MEET THE COMMITTEE AND OUR PROJECT MANAGER
Get to know the committee of The Radnor Arms Community Benefit Society​
Sue Norton
Chair
Retired Occupational Therapist & Operations Manager
Sue has worked in the NHS and charity sector, working jointly with colleagues and management to ensure good governance with evidence-based practice. She has experience in staff recruitment and retention, marketing, project management, hospitality, securing funding for projects and project management and working with volunteers. Sue is concerned for the younger generations who are being denied the opportunity to visit ‘their’ local.
Martin Lewis
Vice-Chair
Landscape Gardener
Martin is a self-employed landscape gardener who moved from ‘Up North’ to the Radnor Valley 36 years ago and found he couldn’t leave! He has an honour’s degree in Ecological Science and worked for a council planning department, gaining a diploma in planning. Martin has successfully completed a course in small business management and was a member of the Evenjobb village hall Lottery Fund bid team.
Tanya Strange
Secretary
RN, MSc (Nursing), MBE
Tanya moved to New Radnor in February 2023 and has immersed herself in village life. Working in partnership with statutory, voluntary, and independent sectors, Tanya established the award
winning Ffrind i Mi/Friend of Mine initiative in Gwent, a multi-agency partnership approach to combatting loneliness and social isolation across communities. Tanya has been successful in securing several bids and grants to support the wellbeing of people.
Mary Cobbett
Society Secretary
Manager Owner/manager of Deli Tinto, Presteigne
​​Mary has experience in bringing people together, recognising individual strengths to galvanise communities into action. Mary has facilitated youth and community programmes, co-ordinated multi-agency support for schools and was a Governor at Radnor Valley Primary for nine years.
Mary taught at a pioneering Steiner school in Cape Town. A generalist with a broad outlook, Mary now runs a successful delicatessen in nearby Presteigne.
David Leitch
Co-Treasurer
Retail E-Commerce Manager
David has commercial trading experience and is responsible for an online business across 800 shops, alongside 20 years retail experience in marketing, space planning, buying, and store management. As a chartered manager with level 7 diploma in leadership, he's managed teams with project management experience. He also has experience of working with suppliers (buying food for resale, and technology). David provides support to the finance team, bringing his experience in budgeting and forecasting as the trading of the pub begins.
Paul Norton
Co-Treasurer
Presteigne Retired Bank Clerk & Business Manager
Paul has experience working in the corporate, social and charity sectors, with transferable skills in finance, from banking to working with adults
and children with learning disabilities. Prior to retirement Paul worked as a business manager, running with Sue, his partner, a 100-bed group
accommodation centre, turning his hand to everything from finance, maintenance, and hospitality. Paul has lived with Sue, within five miles of the Radnor Arms for 45 years.
David Redmayne
Governance and Data Protection
Hospitality Software QA Manager/ Music Teacher
David has had a varied career, starting in the Theatre as a musician and later as a Production Manager before moving to the world of IT in Education, where he also served on the Governing Bodies for three Cheshire schools. Currently nearing retirement, he is Director of Software Quality for a large UK Software House. Based in Kington since 2018, he’s served on the Town Council and, for one year, as Kington Mayor. David is also the Musical Director for the Ludlow Concert Band and is a strong believer in 'giving back' to his local community.
Susan Kinsey-Jones
Marketing Lead
Susan had worked in marketing and communications for over 10 years, beginning her career in museums and galleries including the Tate. Susan went on to a sustainable food startup as Content Director, connecting people directly with sustainable food and sharing the stories of ethical food producers. Now a co-founder of Whinyard Rocks vineyard just outside of New Radnor, Susan has both a creative and commercial grounding and hopes to bring these skills and a positive approach to help bring The Radnor Arms back to life.
Co-owner/manager of Whinyard Rocks, New Radnor
James Kinsey-Jones
Renovation Lead
Co-owner/manager of Whinyard Rocks, New Radnor
James has worked at funding organisations, such as the Wellcome Trust, gaining experience in constructing grant applications. During his PhD and postdoctoral research he managed numerous projects. James has worked collaboratively in large teams across a range of organisations in industry, academia and the charity sector. James is now co-founder of local business Whinyard Rocks vineyard on the farm he grew up on. He believes he can provide a resourceful and pragmatic contribution to the committee.
David Pugh
Onsite Lead
Semi Retired Builder
David is a lifelong resident, having lives in the village for 66 years, with over 30 years in the building trade. He is passionate about the rebuilding and reopening of the pub and believes this is the first step to revitalising the village and enhancing our community spirit. He looks forward to making a great start and getting the pub going.
Phil Ram
Gardening Team
Freelance Gardener and Musician
Phil is a freelance gardener and musician. He has presented BBC horticultural articles and featured on both radio and TV with his music. Phil with his wife and mini-Dachshund live in the heart of the village. He shares a keen interest in restoring the Radnor Arms to become the pub it used to be, once again opening its doors with a warm welcome to all.
Penny Southwood
Project Manager
Penny joined us in December 2024 to support us with Phase 4 of our project.
Penny moved to Herefordshire in 2003. Originally trained in design, she has since completed a Masters in Business (MBA) and held leadership roles in commercial business, retail and charity sectors, working with stakeholders to develop and deliver projects and programmes that bring change and support wellbeing.
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Having seen the incredible progress since the pub’s closure, Penny is truly inspired by the community’s dedication to making this dream a reality. She adds, "The village pub is about so much more than just a place to grab a pint. It’s a hub for connection, support, and togetherness, and I’m honoured to be helping bring this vision to life."
Andy Griggs
Grants & Governance
​Andy moved to New Radnor in Dec 23, bringing vast NHS experience in IT, project, and programme management. He has actively worked on community programmes and collaborated with Councils and professional bodies like the Police and Fire services.
Andy is skilled in writing policies and procedures and adept at negotiating Service Level Agreements with various agencies, contributing significantly to the local community.