Our Trustees

Sue Radmore

Sue has been a Trustee and Box Office volunteer since 2013, and was Chair of Trustees for The Poly until April 2022.

Sue is passionate about developing a business plan as a blueprint for delivering a shared vision for the Poly to ensure that trustees, members, volunteers and the wider community come together to achieve the goal of becoming an innovative cultural community hub and social centre where people can experience, be inspired by and participate in the arts, history, science, technology and design.

With a background is in social housing and community regeneration at a senior level, Sue's family business invests in commercial property that will make a genuine difference to town centres in Cornwall through property improvement, job creation and support for fledgling businesses. Sue now practices as a horticulturalist and garden designer, and lives with her husband Bill in Falmouth, after studying at the University.

Amanda Rundle

Amanda was an active volunteer at The Poly for many years, supporting the development of the History Group including writing a development plan, budget management, organising Fun Days, Schools' Poster Competitions and the award-winning Falmouth History Week in 2017. She was actively involved in the development of HR processes. Her background is leadership, management and development in the voluntary, community, social enterprise and education sectors.

Sadly, a brain haemorrhage in 2018 has left her with limited mobility and whilst she can no longer access the building, she remains committed to the organisation. She is keen to help to re-establish The Poly as a respected and vibrant centre for the arts, science and history in Cornwall and encourage a wider range of people to get involved.

Louis Turner

Louis has been involved in The Poly for many years, and has served on both the Finance Committee and the Programming Committee.

Louis is a specialist on Asian technology, having run high-level semi-official conferences with Japan, China, Korea (and Russia, Singapore and the Czech Republic). He was a long-time staff member (and Board Member) of Chatham House (the Royal Institute of International Affairs).

He has also written over ten books on various aspects of the global economy. Since moving to Cornwall, he has been a trustee of the Poly (Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society) and is currently running the 3D Kernow campaign to bring 3D Printing to Cornwall. He is a founder of the Asia-Pacific Technology Network.

Tim Parnell

Tim was elected as a trustee in 2016 and currently serves on both the Board of Trustees and the HR committee.

With a life-long interest in the Arts, Tim is particularly interested in helping The Poly to reach new audiences with an innovative offer in improved premises and in engaging Poly members in shaping the future.

As a trustee Tim brings a range of experience and skills gained during a varied career in Further and Adult Education (teaching and management), self-employment as a Quality Improvement Consultant and as a Director of a small company, including strategies to engage the wider community, programming activities and events, working collaboratively using good interpersonal skills, recruiting, training and working with volunteers, staff recruitment and management and development and successful refurbishment of a listed building.

Colin Midson

Colin Midson has worked with books throughout his adult life. He started out as a publicist at Bloomsbury Publishing before working as a commissioning editor at Simon & Schuster. He set up his own publishing PR consultancy, Bookshaped, in 2013 and has worked with authors including Gloria Steinem, Khaled Hosseini, Jeffrey Eugenides, Buzz Aldrin, Eleanor Catton and William Boyd.

He was Creative Director at the Port Eliot Festival where he programmed the literary line-up and compered many events, and has also hosted author talks at Latitude and the Henley and North Cornwall Book Festivals.

Colin is the director of the Falmouth Book Festival, which launched in autumn 2021. He’s also the Creative Producer-in-Residence at the School of Communications, Falmouth University, and Associate Programmer for the Charleston Festival 2022.

Lauren Hogan

Lauren Hogan is currently Head of Marketing and Communications and a member of the Senior Management at Tate St Ives. Since moving back to Cornwall Lauren has held previous marketing roles at National Maritime Museum Cornwall, Eden Project, Visit Cornwall, and Eden Project, after several years in marketing, communications and CSR at The Body Shop.

Passionate about Cornwall, access to arts and culture for all, and the importance of arts and culture to wellbeing and local communities, Lauren is keen to support The Poly through it's next phase as a vital part of Falmouth's community.

Tom Ingate

Tom has been a photographer and teacher in Cornwall since graduating from Falmouth College of Art in 2003. With 18 year’s experience in education, he has delivered photography workshops in primary schools, worked as a classroom teacher in secondary school, and taught on BA and MA courses. His current position is Senior lecturer on BA(Hons) Press and Editorial Photography at Falmouth University.

He has particular interests in participatory photography, visualising networks in the environment and designing activities that help engage communities with local archives.

Tom is also part of the Environmental Futures research programme at Falmouth University and a member of Art.Earth in Dartington.

Dr Virginia Button - Chair

Ginny has been Chair of the Board of Trustees since April 2022. Valuing creativity as a form of empowerment for everyone, she believes that access to creative and cultural experiences enables fulfilled lives, promotes social mobility and a sense of belonging. The Poly occupies a special place in the heart of our community for learning and thinking, for debate and innovation as well as entertainment and enjoyment, and Ginny is honoured to serve this much loved institution which seems as relevant today as it was back in 1833.

Ginny is a freelance art historian, writer and academic, with expertise in modern and contemporary British Art, art education and museum practice. She has worked with artists for over 30 years, initially as a curator at the Tate Gallery and Senior Curator, Tate Britain (1991-2001), and since then in Cornwall’s cultural sector. She held a number of leadership roles at Falmouth University, and was Director of Falmouth School of Art until 2018. Ginny has over 10 years’ experience of serving on Boards, and is also a Trustee of Newlyn Art Gallery & The Exchange.

Photo credit: Steve Tanner

Rod Clarke

Rod recently moved into retirement following a career working with large global businesses. He acted as secretary to commercial and charitable organisations over the years and he is currently acting as Secretary to the Council of the Trevithick Society – the Cornish industrial archaeology charity. His administration and governance background means he can provide effective support to The Poly, enabling others to focus on cultural leadership without distraction from the administrivia that many people find tedious and/or frustrating.

Rod is a consumer, rather than producer, of all forms of artistic activity and has been a frequent attendee at Poly events for many years.

Jessica Voke

Jess spent over ten years working as an Executive Assistant to CEOs of private businesses (spanning finance, aviation, and tech) in London and Berlin. Since moving to Cornwall, she has been studying for a degree in Fine Art, alongside running creative events for subgroups of the community with additional support needs, and caring for her rambunctious toddler!

Becoming a new mum during national lockdown two years ago sharpened her awareness of the importance of community hubs to their local people as a centralised meeting point, and most crucially as a way for the entire community to access the enrichment provided by high culture in all its forms. The Poly is the jewel in Falmouth's crown; its diversity of programming connects local people to a whole world of ideas, information, and meaning-making. Jess is excited to be a part of the team!

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