Board

"It is a great privilege to be associated with BIG. Having been a keen supporter of the National Lottery ever since it started, I am hugely impressed by the scale and depth of BIG's giving into communities, and to people most in need across the UK. This is an exciting organisation which really does make a positive impact on the quality of life."

Peter Ainsworth has been the Big Lottery Fund’s UK Chair since June 2011.

He is an Environmental Consultant and a founder member of the Robertsbridge Group. He was previously a Director of Corporate Finance in a major Investment Bank. He has a 25 year record of commitment to public life having served at senior levels both as a Local Councillor and as a Member of Parliament in government and opposition.

Peter is currently chairman of two national charities, Plantlife International, and the Elgar Foundation.

"I want to ensure that BIG remains big in name and in heart, broad in reach, but very local and personal in feel. Helping people to make a difference in their community is an exciting challenge. We at BIG can rise to it, by funding intelligently, working together and making sure every Lottery pound is well spent."

She was previously Chief Executive of MLA (the Museums Libraries & Archives Council) and, before that, Director of the National Museums and Galleries of   Wales (1998-2002). Anna now lives in Bristol, where she is involved with a number of local charities.

"I am very pleased to have joined BIG which has made an enormous contribution to the communities and people in need across the UK. I believe that BIG has a really important leadership role to play not only because of the breadth and depth of its reach but also because of its willingness to test new approaches that can enhance its contribution to communities and people in need."

Nat Sloane is an experienced funder. He was the co-founder and is now Vice Chair of Impetus Trust, the first venture philanthropy trust fund in the UK. Nathaniel Sloane is also an Independent member of the Bridges Social Enterprise Fund’s Investment Committee, and has advisory board membership for Social Finance Impact Bond, European Venture Philanthropy Association Knowledge Centre and Liveryman for the Worshipful Company of Management Consultants. He has also been vice chair of Crime Concern.

Nat Sloane does not hold any other Ministerial appointments.

"I am delighted to be part of the Big Lottery Fund Board as I have seen, and been immensely impressed by, the benefits BIG has brought to communities and people across Northern Ireland through a range of innovative programmes."

Frank Hewitt is currently Chairman of the Northern Ireland Science Park and Honorary Consul for the Federal Republic of Germany. He is a non-executive member of the boards of Invest Northern Ireland, Ilex Urban Regeneration Company,  the Northern Ireland Strategic Investment Board and the Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company.

Previous posts have included:

• CEO of the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce
• Deputy Secretary with responsibility for Corporate Services in the Department of Culture Arts and Leisure
• Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Growth Challenge, a private sector organisation set up to take a private sector approach to economic development in Northern Ireland.

Frank has many years of industrial development experience with the former Industrial Development Board and was former IDB Deputy Chief Executive with responsibility for inward investment.

"It is an honour to be asked to lead such a committed team of staff, partners and funded organisations that make a real difference to communities across Wales. I also welcome the opportunity to work collaboratively with colleagues from across the UK as a member of Big Lottery Fund's UK Board."

Previously Vice-Chancellor of Glamorgan University, has a wealth of experience of leading at executive management level in public, not for profit and education sectors. He has been involved in many UK and Welsh Government initiatives, including chairing the independent review into further education in Wales (the Webb Review) and the Wales Employment and Skills Board. He was also a member of the Beecham Review of Public Services in Wales and part of the HM Treasury Public Service Productivity Panel.

"I’m proud to play a part in BIG becoming an intelligent funder – working in partnership, making a difference through what we fund, learning from experience and sharing the results"

Maureen McGinn has been a member of the Scotland Committee of the Big Lottery Fund since March 2007 and is also currently an advisor on social justice to the Paul Hamlyn Foundation and a member of the steering group of the Partnership Drugs Initiative of Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland.

Her past grant making experience also includes running the Laidlaw Youth Trust which promoted partnership working between charities supporting children and vulnerable young people in Scotland.

Her earlier career included periods working for a charity, atrade union and in central and local government. Born and brought upin Perth, she attended Perth Academy and is a graduate of the University of Edinburgh. Maureen lives in Edinburgh and is married to Sir John Elvidge and so, on occasions, is also known as Maureen, Lady Elvidge.

"As a society, we have an obligation to bring real improvements to those most in need. I am committed to serving these groups and to ensuring that BIG continues to work collaboratively, engage fully and fund effectively to make a truly lasting difference to people and communities across our country"

At BIG he is Chairman of UK Programmes. In 2009 he was appointed by Lord Mandelson and David Willetts as one of six panel members on the cross-party Independent Review of Higher Education Funding and Student Finance (Browne Review). He is also a Commissioner of the Department of Health’s Standing Commission on Carers and a Director at Coventry City Football Club.

Rajay formerly worked at Coventry City Council on work to engage citizens in decision making; the Office of the Third Sector within the Cabinet Office on voluntary sector policy and managed the national Coffeehouse Challenge programme at the Royal Society of Arts.

Rajay is a former Chairman of the British Youth Council and a former trustee of the National Youth Agency, v, and the Changemakers Foundation. He was a Council Member of the Learning and Skills Council, was commissioned by NESTA to author ‘Learner Voice’, and is currently serving in his fifth year as a Governor at City College, Coventry – one of the UK’s largest Further Education colleges.

Rajay is a Fellow of the RSA and Ambassador of the City of Coventry, Make Your Mark, and the Government Equalities Office. He holds undergraduate and postgraduate degrees from The University of Warwick.

"I am absolutely delighted to have been appointed to the Big Lottery Fund Board and it is a real privilege to be part of an organisation that makes such a difference in peoples and communities lives"

Dr Astrid Bonfield is the Chief Executive of The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust and The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund; she was previously Director of Policy at the Aga Khan Foundation.

She is a member of the Global Philanthropy Leadership Initiative and has previously chaired both the European Funders Group for HIV/Aids and the Corston Coalition of Independent Grantmakers.

"I'm excited and daunted in equal measure by the opportunity to serve on the Board of the Big Lottery Fund - where we can make a real difference in unleashing the potential of communities to improve their lives and their neighbourhoods"

Tony Burton works freelance on a wide variety of community and environmental projects. He founded Civic Voice - the national charity for civic societies - in 2010 and has previously worked as a Board Director for the Design Council, National Trust and Campaign to Protect Rural England. Tony has been Chair of Wildlife and Countryside Link and was a founder trustee of Heritage Link – the two main voluntary sector liaison bodies for the natural and historic environment – and was a member of Richard Rogers’ Urban Task Force. Tony is a geographer, town planner and an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects. He is a trustee of his local civic society in Mitcham, South London and secretary of Mole Valley Orienteering Club.

Tony was awarded the CBE in the Jubilee Honours for services to planning, local government and community.