We now have a very dynamic group of Trustees who are all taking a really active role in looking at how we can grow our membership and continue supporting the TPT national office – as well as getting involved in their own local projects.

Meet our Board Members

	Pam Ashton – Chair My involvement with the Trans Pennine Trail (TPT) goes back to its very early years as I was the first ever appointed Trans Pennine Trail Officer, securing the initial Millennium Commission funding to kick-start the project. At a local level I keep my eye on everything Merseyside related and represent the Friends on the Mersey Group of the Trans Pennine Trail and also with Liverpool City Region. In addition, I am leading on campaigning for the Trans Pennine Trail to achieve National Trail status, helping to raise its profile nationally and advocate for the long-term recognition, protection and investment the route deserves. As Friends Trustees we are very mindful that the TPT office only consists of three members of staff so anything we can do in terms of representation is very important…and sometimes its really handy to have all the background knowledge from years gone by that can be crucial in such high level discussions.
	Simon Geller – Secretary I have recently taken the role of interim Secretary in November 2025, after Les Webb stood down. I’m one of three Trustees in the Central area, and Chair of the Cycle Rail Forum for the North. I’m also a key member of the Sheffield Cycle Forum and use all these roles to help promote the TPT and the NCN as much as possible. One of the recent projects I helped support with funding from the Friends of the TPT was the interpretation project at Beeley Woods which really provided a great place for the visitors to come and enjoy this great area. We still hope that this will become an official part of the Trail. Two themes I’m really keen to see the Friends of the TPT support are accessibility for everyone and how we can protect the TPT against climate change. We need to take action now to help protect the Trail for our future generations to enjoy when, hopefully, sustainable transport will become the norm.
	Kathy England – Treasurer I have been a Trustee since 2016 and took on the role of Treasurer in May 2018. As a Trustee I represent the Greater Manchester area at the quarterly TPT partner meetings, and also at other local meetings, events and consultations as they arise. I also support the TPT in various other ways - I'm the Volunteer Group Coordinator for the Stockport area, organising regular Task Sessions, and I'm currently the National Volunteer Representative on the Sustrans "Paths for Everyone UK Steering Group", which was set up following the review of the NCN. I've also coordinated several projects too, funded by grants received through the Friends of the TPT. We have installed six interpretation boards, which include information about the industrial heritage, and local fauna and flora. Our perching posts in the shape of hazelnuts and acorns, provide some unique resting spots for Trail users.
	Jane Hall - Membership Secretary I have been a keen cyclist for over 20 years and increasingly appreciate the chance to use traffic-free trails and well-marked routes as part of an enjoyable time on my bike. Since retiring from teaching in 2018, I have been able to contribute to the upkeep of the TPT as a ‘hands on’ volunteer in my home city of Sheffield, working alongside a committed team of like-minded folk. In 2019, I became a signed-up member of the FOTPT Board of Trustees and, in 2023, took on the role of Membership Secretary. This has been a great experience, giving me the chance to meet other Trustees from across the TPT and, with the support of the TPT office, learn more about the opportunities we hope to take and the challenges that we need to overcome. I am looking forward to implementing some new Membership ideas in the coming months that we hope will boost the number of Friends joining our community of Trail supporters. It is always a priority of the Board to spread the word about what a fantastic resource the TPT is for leisure, nature and Active Travel and so I am also aiming to reach out to local businesses who may be interested in working with us as partners to promote and enhance the TPT. Away from the TPT, I love any opportunity to head off for a cycle-touring trip and also enjoy a range of other activities that involve being outdoors, such as running, hill-walking and nature-based volunteering. Guinea pigs also feature quite highly in my life!
	Peter Brocklehurst – Trustee I have been a trustee now for a number of years representing the Pennine group. I was group co-ordinator until this year, passing that role over to my son, Pete. At the moment, I am trying at every opportunity to get the local council to take a serious look at re-routing the trail round the proposed Godley Garden Village . This, once work starts will take many years to build and could be a serious hazard to Trail users if nothing is done.
	David Bright – Trustee My interest in the “Friends” was sparked when I became a volunteer and intensified on becoming the Volunteer Group Co-ordinator for Rotherham. Attending the FOTPT meetings and receiving regular updates of its activities has highlighted the amount of work, largely unseen being carried out to improve the TPT. I’m very interested in developing accessibility projects and looking at how we can improve the maintenance of the Trail, not only in my local patch. With this in mind we now have a well stacked cycle trailer / double wheeled barrow to transport tools and equipment to where ever they are required in South Yorkshire.
	Malcolm Revell - Trustee

Hopefully you’ve found this introduction useful in terms of highlighting how important the role of the Friends is within the TPT partnership.  Yes, sometimes it not always easy to keep upbeat when all the Local Authorities across the Trail are facing such dire budget cuts and green infrastructure is sadly often at the heart of this but by becoming a Friends of the TPT you can help make sure our voices are heard and that the Trans Pennine Trail is acknowledged in its own right and protected for us and our future generations to enjoy.

If any of you would also like to join the Board of the Friends, please get in touch with any one of us.  We’d be more than happy to help provide guidance about the role and discuss how you can help support the TPT.

Simon Geller – Secretary of the Friends of the Trans Pennine Trail

Email: friends@transpenninetrail.org.uk