Meet the Team
The following members of the steering group are involved in running the CLT
and supporting our mission and services. We are always on the look out for new supporters with skills and time to share. Get in touch if that could be you!
Max Pengelley
Chair
A founder member of the CLT, Max has 50 years’ experience of project implementation and management, R&D and technology transfer. He has lived in Sussex for nearly
40 years and just outside Ringmer for four years. Max says: ‘I have strong family connections to Ringmer. Inspired by the legacy of Jubilee Cottages, given to Ringmer by my wife’s uncle, I was immediately interested in supporting the creation of a Community Land Trust to provide affordable housing and other community assets for our local villages in perpetuity. Please come and join us and help build even stronger local communities and maintain the thriving villages that we all wish to live in.’
Emma Petrykow
Steering group member
Architect
Julian Morgan-Jones
Steering group member
Julian moved to Ringmer in 2012, after 13 years of living at Laughton Lodge, the co-housing community project he co-founded. He is the founder and managing director of South East Wood Fuels, Vice-Chair of the UK Wood Heat Association, and Chair of the government advisory panel for the Biomass Suppliers List. He says: ‘I was keen to be part of a group looking to solve the problem of developing genuinely low-cost local housing. I have three children and do not know how they will be able to afford to live or work in the area. I believe the housing situation in the south east is in crisis. The CLT approach provides a real opportunity for us to do something about this.’
Gavin May
Treasurer
Gavin is a local business owner, providing Housing Rental Management, Estate Agency and Property Development, previously worked for Barclays Bank.
Sy Morse-Brown
Steering group member
In his 40 year career in architecture, Sy worked in private practice in the UK and abroad. He founded Axiom Architects, specialising in leisure projects for major national companies. He has spent ten years as Chair of the Lewes Planning Committee and is also Chair of Lewes Priory Trust, the charity that manages the heritage site for Lewes Town Council. Since 2012, he has been Convenor of North Ringmer Residents Group, coordinating local interests in relation to the Bishops Field/Potters Field development.
He says: ‘Recent events have shown that commercial developers are motivated solely by profit and do not provide houses of the type and cost which are so badly needed
by local people. The RACLT is a unique opportunity to take the initiative.’
Gordon Sims
Steering group member
Gordon is a freelance HR consultant, originally with the Royal Mail Group. He is Vice-Chair of governors at Seaford Head Academy and a trustee of the Now! Charity Group. He was previously Chair of Eastbourne Homes, an ALMO managing properties and delivering ‘Decent Homes’ for Eastbourne BC (2006–2013).