The Council of Almoners

The Council of Almoners (which is the corporate Trustee of Christ's Hospital) currently consists of 18 Almoners, 12 being Old Blues (former pupils). They volunteer their time and expertise to run the charity, under the rules of a Scheme of Administration granted by the Charity Commission. This sets out the legal framework for operating Christ's Hospital. (The Council of Almoners of Christ's Hospital is a company limited by guarantee. Registered in England and Wales as Company No. 5498489.)

Garry Johnson is the Treasurer and Chairman who worked in the City for a year before joining the Army. He served until 1994 in a variety of roles, from being an infantry officer on active service to Commander-in-Chief of NATO Forces in Northern Europe. Since 1995, he has been extensively involved in conflict prevention. He also served from 1995 to 1999 as Chairman of the National Council for Training and Enterprise in the United Kingdom. He has served on various trustee bodies in the fields of culture, healthcare, and education and has been Treasurer of Christ's Hospital since September 2007.

Donald Payne (Old Blue)) is the Deputy Chairman and a retired Company Director. He is ex-officio a member of all Committees, except Audit. He chairs the Nominations Committee.

Peter Bloomfield (Old Blue) is a Corporate Communications Consultant. He is Chairman of the Treasures Committee.

Peter Farnfield (Old Blue) is the Property Investment Manager for a property company. He is a Fellow of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors and has been spending most of his professional career in property investment managing for a multi-million pound Property Unit Trust for over 11 years. He chairs the Property Investment sub-Committee and is a member of the Finance Committee.

Tom Hoffman is a management consultant who has previously held senior positions in international banking. He is a member of the Court of Common Council of the City of London. He chairs the Finance Committee.

Lance Lanyon (Old Blue) was latterly the Principal of the Royal Veterinary College and is Chairman of the School's Governing Body.

Susan Lintott (Old Blue) is Bursar and Fellow of Downing College, Cambridge. She chairs the Securities sub-Committee and is a member of the School Governing Body and the Finance Committee.

Simon Murray is a Civil Engineering Consultant and Chairman / Director of three companies. He chairs the Estate sub-committee and is a member of the Finance Committee.

Wendy Parmley, a Freelance Educationalist, was formerly Principal of Archbishop Michael Ramsey Technology College, Southwark. She is a member of the School Governing Body.

Bill Richards (Old Blue) is Senior Partner in a leading firm of City of London solicitors. He is a member of the School Governing Body, a member of the Nominations Committee and Chairman of the Human Resources sub-Committee.

Wendy Stone (Old Blue) is a company director. She is a member of the School Governing Body. She chairs the trading subsidiary CHEL.

In addition to Almoners, Council is also served by 28 further volunteers who provide their professional expertise to the Committees that Council has set up to drive forward its work

Main Committees of Council

Finance, with sub-Committees - Property Investment / Securities
Human Resources / Estate
Health and safety
Audit
Governance
Nominations
Treasures

The Council of Almoners is responsible for defining Christ's Hospital's Mission Statement, Objectives and Strategic Aims and for creating the strategies and policies support these.

Please click here for further information on our Mission, Objectives and Aims.

COURT OF GOVERNORS

Christ's Hospital also has a body known as the Court of Governors which is made up of individuals known as "Governors" although they do not have a governing role in the conventional sense. These 650 Governors are rather more stakeholders in Christ's Hospital who offer views to Council on various issues and support the work of the Hospital in various ways. Most are Donation governors who have a duty of "Presentation", as set out in the Scheme of Administration. Presentation is a means of admission to the School whereby a Governor can present a child for entry to the School. The other members of Court are Almoners, Aldermen and 12 Common Council men of the City of London, and up to 10 Governors elected by Court to a Special Vote place in recognition of their service to the Hospital.