During his ministry Giles has worked as an Assistant Director of Ordinands, as Rural Dean of Barnstaple and as Acting Archdeacon of Barnstaple.
From 1996 he was a vicar based in Woolacombe until retiring in 2022 and moving to Ilfracombe, so has a deep understanding of North Devon and its people. With this came an acute awareness of the shortage of affordable housing and an initial interest in the Bicclescombe project brought Giles to be on the board of the Ilfracombe Community Land Trust.
Giles enjoys walking, travel and theatre and has an appreciation of Ilfracombe’s glorious setting and amazing architecture.
“Ilfracombe feels like a real town with real opportunities and problems, and many good people working for the welfare of the town and its people”
Ron’s career in computer programming has spanned the technological revolution of the later twenty-first century culminating in his own business providing software services and working part-time as a lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University.
Alan has enjoyed a career in telecoms from which he retired and immediately become involved in voluntary work using his experience with software to support the local hospice, U3A [University of the Third Age], his local Church and other organisations.
Ruth is a self-employed writer who has worked as a library assistant, accounts clerk, professors’ secretary, scriptwriter for a video production company and a town council clerk (not here!).
Toby completed a degree in Politics and began work at a housing charity in London. Later he retrained as a computer programmer which he worked as, along side teaching, for the rest of his working life.
Terry has been an Ilfracombe Town Councillor since 2019 with a strong desire to tackle the proliferation of poor-quality rented housing within the town. This has led to Terry working as the Housing Champion for Ilfracombe Town Council raising the issues and needs as well as forging partnerships to redress situations.
John grew up in Birmingham but moved to Ilfracombe almost forty years ago and has seen much change since his arrival. He is a self-employed carpenter enjoys working on the variety of projects the area has to offer.
Netti studied in London and enjoyed a career in computer programming and database design, and has been an Ilfracombe Town Councillor since 2015 and a District Councillor since 2019.
“The purpose of Ilfracombe Community Land Trust is to create affordable, secure homes for local people to rent with confidence. These become locally owned assets that can serve the Ilfracombe community in perpetuity."
Giles King-Smith
