers, he is now a  life member of BAPCO.


Co-opted Trustees

Andrew Edwards – Chief Executive, National Churches Trust
Crispin Truman – Chief Executive, Churches Conservation Trust
John Devine – Churches Officer for the North West

Staff and volunteers

Gina Dowding, Director: (2.5 days pw) - Responsible for strategy development and implementation, financial and regulatory responsibility of the organisation.

Nigel Robson, Director (I day pw) - Responsible for strategic direction of CTfC, liaison with the churches in Cumbria of all denominations, facilitating strategic partnerships and volunteer recruitment.

Jemma Metcalfe-Gibson, Historic Buildings Support Officer (full time)  - Responsible for project support and development of 10 identified church projects across the County per year. We have selected historic churches/faith buildings and their communities which will most benefit from her intensive support to secure urgent repairs; implement maintenance plans and expand the use of the buildings for their communities..

Julie Batchelor, Personal Assistant and Administrative Officer (half time) - Responsible for website maintenance, adminstration, training course and events bookings and general enquiries. 

Community Link volunteers: Carl Bendelow (Eden), Lalik Naysmith (South Lakeland), Jill Richardson (Carlisle) - Responsible for providing a personal link to those involved in the management of churches, assisting with navigating our website information and providing two way communication between the Trust and local churches.