About Tavistock Heritage Trust
Who are we?
A community-driven voluntary organization dedicated to preserving and promoting the rich historical and cultural heritage of Tavistock as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
What do we do?
We run the town’s Visitor Information Centre.
We help to conserve and preserve historical buildings, artefacts, and traditions that hold significance to Tavistock's identity.
Through educational initiatives, guided tours, workshops, lectures and exhibitions, we help create awareness about the town's history.
We work alongside the other history groups and heritage sites in the town to organise the annual national Heritage Open Days events.
Tavistock Heritage Trustees
Geri Parlby
Geri has been a Trustee since September 2017 and is currently Chair
Devon-born and bred Geri has had a varied career as a Fleet Street journalist, movie publicist and lecturer.
She was head of press for United International Pictures followed by ten years running her own PR agency in London. Since moving back to Devon she lectures on history of art both in the UK and internationally and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.
Geri has been involved in a variety of community projects in Tavistock and is past president of Tavistock Rotary Club and past Chair of the Tavistock Sensory Garden and Vice Chair of the Tavistock Dementia Alliance. Currently Chair of Tavistock Heritage Trust Geri’s principal role in the Trust is overseeing marketing and PR, and curating the Interpretation Centre.
Sandra Jones
Sandra has been Trustee since September 2018 and is a Vice-Chair
Born in Manchester, Sandra worked for many years in information technology, undertaking a number of different roles including technical development, programme direction and senior business management. Latterly she worked with the UK Ministry of Justice, delivering complex, UK-wide multi-million-pound software solutions for the Courts and Tribunals service, managing both the delivery of the programmes and client satisfaction.
Having retired from an international software services company she left London and moved to the Tavistock area 7 years ago. She quickly became involved with Tavistock Heritage Trust as a volunteer in the Visitor Information Centre, later becoming a Trustee.
Sandra’s principal role in the Trust is the strategic oversight, management and development of the Visitor Information Centre along with the partner liaison involved in being a Vice-Chair of the Trust.
Ian Wright
Ian has been a Trustee since September 2017 and is a Vice-Chair
Born in Stockport, Ian has lived in Tavistock for more almost 30 years. After an early career in journalism Ian worked as a communications manager for British Gas, ICI and British Aerospace before becoming global head of internal communications with SGS in Geneva. From 2001 he worked as an independent adviser on communication and business change to international businesses in the UK, as well as with clients in the public sector. Ian is a former Chair and Fellow of the Institute of Internal Communication.
Ian is a reluctant runner with Tavistock Athletics Club and leads on community facilities on the Tavistock Neighbourhood Development Plan steering group. As part of his Trustee role Ian has an operational role in the running of the Guildhall premises
Simon Hirst
Simon has been a Trustee since August 2018 and is THT’s Treasurer
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Simon is a Chartered Accountant. After qualifying in 1978, he moved to France where he worked for twenty-one years for both French and American companies in senior financial roles in pharmaceuticals, medical devices, wines and spirits and luxury branded goods.
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He moved to Tavistock in 2007 and subsequently worked for the NHS in a variety of financial roles. Since retiring, Simon has been the independent accountant for St. Eustachius Church.
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Simon’s role as the Trust’s Treasurer includes bookkeeping, preparation of the annual report, budgeting and cash management.
Sara Burgess
Sara has been a Trustee since September 2022
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Sara started her career as a charity community worker in Wiltshire and moved on to more senior positions in other charities including Mencap and British Red Cross. In 2007 she was appointed The Regulator of Community Interest Companies (business for social purpose), after which she spent a short time with Devon County Council. She has also sits as a non-executive director on social enterprise boards.
Born in Cornwall she came back to the Southwest in 2015 moving to Tavistock in 2016 with her cat.
Sara enjoys working with and supporting people and gets a lot of satisfaction from working “on the ground”. She is a regular volunteer in the VIC and currently works with the Volunteer Steering Group of THT and is the Trust’s representative in matters of Governance.
Simon Crosbie
Simon has been a Trustee since September 2021
Simon was born in Scotland, moved to Yelverton at age 8 and on to Liskeard 30 years ago.
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Simon is an historic building and conservation specialist with considerable experience in the West Country working on projects such as the Royal William Yard, Plymouth Cathedral and Plymouth Gin Distillery among others, and the recent refurbishments of Tavistock Pannier Markets and Guildhall Square. His recent work has integrated low energy architectural solutions into historic refurbishments.
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As an active Trustee of the Tavistock Heritage Trust Simon works with the Tavistock Town Council with respect to the Guildhall complex to enable the Trust and the Council to present top class displays whilst respecting the building fabric.
Andrew Main
Andrew has been a Trustee since September 2017 and is a past Chair
After graduating Andrew studied at INSEAD (a non-profit graduate-only business school that maintains campuses in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and North America) and his professional life was, and still is, in equity fund managements, holding senior positions on many companies worldwide, latterly being the Managing Partner of Stratton Street Capital.
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Wiltshire-born Andrew moved to Devon in 2015 and is a governor of the Mount Kelly Foundation.
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Andrew leads on grants and funding opportunities seeking out companies working in areas such as mining, who would be interested in supporting the work of the Tavistock Heritage Trust.
Philip Sanders
Philip has been a Trustee since February 2017
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Philip was born into a Devon farming family but moved from agriculture to hospitality and then into the NHS becoming a Trust Board Director. Following early retirement he set up his own health care consultancy.
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Philip has held many senior positions in local councils in Devon at Town, Borough and County levels. He has served as Tavistock town Mayor on two occasions.
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He has worked with a variety of youth organisations over many years and is a Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme assessor. He is a past Chair of Dartmoor Rescue Group and Dartmoor Trust, a Dartmoor National Park warden and Chair of the DNP National Management Committee. He is Vice-Chair of the Tamar Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
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Philip oversees all compliance and health and safety issues for the Trust.
David Conn
Philip has been a Trustee since May 2024
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David retired in 2024 after owning and running a globally recognised sales and marketing business.
He has a history degree from Lancaster University, majoring in final thesis about the role and function of the royal courts in the 16th century.
Throughout his life, he has maintained an active interest in history.
Since retiring, David has turned his attention to history, heritage, and community engagement. His lifelong interest in history, preserving and understanding the past, and shaping its role in our future led him to volunteering with Tavistock Heritage Trust (THT). The main focus of his work with THT has concerned increasing awareness of the Trust’s work and increasing community engagement with its overall charitable objectives and specific heritage projects.
As well as being a Trustee of THT, he is Chair of Tavistock Heritage Alliance, involved in the overarching Rediscovering Tavistock Abbey Project Team, and leads the Research Group of the Abbey Project.
This group is a collective of community volunteers who are dedicating their time to building a definitive view of Tavistock Abbey’s history and its importance in local, regional and national history.
