After a career in industry with Ford Motor, British Steel and the CEGB/National Power, David settled in Bradford-on-Avon. He spent 17 years as a volunteer managing the SSAFA (Armed Forces Charity) activities in Bath & NE Somerset. He was also a Mayor’s Guide in Bath for 11 years. He first heard of the Arts Society on a D1 bus journey from Bath five years ago, when sitting next to a lady, who was then the Membership Secretary of The Arts Society North Wiltshire. He and the lady, Maggie Keith, are now married: she is now the Secretary and he the Chairman of the Society. David is a great lover of Italian opera.

Geoff has spent over 60 years in the agricultural and sports ground maintenance equipment industries, involving travel to over 50 countries, including living in Australia, New Guinea, and Eire.

In 1989 he moved to Wiltshire with Ann, to run the Devizes business, Kidd Farm Machinery. At the same time, he joined the board of Lackham College and became Chairman in 1996, leading the creation of Wiltshire College, where he continued as Chairman until 2010.

In 2016 Ann, who was a member of the then, North Wiltshire NADFAS committee, “volunteered” Geoff to take on the role as treasurer. They both now also organise our annual tours.

Throughout his travels Geoff has developed a great respect for the skills of sculptors. His prize pieces are an original bronze of three elephants by the South African artist, Barry Jackson, and a six foot crocodile that has travelled with him since leaving New Guinea.

Maggie was born on Ascension Island. At the age of eight the family moved to Jamaica for two years and then back to the UK. After A levels she did a bilingual secretarial course.

With travel in her blood she soon went to Brussels and then to Rome to work. She returned to London after about five years where she had a variety of Secretary/PA jobs which included working for a French General in the London office of Aerospatiale, the Editor of the Guardian newspaper, the Chairman and Chief Executive of BOC and latterly for a British family who formerly owned Christie’s..

Retiring to Bradford on Avon in 2010 she was introduced to NADFAS by a friend in 2013 and met Christine O’Reilly (our then Chairman) on a trip to the opera in Bristol who asked if she might like to help on the Committee. Maggie agreed to this, not realising just exactly how long she would be “helping out “.

After a life of travelling with the army and living in the USA, Zimbabwe, Germany and Rome, Jilly finally settled with her family in Wiltshire 24 years ago. She very soon became involved with her local dramatic society and first ‘trod the boards’ as Miss Jean Brodie in the eponymous play. Since then she has played several roles including chairing their committee for some years. She also worked supporting a Doctoral Programme at the University of Bath for 15 years until her (official) retirement.

Jilly enjoys playing tennis, volunteering at Dorothy House hospice, singing with Philomel Singers and now working with The Arts Society. Her love of art was consummated during her time in Rome; she particularly loved the Italian Renaissance, but more recently, has embraced Modern and Contemporary art, and enjoys visiting the Frieze Art Fair each year.

Anthea has been a member of the Society for six years and thoroughly enjoys her role as Membership Secretary which she took on in 2019. Anthea spent her working life as a history teacher and found teaching older pupils to GCSE and A level particularly rewarding. She has a wide range of interests across all aspects of the arts, including art history, theatre, dance and music. She is especially interested in the Renaissance, Chippendale furniture and The Arts and Crafts movement.

After a long career in teaching, Karen retired in 1998 to became a specialist children's bookseller and Secretary of the Federation of Children Book Groups, a role which gave her the opportunity to travel and speak at a conference in Poland. On retiring in 2009 Karen became a member of North Wiltshire Arts Society, eventually volunteering for projects in schools and becoming heavily involved in promoting Young Arts.

She is passionate about Venice and the work of Jackie Morris, children’s author and illustrator.

Keith joined the Committee in 2023 after a career in recruitment for KPMG. Not surprisingly he now handles recruitment and marketing for the Society. Keith is passionate about early Italian Renaissance Art. Favourite art work is the Fra Angelico Annunciation in San Marco Florence

When the youngest child started school Julie did a History of Art Course run by Bristol University. This led to her joining NADFAS; her roles have included Membership Secretary, Young Arts and Chairman. It was on relinquishing the latter role that she took up arranging study days for Wessex where she was also involved in the Artfest exhibitions. One way and another she has been on a NADFAS/Arts Society committee since 1992. Julie gets immense satisfaction from arranging Special Interest study days of which she has organised 14 in total.

Julie’s favourite building is the Tithe Barn in Bradford on Avon.

After a career in education, with roles ranging from classroom teacher to consultant for a government agency, Mike has filled a busy retirement with travel, art, music and major positions in the Historical Association. The art that he loves most is the paintings of the Dutch Golden Age.

After an early career in the London advertising world and, two years as an air stewardess with the now forgotten British Eagle, Ann with her husband Geoff and two children lived in Warwick, Dublin, and Lymington, before moving to Wiltshire in the late 1980’s.

A keen skittle player with the West Ashton team in the West Wilts League, and an active member of the Melksham Flower Arranging Society, with 18 years in various committee rolls, Ann first joined our Art Society in 2012.

Becoming a committee member in 2014, she took on the role of organising study days, then day trips and subsequently, in 2018, the annual holiday tour.

Her keen interest in the history of art in its many forms has grown with travel to over 40 countries around the world. In addition she is a member of two local art groups, developing her love of drawing and painting the range of flora found in the garden.

George grew up in Yorkshire, went to medical school in London, met his wife Laura in Manchester and took up his Consultant post in Wiltshire in 1979. After retirement he worked in quasi judicial roles for the GMC, the Mental Health Tribunal and the Parole Board. George loves the clarity of Renaissance portraits which bring him close to the subjects who lived all those centuries ago. He has edited the Society’s Newsletter since 2017.