Our Members
The National Governance Association (NGA) describes a Trust’s Members as “the guardians of the governance of the trust.”
Their responsibilities are limited but very important. They appoint the board of directors and have a legal responsibility to appoint the trust’s auditors. Members meet twice a year and can make decisions between meetings in writing.
Co-op Academies Trust has six Members. The Co-op Group as a corporate Member, the chair of the trust board and one other trustee, and three independent Members:
Russell Gill
Date of appointment: 30/05/2014
Term of office: N/A
Date of resignation: N/A
Appointed by: Trust Members
Relevant business and pecuniary interests for 2026/7: Trustee of Co-op Group Northern Trustees Ltd (since 19/08/2011, ongoing); Member of Wellspring Academy Trust (since 01/09/2020, ongoing); Board Chair of Co-operatives UK (since 01/06/2026, ongoing).
Gill Gardner
Date of appointment: 01/09/2014
Term of office: N/A
Date of resignation: N/A
Appointed by: Trust Members
Relevant business and pecuniary interests for 2026/7: Employee of the Co-op Group (since 28/09/2015, ongoing); Director of the Grocery Girls, a not-for-profit organisation (since 16/08/2021, ongoing).
Paul Gerrard
Date of appointment: 29/05/2022
Term of office: N/A
Date of resignation: N/A
Appointed by: Trust Members
Relevant business and pecuniary interests for 2026/7: None declared.
Dominic Kendal-Ward – Representative of the Co-op Group (Corporate Member)
Date of appointment: 28/07/2022
Term of office: N/A
Date of resignation: N/A
Appointed by: Trust Members
Relevant business and pecuniary interests for 2026/7:
Corporate Member: Corporate sponsor of the Co-op Academies Trust (since 19/08/2011, ongoing).
Representative: Employee and Officer of the Co-op Group (since 01/07/2022, ongoing).
Kenyatte Nelson
Date of appointment: 05/05/2025
Term of office: N/A
Date of resignation: N/A
Appointed by: Trust Members
Relevant business and pecuniary interests for 2026/7: To be confirmed
Heather Thomas
Date of appointment: 05/05/2025
Term of office: N/A
Date of resignation: N/A
Appointed by: Trust Members
Relevant business and pecuniary interests for 2026/7: None declared.
Previous Members:
None to note.