OUR STAFF

Gloucestershire Federation of WIs could not function without its very willing office team.   

Our Federation Secretary Lindsay Gow is akin to a Company Secretary, or in Government circles, the Cabinet Secretary – keeping track of everything and ensuring that WI House, the staff, trustees, committee members and WI membership are all supported – keeping the show on the road! 

There are currently two support staff, Shari Cole (assistant secretary) and Ann Pearce (book keeper).   

All these roles are part time, with staff generally working in the office, but with some flexibility to work from home.  Hence why it is important to ring and check that the building will be open before making a special journey to WI House. 

Lindsay Gow – Federation Secretary

After graduating in Mathematics, Statistics and Computing I moved to London to build a career in financial services industry in The City as a business change manager.  Along the way I qualified as a Life Coach, counsellor and leadership trainer and managed the finances for a charity.   

A change in personal circumstances brought me to Cheltenham in 2007 and I regard it as a great privilege to live in the county and be surrounded by such beautiful countryside.  When not at work, I love to bake, keep fit and healthy and spend time with my two Springer Spaniels on Cleeve Hill.    

I joined Baking Making and Shaking WI in 2015 in order to make new friends in the area.  Finding myself at a loose end when my youngest son left for university, I applied for the role Federation Secretary and there hasn’t been a dull moment since.    

The Federation Secretary is secretariat to the GFWI Board of Trustees, the Office & Finance, Public Affairs and Membership Committees which meet every month.  The Secretary is the main point of liaison for NFWI and neighbouring federations and manages all the contracts that GFWI enters into e.g. Hire of venues for meetings, concerts and classes, speakers’ agencies, tutors, utility companies, office supplies, internet provision, GCC and the Charities Commission.  The Secretary prepares grant applications to apply for charitable funding and works with the great team of staff at WI House. 

Shari Cole – Assistant Secretary

Originally from Germany, I moved to the UK in my early twenties after an extended period of travelling around Australia and New Zealand. Having worked at Cheltenham Racecourse for almost ten years, and within Health & Safety for a further three years, I decided to join GFWI as the Assistant Secretary in 2019 during their Centenary celebration. I love working with the Federation, it is such a varied job and I get to meet so many lovely people.

Ann Pearce – Bookkeeper

Joining the team in late 2023, I bring with me a strong background in all things finance! I have spent all of my career in finance; doing the AAT (Association of Accounting Technicians) course in my 30s which lead to opportunities in a variety of industries, including a stint teaching AAT at GlosCat. I have also been a self-employed SAGE trainer. After Covid, it felt timely to venture out and be with people again.