About Us
Trustees
Norman Browne
Acting Chair
Norman moved to Lymington with his family nearly 25 years ago and has been a regular user and supporter of the Centre. Prior to his retirement Norman worked for the County Council managing a team of advisory teachers which specialised in the education of children and adults with a visual impairment. He is a volunteer projectionist at the cinema. Norman enjoys working on his allotment, playing bridge and sailing. He is particularly interested in ensuring the accessibility of the Centre for people with disabilities.
Judy Ruffell
Trustee
Judy has lived in Lymington since 1973 when she also joined the Association, She taught Bridge with the Turner Bridge Club. Judy raced in a Contessa 32 for eight years. She served on the Board of the Royal Lymington Yacht Club 2004 – 2007, is involved with the Wednesday Junior Sailing Club, runs a bridge supper twice a month, runs the RNLI Bridge Drive twice a year.
Lesley Dawson
Trustee
Lesley Dawson went to university and obtained a degree in accounting but chose not to follow that path in her career. She lived in the U.S.A. until 1985 when she returned to the UK. She owned a restaurant in York for 2 years but sold when the recession hit. Following this she started a career in sales working for Shell UK, progressing through the ranks to that of Sales Director.
She left York and moved to Lymington for a new start, volunteering at many places in town pre-pandemic including the Oakhaven shop, and at the hospice itself, the Hospital, plus St Barbes Museum, where I still volunteer, and finally the Community Centre where I volunteer in the bar and Cinema and this is where my heart is and always will be.
Lucie-Jane Lewis
Trustee
Lucie-Jane established her own Design Studio in Central London after studying Graphic Design. She and her team worked on corporate identities, publicity and advertising for a road-based range of clients. She moved to the New Forest with her husband in 1985 where they ran a livery for over 25 years in Sway. She has been involved in planning and housing projects locally and for over 20 years she has been further involved in the local area by Charity the local fund-raising Committee for Naomi House, Children’s Hospice and for the Fortune Centre of Riding Therapy. She was awarded an MBE for her work in the area in 2011.
Peter Allen
Trustee
Widowed in May 2021. Two successful sons with four grandchildren in total. Background in Education and Sport. Founder President of Lymington Mariners Rugby Club. Chair of Amenities for LPTC 2015 to 2019. Funded the start of our successful Park Run in Woodside, plus numerous play parks. Enjoy cycling, walking and love the balance Lymington offers by being adjacent to the forest and the sea. Wish to see all Lymington assets thrive, especially our community centre.
Judi Turner
Trustee
I moved to Lymington in 2022 from my life in London, having just retired from my career as a graphic designer and team manager working in various charities, design consultancies and marketing agencies. I joined the Centre through drawing and pottery classes to develop my creativity and to meet new like minded people. Having seen the value the Centre brings I subsequently became a volunteer working mainly in the cafe and at events and I very much enjoyed laying out the 75th booklet using my old design skills. Eventually I became a Trustee and am now looking forward to any new challenges that will bring. The Centre is such an integral and important part of my new community it is a pleasure to be so involved.
Alison Lord
Trustee
An accountant by profession, Alison spent her career in financial and operational restructuring, working with a variety of clients from large quoted companies to small owner-managed businesses. With both executive and non-executive experience in many sectors, she latterly specialised in health and social care, including a period as Chief Executive of a national provider of care and education for looked-after children and young people with autism. She was a non-executive director in the NHS for 10 years, for both a multi-site acute hospital Trust and a mental health Trust. Latterly, she had a smallholding in the Cotswolds where she kept rare breed sheep and ran a successful holiday rental business. In 2018, she retired to the south coast, moving to Lymington in 2021. She has been an usher at the Malt cinema since 2022 and joined the board of Trustees in October 2023.
Jeremy Caldwell
Trustee
Jeremy has lived in the area all my life. Dibden Purlieu, Beaulieu, Barton on Sea , Milford on Sea , Lymington , and now reside at Everton. My mother was very involved with the community centre providing speech therapy classes and very involved with the Lymington Players, so I visited many times as a small boy! He started my working life in Hotel and Catering firstly at the Beaulieu Motor Museum then running the family owned small hotel and restaurant before Joining Jackson and Jackson Estate agents in 1984. My Brother and I set up Caldwells in 1996 where I have been ever since. I am married with 4 children and my wife works in the legal profession. I am currently Vice Chairman of Oakhaven Hospice where I have been for 12 years. When not working I try to get out on the water belonging to the RLYC and Keyhaven sailing club.