Membership – Civic / Social Organisations

Armelle holds volunteer roles with local schools and clubs.

She is a keen participant and supporter of STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics) outreach programmes to students.

Educational Background

Armelle has a degree in Engineering.

Personal Information

A mother of two, Armelle strongly believes in the importance of developing young people through accessible programmes that fit in with their daily lives.

She looks forward to extending Berkshire Youth’s proud record of providing a variety of activities, training and support to local organisations.

Work Experience

Rolls-Royce Ltd. (Aero-engines) – Engineering training through to tool designer.
GEC Ltd. – Process Engineer.
Gillette UK Ltd. – Engineer through to Factory Manager including 2 years in USA.
Sony Music – Manufacturing Director.
EMI – Managing Director of Operations Division.
LINPAC Metal Packaging Ltd – CEO.

Voluntary Positions – Current

Chairman – Berkshire Youth
Trustee of Amani UK (Humanitarian projects in Kenya)
Trustee of Brook Besor Trust
Trustee of Aaron & Hur Charitable Trust
Treasurer Holmer Green Youth Club
Governor of Holmer Green Senior School
Trustee of Trade Relief (Micro enterprise charity op’g in Kenya)
Trinity Centre Board (External Grants Lead) 

Voluntary Positions – Past

International Coordinator of Amani UK (Humanitarian relief in Kenya)
Deputy Chairman & Trustee of National Clubs for Young People
Governor of Widmer End School
Chairman Holmer Green Youth Club
Chairman (2006-09) & Trustee of Explore (Education trust in schools & prisons)
Advisor Coach for Explore (Education trust in schools & prisons)
Chairman of elevenSEVENTYam – South Bucks. radio station
Chairman of Clewer Youth & Community Ctr.(To oversee major lottery grant)
Member of Buckinghamshire Foundation Appeals Committee.
Founder member/Chairman of the Plastics Large Firms Training Association.
Government appointed member of the statutory Plastic Processing Industry’s Training Board to assist transition to non-statutory British Polymer Training Association. 1988-1993
Chairman – Education-Industry Working Group -London Borough of Hounslow. 1978-81
Trustee and Treasurer of ’More Than One’ – charity for multiple disabled children 3yrs

Personal Information

Married to Edna for 59 years.
Two children, four grand-children.
Active swimmer Golf-14 handicap (now retired).
Both – Voluntary work, theatre, travelling.

An experienced leader and former news journalist, Sarah Atkinson has over 20 years of experience in multinational organisations including Cisco, 3Com and most recently spent ten years as Vice President, Communications & Social Responsibility, EMEA at CA Technologies. A member of the company’s leadership team, she also led Create Tomorrow which helped introduce STEM careers to over 30,000 young people, particularly girls, and was responsible for the company’s Diversity & Inclusion strategy in EMEA. From 2015 to 2018, she served on the main board of techUK. She was listed in Cranfield University’s School of Management 100 Women to Watch report – a supplement to the Female FTSE Board Report 2018 and in the Computer Weekly 100 Most Influential Women in Technology in 2017 & 2018.

Membership – Civic/Social Organisations

Gap Complete Negotiator
Egon Zhender and Mobius Senior Leadership programme
Happiness Life Coach Certification
Volunteer for British Heart Foundation

Educational Background

Attended The Abbey School in Reading.
Attended Manchester Metropolitan University gaining a 2:1 degree in Clothing Design & Production Management.

Personal Information

I have lived in Berkshire all of my life (apart from the four years at university) and currently live in Maidenhead with my husband and two dogs (Ralph and Rufus). I have two sisters, one niece and three great nieces aged 10, 8 and 3, and am lucky enough to still have both my lovely parents.

I love walking my dogs and admiring the countryside that surrounds us. I also like to try my hand at new crafts; recently I have learnt to make my own candles.

I am passionate about improving the life experience of today’s youth to be better and kinder, especially in these times of social media and the increased amount of mental health issues. I have seen the impact of the changing world on my younger employees and have become much more aware of the importance of wellbeing vs commerciality.

Past Experience

This has included 3 ex-pat assignments: Malawi, France, Australia and over 30 years’ financial management experience in the electrical engineering sector.

Martin trained as an accountant with the UK electrical engineering company GEC. He spent 6 years with the Swiss engineering group ABB, and subsequently worked for the French multinational electrical engineering company Schneider Electric for 23 years. He was the Finance Director for Schneider Electric in the UK from 1997 to 2005. From 2005 onwards he was based in Sydney, as Chief Financial Officer responsible for the Schneider Electric operations in the Pacific Zone. He retired from Schneider in 2010, and returned to the UK.

Membership Business/Professional Organisations

I qualified as an accountant with the Chartered institute of Management Accountants in 1977.
Other qualifications include:

Diploma in Management Studies
Six Sigma Diploma in Total Quality Management
Membership Civic/Social Organisations

Castle Royle Golf Club
Wokingham Canoe Club
Educational Background

A levels in Maths and Physics
CIMA qualification 1975
Personal Information

Martin is married, and has three children and three grandchildren.

He is a keen golfer, playing three times a week since retirement. He is also an enthusiastic cyclist and kayaker, who has completed the Devizes to Westminster canoe race twice. He also enjoys sailing and has an RYA Costal Skipper qualification.

Martin is a strong believer in the need to support young people, who are now faced with a society that is ever more complex and demanding. With social pressures increasing, young people need support to ensure they reach their full potential and are able to make a positive contribution to society. He is passionate in his support of Berkshire Youth because the aims of the organisation are well aligned with his personal beliefs and the need to support the young people of Berkshire.

Educational Background

Warwick Business School – M.B.A
Reading University – BSc in Computer Science

Personal Information

Charity and giving back is an important part of who I am and I’m currently involved with another charity called Sported, acting as a mentor to young charity founders (16 to 21) who want to start their own sports-based charity within London. I’ve also previously been a School Governor at a local primary school and this is something I would like to pick up again in the future.

Outside of this, I enjoy playing and watching football and have recently (since the COVID lockdown) started to enjoy running on a treadmill too! My wife and I both like to remain as active as we can and enjoy travelling and exploring new places; be it parks, restaurants, or countries.

Being in the IT industry I also have a general love of technology and have re-started learning to code again – not having done this since my Uni days it’s certainly bringing back memories of many sleepless nights!