Council InformationCouncillors

Ian Macfarlane

Ian Macfarlane – Chairman

I have lived in Burghfield Common for over 25 years and am married with two daughters, both of whom attended the Willink School.  I am an Area Manager for a domestic appliance repair company based in Chelmsford.  I have been a member of the Parish Council for about 15 years and have served on several committees in that time. I am currently Chairman of the Council.

I joined the Parish Council as I believe in community spirit and wanted to play a part in helping to promote that community spirit within the Parish.

I am very proud of the achievements of the Council in helping to create a sense of belonging to a vibrant and enjoyable place to live and hope to continue to promote the aims and ideals of the Council in the coming years.

Paul Lawrence

Paul Lawrence – Vice Chairman

My wife and I have lived in Burghfield Common for 26 years and we have a Thirteen-year-old daughter. I have served on the Parish Council for the past 15 years, including Chairman of the Planning Committee for 2 years and Chairman of the Council for six years.

The Parish of Burghfield has seen massive change over these years and will continue to do so as services are devolved down from District Council level to Parish Council. As Chairman I was instrumental in streamlining and improving the administration of the Council’s activities that, while vital, are not necessarily visible. This has allowed the council to deliver improved, cost effective services to the residents of the Parish.

I have a keen interest in ensuring housing developments, while not always welcome, are kept to a manageable level, recognising we do need sustainable housing for all members of our community.

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Stephanie Awbery

I was born in Burghfield common, same as my parents were. Went to three local schools in the village. worked for the local vet and other establishments. I am a wife, mother and Grandmother.

My interests are, Family History, of  which I have found relations have lived in this village and area from 17th century plus finding out History of  Burghfield common, which there are lots  to preserve for further generations to come.

I have been busy serving local communities for many years, it’s part of  who I am, I’m just carrying on from other family members who have a long tradition of serving the local communities of Burghfield and Mortimer.  Berkshire Motor Show for one, of  which I raise funds for different charities each year.

I am keen Burghfield Common, Burghfield Bridge and Burghfield remain a pleasant and safe place to live and I am looking forward to working hard to ensure all residents are given the opportunity to take part in village life.

Angie Gallagher

Angie Gallagher

I have lived in Burghfield for 36 years and been a Parish Councillor for the past 8 years.  As a former mental health professional, I am aware of the health benefits of living in the countryside, but I also know that rural isolation can have a detrimental effect on mental well-being.  For these reasons I have chosen to be a member of the Community and Communications Committees.

The Community Committee is responsible for the upkeep of our green and open spaces. I take a keen interest in any local development and its impact on the ecology and biodiversity of our community to ensure we preserve the uniqueness that is Burghfield.

One of the roles of the Communications Committee is the production of the newsletter which publicises Parish Council organised activities such as Burghfield on Ice and the Family Sports Day as well as other events including the May Fayre and Burghfest. Highlighting local news, community events and including articles from the variety of organisations, clubs and societies in and around Burghfield, enables us to promote inclusivity. By meeting the diverse needs and interests of our population, nobody needs to be lonely.

Dave Godwin

Dave Godwin

Hi all, I’m Dave Godwin, I’ve been serving with Burghfield Parish Council for at least the last 10 years and I am a part of the Infrastructure and Communications Committees. Working with the Parish Council and attending numerous meetings gives me great satisfaction in giving so much back to the community. Being involved in all the public events which the Parish organise is a great buzz.

I moved into Burghfield around 30 years ago after moving up from Southampton through work, and decided this is the area for me. I became a School Governor at Burghfield St Mary’s in 1999, and I’m still there. I also joined Burghfield Residents Association (B.R.A.) around 15 years ago after assisting with the annual May Fayre, I have now been chairman for the last 5 years with a great team working alongside me organising the weekend May Fayre events. We raise many thousands for local Burghfield clubs and good causes.

To top it all, I became a Burghfield Santa and now regularly attend the annual Christmas Cycle ride, Burghfest and help organise on their many other events in Burghfield which raise money for Thames Valley Air Ambulance.

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Chris Greaves

I moved to Burghfield Common in 2005 and I’m married with three children. I am a Senior Estimator for a national building contractor and have over 30 years’ experience in the construction industry both in the UK and overseas.

I joined the Parish Council in 2008 to help develop the Village Design Statement and I’m a member of the Infrastructure Committee and Community Hub Committee. My family and I are actively involved in village life and I hope my role in the Parish Council will make Burghfield an even better place to live.

My hobbies include family caravan holidays, off-road driving, mountain biking, walking, gardening and DIY.

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Ian Kitson

I moved to Burghfield with my wife and family in 1989 and have a son who still lives in the village. I have previously been involved with my children’s primary school PTAs and was Chairman of Burghfield Boys FC as it was then from 1993 to 1999. I have also worked with the Parish Council on various Allotment related matters. I joined the Parish Council as a member in February 2024 and my interests relate to Natural Environment and Infrastructure issues.

Professionally, I spent my career in the Local Government Service working in a number of different Service Areas and I hope that my knowledge and experience will help the Council to achieve its objectives for the benefit of the whole community.

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Amanda Mackinnon

My husband and I bought our house in Burghfield at the end of 2014, when I worked as a Management Accountant.  Since then, I have re-trained as Secondary Maths teacher and had two young boys who now attend Burghfield St. Marys and Mini Oaks preschool based at St Marys Church in Burghfield.

I currently work as a freelance Accountancy tutor to combine my two previous careers and flex my working around my family.  With this flexibility, I also help to run the Burghfield Baby and Toddler Group in the village on a Friday morning (if you have a young child, I’m also likely to be the lady who has stopped you around the village to tell you about this group and check that you’re ok)!

My husband, Ross, has also been elected as the West Berkshire Councillor for Bradfield Ward and together we both hope to help make our community a lovely place for ours and other families to live together.

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Yvonne Mattos

I have lived in Burghfield Common for over 50 years, my father was born here, and my grandparents’ home used to be in Recreation Road, before being redeveloped.

I am married with 3 grown up children all of whom went to the Blands/Garlands and Willink, as did I.   Over the years I have had many active roles within the community, from PTA. Chairperson, to helping on various committees.  For the last 10 years I have been secretary for Burghfield Football Club and been involved with them since 1995.

I have had a management role within the IT industry and have over 30years experience in the service industry.

I have seen many changes in the village over the years and have joined the Parish Council to give a diverse view on the council and to improve the outcome for the community.

Nick Morse

Nick Morse

I came to Burghfield 30 years ago with my wife Linda and our two children. After a career in the IT and telecommunications industries I am now in semi retirement. I have been actively involved in Burghfield life from the beginning – particularly with the May Fayre – where apart from being on the organising committee for 10 years, I have been the PA announcer for the last 25.

I have been a Parish Councillor for over 12 years and I’m on the Communications and Community Hub committees. My reasons for being a Parish councillor are to help improve what needs improving in Burghfield, yet preserve what makes this community so special. I want to do my bit to ensure it continues to be special for the three generations of my family who live here.

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Bill Neilson

I moved to Burghfield Common in 1980 to work in a large children’s home in Mortimer in what is now the DeVere, Wokefield Park Hotel. I am a widower with one child. I am semi-retired now having worked in social care as a social worker and team manager responsible for safeguarding vulnerable children. I am now a senior manager for an independent fostering agency based in London.

I joined the Parish council in 2015 and in light of my employment background felt I could best serve the Parish by joining the Community Committee. I am also a member of the Communications Committee.

My family and I have been actively involved in village life, including a period serving as Chairman of Burghfield Football Club and I am committed to my role in the Parish Council keeping it safe and enjoyable for the people who live here.

My hobbies include digital photography, music, reading, gardening, quizzes and DIY.

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David Selway

I am a 70 year young, semi-retired hypnotherapist and psychotherapist. I am married to Carolynne, a retired NHS Matron. We have four children (raised and schooled in the village) and 6 grandchildren.

I have lived in the village for 21 years and Carolynne for over 35 so have watched the village as it has grown and developed.

I have been a councillor since June 2022.

Prior to being a therapist I have had a varied career in scientific research and various business management roles and self-employment in the UK and overseas giving me wide experience of running and managing small and large businesses.

I have been an active member and Chairman of committees for various organisations over the years. In these positions I gained valuable experience in forward planning, teamwork and delivering change and projects on time and on budget.

Carolynne and I are keen gardeners and have two allotments on the Common site and a large wildlife garden at home. We enjoy a wide range of outdoor pursuits which we pursue in trips in our motorhome.

Since retiring we have been very involved it TV and film work and can be seen in various documentaries, commercials, films and reality TV shows, several of which are filmed in the village.

I love Burghfield and I am keen to use my experience and skills to put something back into the village. I believe that all sections of our community should have a voice and are listened to with respect. As a councillor I strive to be guided by the fact that as guardians of our community we will be judged by what our decisions leave as a legacy for our children.

In short, I love living in Burghfield and it is a privilege to be playing an active role in shaping our village so that others can enjoy living here as much as I do.

Libby Sharp

Libby Sharp

I was brought to Burghfield as a young child by my parents over 30 years ago and now live with my young daughter in Burghfield Common. From an early age I have been active in local events from the May Fayre to the annual Family Sports Day, Burghfest to the Box Kart. I have been a Burghfield Parish Councillor for the last 8 years and I’m Chairman of the Communications committee, a member of the Community Hub committee, the Governance and Finance committee and a member of the Burghfield Charities team.

With a child of school age, I am very aware of the benefits I have gained by living in such a vibrant community and want her to be able to experience the same in the future. My intention as a councillor is to support the wishes of local families and safeguard the way of life we are so lucky to enjoy.

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Richard Thorrington

I have lived in Burghfield since 2017 and joined the Parish Council in June 2022. I moved here with my Wife and our two grown-up children after deciding to sell our individual homes and purchase our first property together. We had friends in the area and Burghfield Common seemed to have a unique blend of being a stone’s throw from the countryside, yet having many fun activities throughout the year.

My career background is in IT, where I was a Manager for over 15 years, then slipped into a Performance Architect role and more recently, running a Cloud DevOps Operations team for a global banking software company. My personal interests include football, motorsport, home automation and touring the great-outdoors in our campervan – whenever time allows.  I joined the Parish Council to help give something back to this great Community and to assist, where I can, with Projects involving technology, modernising, and improving communication.

Burghfield
Parish Council

P.O Box 7381,
Reading
RG1 9XP

0118 983 1748
enquiries@burghfieldparishcouncil.gov.uk