Our trustee team give their time to make sure we provide the best services and effective support to people with sight loss in Reading.
Trustees
If you are interested in joining our trustee team please contact us to discuss what commitment is required.
Bob Bristow – Chair of Trustees
Bob was born in Uxbridge, Middlesex with RP (retinitis pigmentosa) which means he always has had sight impairment.
When he was seven the family moved to the Reading area where he attended several local schools then went on to work in a factory followed by a time in a cycle shop. Bob now runs his own cycle repair business.
He has always worked for the rights & welfare of sight-impaired people: sitting on various committees since the 1980s, including Reading Borough Council’s Access and Disabilities Working Group and Reading’s Talking News’ Committee.
Bob has been a trustee of RAB since 2009 and became Chair in 2015.
Karen Rowland – Trustee
Karen has been a Trustee of RAB since 2015. She lives just down the street from Walford Hall so is the first point of contact when an alarm goes off or anything happens with the building. She is currently leading on a makeover of Walford Hall that will allow RAB to maximise the building’s potential.
Karen was instrumental in RAB working with the local Neighbourhood Association (BSANA) to assemble and paint the twelve large flower planters along the Oxford Road IDR Bridge that welcome people into the neighbourhood. Like everyone, she has missed the opportunity to see and visit with members at Walford hall during the Pandemic and is looking forward to being back with everyone again when it is safe to do so.
Karen is also a local Councillor and is the Lead member for Culture, Heritage and Recreation on Reading Borough Council.
Dr. Steven Bosworth – Trustee
Dr. Steven Bosworth is a Lecturer in Economics at the University of Reading. He has been a trustee at RAB since 2019. Steven hails from the United States, where he completed his education at the University of Pittsburgh. Before arriving in the U.K. he was a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute for the World Economy in Kiel, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. He is neurodiverse and passionate about helping all people realise their potential.
John McKnight – Trustee
John McKnight is a Supply Chain Director currently working in the Marine Industry. He has lived in Caversham for a decade and started volunteering for RAB as a befriender during COVID. Subsequently he became a general volunteer at the Walford Hall Club and was then invited to become a trustee.
John has had severe problems with his eyes which has left him with the appreciation of how precious sight is. He is keen to help provide and maintain services that enable members experiencing sight loss to lead a more fulfilling life.