Committee

Nicholas Soames is the Member of Parliament for Mid Sussex.

He is a former Defence and Agriculture Minister and has wide experience of commerce and industry.

He founded, with others, the Burgess Hill Business Parks Association and the Haywards Heath & District Businesses Association.

He is a staunch supporter of local business.

Chris raised his family in East Grinstead after settling in the town 27 years ago. He is retired from a career in civil construction with a national contractor, working initially in the UK and latterly responsible for major projects overseas. He has continued to engage himself in part-time consultancy roles overseas. Chris is familiar with most of the business disciplines from banking, contract law and accountancy through to design, construction management and health and safety.

Roger Martell Managing Director of Martell's of Sutton Ltd.

Born 1943 Educated at Ardingly College, Roger joined the family company in 1960. Roger was responsible for Martell's purchasing their Queens Road premises from the old established East Grinstead family business George Read. Roger married Margaret in 1968 who has worked alongside him ever since. In 1974 Roger with Margaret's help expanded the retail area of Martell's in East Grinstead by converting the first section of the Queens Road premises into retail. Roger and Margaret have two children Elizabeth and Charlie (Charlie is now a director of the company).

Martell's rejoined the East Grinstead Chamber of Commerce in 1992 and Roger was elected to the executive committee shortly after. As a representative of the Chamber, he has been involved with the steering group set up to appoint a short term town centre manager for East Grinstead, has represented the Chamber on the Mid Sussex North Area Forum. When it was in existence the North Area Transport Forum and more recently the East Grinstead Community Partnership Committee.

Roger is Treasurer to the East Grinstead Promotion Committee who is responsible for both the Summer and Christmas shopping events in the town and he is also the British Association of Removers' Sussex area representative on the BAR National Council.

Roger and Margaret both enjoy dancing and are regularly at the Meridian Hall dancing with the 75 Modern Sequence Club.

Caroll is the Administrator for the EGBA. She is also MD of Everest Events Ltd and runs conferences, and seminars for the aviation industry and also organises conferences and exhibitions for other organisations. She has a background in marketing, personnel and administration. She is resident in East Grinstead and is a volunteer at the Chequer Mead theatre and the EG Talking News.

Russell grew up in East Grinstead and is a former pupil of Sackville School where he now serves as a Community Governor. He is a Mechanical Engineer by trade who became involved in the manufacturing of Scientific Instruments over 20 years ago and now heads up and runs Omicron UHV Technik which is situated on The Birches Industrial Estate in East Grinstead. Russell is keen to promote Science and engineering as a career opportunity for young people in East Grinstead and is proud of the close links that Omicron has built up with Fonthill and Sackville schools.

Born in India, Charmaine has lived in East Grinstead since the age of 5 when she attended St Peter's primary school. Her roots and ties in the community span four decades, through family and friends, from childhood to youth, to adult. The Hallmark family children also both attended local primary and secondary schools and her husband John was well known for his Chartered Accountancy in the High Street, but now fully occupied at Hallmark travel.

Charmaine is an active number of Meridian BNI a local business-networking group, and is a keen supporter of local charities, fundraising and events.

Born in Canada in 1964. Moved to East Grinstead in 1973 and educated at Chequer Mead and Sackville Schools. He took an OND in Building Studies and HNC in Construction at Crawley College. Graham worked for Crouch Construction as a surveyor and estimator, for Knight and Butler preparing steelwork drawings, before joining East Grinstead Glass in 1985. Initially employed as a Surveyor, he assisted Neil Hamilton in setting up the framing workshop which began trading in 1987. This very quickly became his full time occupation. Graham took over the business shortly afterwards and moved to 54 High Street, then later to his current Gallery on Middle Row. He is a Fine Art Trade Guild commended framer (GCF) carrying work out to conservation standards. A former working member of the Bluebell Railway and more recently involved in projects for the Town Museum. Graham’s Daughter Katherine attends Sackville School. Graham lives with his wife Julie in East Grinstead.

Brian is MD of TaxAssist in East Grinstead.