Our People
Our Charity![Website header 13 our people](https://i0.wp.com/portsmouthhq.org/wp-content/uploads/Website-header-13-our-people.png?ssl=1&w=1672&quality=100;)
Our team
Welcome to the heart of Portsmouth Historic Quarter: Our Team
We’re a vibrant tapestry of dedicated individuals united by a shared passion for preserving and revitalizing our rich maritime heritage. From the meticulous care of historic buildings and vessels to the welcoming embrace of our outdoor spaces, each member plays a vital role in our mission.
Whether it’s navigating the waves of history aboard our WWII powerboats or tending to the smallest details in accounting and HR, our collective efforts propel us forward with boundless energy and enthusiasm. Together, we weave history into vibrant reality.
Hannah Prowse – CEO
Hannah joined the Trust in April 2021 from English Heritage where she was Head of National Projects. With a career spanning arts, heritage and construction, Hannah is passionate about the power of heritage infrastructure to inspire, connect and nurture communities.
Favourite building: Storehouse 9 – as yet undeveloped it is bursting with potential!
Lois Cheadle – Head of Visitor Experience and Marketing
Lois looks after the marketing and visitor experience of PHQ. She has an MSc in Consumer Behaviour and a background in marketing, partnerships, events and catering. She is passionate about ensuring the way visitors interact with PHQ forges memories, facilitates learning, encourages shareability and is sustainable for future generations to do the same.
Favourite building: The Old Pay Office – a perfect example of building regeneration for the benefit of Portsmouth’s community.
Michelle Roberts – Head of HR
Michelle has over 25 years’ experience in private, public and charity sector HR and is a Chartered Member of the Institute of Personnel & Development. She covers all aspects of HR activity for PHQ and as a member of the Senior Management Team promotes good practice in people management and development; ensuring that PHQ’s biggest investment, our people, are at the heart of strategic and operational decision-making.
Favourite boat: MGB81 – absolutely exhilarating.
Neil Pearce – Finance Director
Neil started with the Trust in 2023. He previously worked in various CFO and Finance director roles in quoted and private construction, commercial and residential development, and maintenance and repairs organisations. He is also Treasurer and Trustee of the Sussex Cancer Fund.
Favourite boat: HSL 102 – his uncle and father were rescued by an HSL as they were adrift in Plymouth Sound!
Patrick Holmes – Deputy Chief Executive
Patrick’s remit includes responsibility for estates, operations, health & safety, security and property maintenance as well as deputising for the CEO to represent us among external stakeholders. After a career in a City of London law firm specialising in property development and construction, since 2011 he has committed himself to broader roles including supporting a number of charities with property projects. He is also a trustee of Modern Art Oxford.
Favourite building: Priddy’s Hard – a regeneration work in progress with plenty more to come.
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OUR TRUSTEES
At Portsmouth Historic Quarter Trust, our Board of Directors is composed of Trustees who bring a wealth of expertise in architecture, chartered surveying, attractions management, commercial property development, finance, and education. They’re passionate about our heritage and dedicated to shaping its future.
David Butters
David joined the Board in 2012 and became Chairman in April 2017. He qualified as a Chartered Surveyor in 1974 and retired from the London Office of Gerald Eve LLP, Property Consultants, in 2009 after nearly 37 years with the firm. He was Senior Partner for 7½ years and led the Leisure Team for 14 years. Since the late 1970’s David has advised operators and owners on valuation, business rates, acquisitions and disposal of hotels, public houses, breweries, motorway service areas and a wide range of other leisure properties throughout the United Kingdom. He has also prepared and given expert evidence in the High Court and Lands Tribunal.
Paul Bennett
Paul joined the Board in 2023. Paul had a long career in Broadcast television culminating as Managing Director of Resources for ITV Studios. He ran the major studios across the UK including London, Granada (Manchester), Yorkshire TV and a BBC joint venture. Paul was Chairman of 3sixty Media and was on the boards of The UK Screen Association and Tideway Sailabilty. He is an RYA Yachtmaster (Sail) Commercially Endorsed and an Advanced Powerboat Instructor. Paul is a regular skipper of Foxtrot 8 and helps with maintenance in BH4 as a volunteer over the winter months.
Roger Ching
Roger joined the Board in 2011 having retired from the position of Strategic Director with Portsmouth City Council earlier that year. He was the City Council’s Statutory Chief Financial Officer and was responsible for several key services including Finance, Revenues & Benefits, Housing, Cultural Services and Audit & Performance. Roger played a key role in a number of major projects including the Spinnaker Tower, the Mary Rose Special School and the Northern Quarter Retail Development. Roger was also a Director of Mainland Market Deliveries Ltd, a major fruit importing company which the City Council acquired in 2008.
Michál Cohen
Appointed to the Board in May 2009, Michal was the winner of RIBA Woman Architect of the Year Award and is a Director of the London based practice of Walters & Cohen Architects and specialises in educational design projects. She was director in charge of the RIBA award-winning Redbrook Hayes primary school project, and two Building Schools for the Future (BSF) schemes led by her have received a rating of Excellent by Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment. She is one of the Design Council’s Built Environment Experts and in 2017 judged the British Construction Industry Awards.
Rear Admiral Rex Cox
Rex became a trustee in 2022. He is a serving officer in the Royal Navy, a career which has spanned 33 years, 23 of which have been at sea, and has had the privilege of commanding four warships. Staff appointments have included three years as Defence Adviser to HM Treasury during the 2015 Strategic Defence & Security Review, and Head of Capability Plans in the Ministry of Defence during the 2020 Integrated and Spending Reviews. He is currently the CEO of the National Shipbuilding Office. He is a Freeman of the Honourable Company of Master Mariners, an alumnus of the Windsor Leadership Trust, chair of the Coastal Forces Heritage Trust, a Trustee of the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust and extremely fortunate to Skipper the historic Motor Anti-Submarine Boat (MASB) 27. Rex sits on the Trust’s Boat Committee.
Henry Flint
Henry joined the Board in 2023. Henry is an experienced Chartered Accountant with a background in commercial property, construction and civil engineering. He trained in the City with Binder Hamlyn and shortly after qualifying joined Hammerson plc and was appointed UK Finance Director. At Hammerson he had oversight of their large portfolio of UK offices and retail sites. In 1999 Henry joined Dean & Dyball, a large civil engineering, construction and property group based in Ringwood and soon after he became Group Finance Director. Henry oversaw significant growth across the business and in 2008 was closely involved in its sale to Balfour Beatty. Since then, Henry worked with the Dyball family to set up and run a successful private commercial property investment and development company. In 2019 Henry joined Lester Aldridge Solicitors as Finance Director and Compliance Officer. He stepped down from Lester Aldridge in 2022 and joined the Board in 2023.
Ben French
Ben is a social entrepreneur with interests in heritage, resilience and humanitarian response. He is currently the Director of Research and Development at a company creating bespoke digital products for international emergency response. He also sits as a visiting researcher at the University of Portsmouth, is a member of the Force Strategic Advisory Group at Hampshire Constabulary. As well as serving as a trustee of a number of other charitable bodies. In his spare time, Ben is a senior officer in a UK cadet organisation, and contributes to several academic & industry research groups, including the United Nations Simulation and Training Network.
Professor Ginny Gibson
Ginny, Professor Emerita in Corporate Real Estate, had a 30-year career as an academic at the University of Reading. She is an expert in understanding how organisations align their real estate with their corporate strategy to ensure that it adds optimum value. During her time at Reading, she held numerous leadership roles including Facility Director of Teaching and Learning, Head of Real Estate & Planning and latterly, Deputy Dean of Henley Business School. Ginny now has a portfolio career and is a Non-Executive Director/Trustee for a number of organisations. She is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion; a founding member of the CREW UK which champions women in the real estate industry and is lead for the mentorship programme CREW UK Connects.
Helen Green
Appointed to the Board in 2023 Helen is an experienced strategic customer experience and customer vulnerability professional. She has spent 35 years in Financial Services initially qualifying as a marketer at Nationwide Building Society then moving to Lloyds Banking Group to lead the Customer Experience and Customer Journey Strategy across a wide range of financial brands (Halifax, Lloyds, Bank of Scotland) and portfolio of retail and commercial banking customer needs. Helen has a MSc in Mentoring and Coaching and works with a number of individuals on their development and achieving their life goals and career aspirations.
Robert Palmer
Robert joined the Trust in January 2018. He qualified as a Chartered Surveyor in 1987 and retired from Mayfair Capital Investment Management, a UK real estate investment manager in 2022 where he was the Chief Investment Officer. With over 30 years experience in Commercial Property he was responsible for advising both institutional and private clients on commercial real estate funds with assets across the commercial sectors and throughout the UK. He is also a member of the Investment and Finance & General Purpose Committees of Christ’s Hospital School in Horsham.
Steve Pitt
Steve Pitt joined the board in 2018. He was Deputy Leader and the Cabinet Member for Culture Leisure & Sport at Portsmouth City Council from 2018 to 2021. He has worked extensively for over a decade with partners in the cultural community in the city, including nearly 7 years as Chair of the Culture Partnership. Steve co-authored the city’s Vision for Portsmouth 2008-2018 and the renewed Imagine Portsmouth vision published in 2021. He has been involved in many fundraising and development projects across the city including the Landing Craft Project, the Exploria Attraction and the New Theatre Royal. Steve has 30 years experience as a licensee, has organised major events and activities both locally and regionally and has worked as an agent, promoter and manger in the music industry, including running his own venue for many years. He has directed professional theatre for over 30 years.
Tarek Teba
Tarek joined the Board in 2023. Tarek is an Associate Professor in Architectural Heritage and the Chair for ICOMOS UK Digital Technology National Committee. Tarek is the Course leader of MA Building and Heritage Conservation and the co-chair of the University of Portsmouth Heritage Hub. Tarek’s research concerns the conservation of tangible and intangible heritage through creating the balance between contemporary and historic, aesthetic and cultural values. Tarek explores methodological approaches to preserve the cultural and contemporary social values embedded in heritage assets and cities, using community engagement, cultural mapping and virtual modelling approaches to deliver adaptation and development strategies.
Simon Verdon
Simon joined the Board in 2023. He qualified as a Chartered Surveyor in 1995 and is currently Head of Land and Property at the Landmark Trust, a historic buildings charity created by Sir John Smith using funds from his Manifold Trust – which also largely funded the restoration of HMS Warrior. He manages a varied and diverse portfolio of property including shops, offices, agricultural land and, Crownhill, a Palmerston Fort in Plymouth. Before this he ran the charity’s self-catering holiday business with 200 let properties. During his time at Landmark he has been instrumental in saving some of Britain’s most important historic buildings and giving them a new lease of life. His grandfather served in Coastal Motorboats during WWI.
Our Volunteers
A Cornerstone of Community Engagement
At Portsmouth Historic Quarter, our dedication to heritage preservation goes beyond the physical artifacts—it’s about fostering a sense of community stewardship and involvement. Central to this is our volunteer program, a vibrant initiative that supports and delivers opportunities for collaboration, skill development, and social enrichment.
Driving Impact Through Collective Action
Our volunteer scheme is a testament to the power of collective effort. With a dedicated team of ninety-four individuals generously contributing their time, we’ve achieved remarkable milestones in heritage preservation and community outreach. From maintaining the Porter’s Garden to restoring our wooden boats and providing guided tours of our historic sites, our volunteers play an indispensable role in bringing our mission to life.
A Catalyst for Personal Growth
Beyond the tangible outcomes, our volunteer program nurtures personal development and social connection. Through ongoing training and support, volunteers have the opportunity to expand their skill sets, forge meaningful friendships, and enrich their overall well-being. A recent survey revealed that 92% of volunteers believe their experience with us has positively impacted their frame of mind, while 84% feel it has widened their circle of friends.
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