Our Board

At Fair Trader, our non-executive board members are experienced professionals who all use their individual knowledge, skills and perspectives to help shape and direct the future of Fair Trader.

Our current board members are: 

Gerard Hetherington

  • Chair at Fair Trader
  • Chair Holme Valley Fair Trade Support Group
  • Over 30 years experience in central government and the NHS
  • Senior Civil Servant, Department of Health

Margaret Dale

  • Director at Fair Trader
  • 40 years experience in HR and change management
  • Four non-executive directorships
  • CEO of a business
  • Chair of Keep Holmfirth Special

Mark Lewis

  • Secretary at Fair Trader
  • Chair Wooldale Cooperative for 6 years
  • Chair of Trustees, Royds Hall School
  • Managing Director of £100 million sales public listed company
  • Sustainability consultant working with Marks & Spencer and OXFAM

Paul Brennan

  • Educationalist for 40 years with many roles in public, private and third sectors
  • Freelance consultant working with Local Authorities and schools across the country
  • Chair of several educational associations and visiting research fellow at Leeds Trinity University

Scott Arlidge

  • Extensive experience in customer service and member relations in retail cooperatives
  • Currently a director of Heart of England Co-operative
  • Based in the Midlands

Adrian Gamble

  • Director at Fair Trader
  • Early career as investment banker in London, New York and Tokyo
  • 20 years as Senior Civil Servant, Foreign Office, with postings to Brussels, Rome and Vienna, and 3 years in No.10
  • Director Deloitte Strategy Consulting, 10+ years helping orgainsations adapt to the digital age
  • Project Manager for Child Health International, Winchester based Cystic Fibrosis charity

Join Our Board

Are you a member of Fair Trader? Would you like to be more involved in setting the direction of one of the most exciting retail businesses in Holmfirth while helping to improve the lives of disadvantaged people across the world? Why not join the board of Fair Trader as a non-executive director?

As a co-operative society Fair Trader is overseen by a board of non-executive directors. Several of our long-serving directors have stepped down recently either through retirement or to pursue other interests. We are keen to appoint some new members to the board.

The role involves attending around eight board meetings per year and working in small groups on key issues such as the development of the online side of the business, staffing or social media. Some of the board members also volunteer in the shop. While the role is unpaid, it is interesting and very rewarding.

If you think you might be interested, please contact Gerard Hetherington (Chair) or Mark Lewis (Secretary) at info@fairtrader.coop.