Sandy was brought up in Liverpool, read Natural Sciences at Trinity College, Cambridge and after completing his PhD at Manchester he joined Tube Investments in Birmingham in 1970. There followed a successful 15 year progression across 3 different manufacturing industries. Then followed 25 years in the NHS in a variety of posts all at CEO level.

Anita trained as a teacher and worked as a Community Relations Officer in Leicester, a Community Worker with the Asian Resource Centre in Birmingham and a lecturer teaching language and employment skills to Industrial workers.

Jock Brown graduated from Cambridge University in English Law but returned to qualify as a Solicitor in Scotland more than 30 years ago.

He has a wide breadth of experience in many areas of the law, from litigation to property, commercial and employment work, before moving latterly into the corporate field, where he has been involved in many acquisitions and disposals. He is viewed by colleagues and clients as a man of business capable of finding solutions in complex situations.

Sarah Hayes is a solicitor working with Anthony Collins Solicitors, after 15 years of running a smaller practice dedicated to servicing third sector organisations. She specialises in providing legal services to charities and in facilitating connections between the third sector and both public and private sector organisations.

Until his retirement in 2005, Richard Howard was Head of the School Development Service and Chief Adviser for Oxfordshire County Council. Previously, he had been a primary Headteacher for 15 years.

Until his retirement in March 2013 Alec was the Head of BBC Outreach, Corporate Responsibility & Partnerships. Alec organised the BBC's Beyond Broadcast Outreach activities across the BBC's six public purposes - citizenship, education, international, creativity, UK communities, and emerging communications.

Jill has been a teacher in Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire for over 20 years, she worked for the Local Authority for 3 years training Graduate Teachers and as Advisor for NQT's. In 2008 she returned to a school setting as Deputy Headteacher, in May 2010 she was appointed as Headteacher at Harpfield Primary Academy within the Creative Education Trust The school is within one of the ten most disadvantaged areas in the country with a very diverse population, in the 5 years as Headteacher the school has made rapid improvements in outcomes for all groups of children.

Born and educated in Birmingham, David read English at Cambridge, followed by a Doctorate in Philosophy at Oxford. He also has a DLitt from the University of Birmingham. A founder member of the Centre for Contemporary Studies, University of Birmingham, he followed this by teaching in various inner-city secondary and primary schools. His experience of being Headteacher of Grove School, Handsworth for some 24 years is described in his book, Handsworth Revolution.