Our Committee

The Barnet Society is run by a Committee of volunteers that are elected at the annual AGM. You can contact the Committee via email.

John Hay, Chair (email)

John is a retired Purchasing and Procurement professional who has lived in Barnet all his life. He has been a Churchwarden of St Mark’s Church in Barnet Vale for several years and involved with the Chipping Barnet Team Ministry as a result. In October 2016 he took up the post of Membership Secretary until his term of office ended in June 2020. John was then elected as Honorary Secretary of the Society in July 2021 and is also a Trustee of the Friends of Tudor Park and Pavilion formed as a Charity in January 2023.

Eamonn Rafferty, Vice Chair and Newsletter Editor

We moved to High Barnet in late 2006 and have never looked back. It’s a great place to live and we have enjoyed our time here immensely. I can’t think of living anywhere else. I was a sub-editor for nearly 40 years and an occasional writer on social and political affairs as well. I worked on nearly all the ‘Fleet Street’ nationals, spending 10 years at the Daily Telegraph and 18 years at the Financial Times. I edit the newsletter, which comes out about four times a year. I’m always in the market for a story about the many facets of life in High Barnet.

Andreas Tjirkali, Treasurer

I’ve lived in Barnet for over 20 years and for the last 10 have settled in Arkley. I love the green open spaces and fast access to Central London. As an accountant and business consultant I was keen to use my skills for community purposes and have really enjoyed my tenure as a committee member on the Barnet Society. Being part of the Society has brought me closer to the community and given me access to local forums.

Frances Wilson, Secretary

I’ve lived in Barnet for 50 years. I am a retired Housing Manager responsible for managing social housing in London. I am passionate about social housing and the environment.  I currently take the Minutes of the Society , organise the delivery of the Newsletters and represent the Society on the Barnet Rights of Way Group.

Robin Bishop, Planning and Environment Lead (email)

I’ve lived in Barnet for 25 years. As an architect, I specialised in education and community buildings, and taught architecture and its history for many years. Now retired, I’m an active member of the Victorian & 20th Century Societies, and still passionate about good design and the environment.

Kim Ambridge, Membership Secretary (email)

I have lived in Barnet for 33 years. I am a CIMA qualified accountant and have worked in a variety of industries from oil to housing. I now work for myself, with a company, helping people save money on what they already buy as well as supporting environmental initiatives and green tariffs to help us all do our bit for the planet. I am a beekeeper with a couple of hives in my garden. I find this hobby fascinating, yet calming and am fortunate to have very understanding neighbours – bribed with honey of course! I enjoy the green open spaces and am becoming more aware of the flowers and trees in bloom through the year that may attract bees.

I took on the role of membership secretary in 2020 and am keen to promote membership and help raise awareness of local issues as well as promoting all good things happening in Barnet. I joined when there was a vacancy and I had some time available – nature has a way of filling a vacuum though and I have since become a very busy bee.

Nicholas Jones

We moved to Granville Road, High Barnet, in 1973 and have been in the same house ever since. Our son went to Queen Elizabeth’s Boys’ School and our daughter was a pupil at Queen Elizabeth’s Girls’ School. I am a long-standing member of the Barnet Society and was chair of the committee for three years.  As a life-time journalist (I was a BBC industrial and political correspondent for 30 years) my main input to the society is to write news stories and commentaries for the website and newsletter.

Susan Skedd, Social Media

I am a Hertfordshire girl and so feel very much at home living in New Barnet. I work as a freelance historian and heritage consultant and volunteer as festival director of Barnet Medieval Festival. It is a privilege to be part of the Barnet Society and I am keen to widen our use of social media to share its important work with fellow residents of Barnet.

Simon Watson, IT Advisor

My wife and I moved to Barnet, on a slight whim in 2016. Needless to say we have not looked back. I love the local community feel, the green spaces, the history – while at the same time appreciating the challenges we face in terms of housing, facilities and looking to the future. Coming from a technical background helping with the website seemed a natural way for me to give something back.

Marcos Scriven

Simon Radford

Christine Klein

Mahender Khari