Droitwich Spa Place Board
- Apprenticeships
- Funding and Support
- Inward Investment
- Business Rates
- Licensing
- The Pillar business hub
- Town Centre Investment Plans
- Pershore Place Board
- Evesham Place Board
- Droitwich Spa Place Board
- Meet the Team
Droitwich Spa Place Board has been created to help deliver the vision and strategic objectives of Droitwich Spa 's Investment Prospectus.
The board is independent of Wychavon but is accountable to our Executive Board.
It operates on an impartial and non-political basis to research, consider and make recommendations to Wychavon and other bodies, as appropriate, in order to further improve Droitwich Spa.
The Place Board is made up of people with a passion for their place from the business and community sectors. All members are volunteers and have been chosen because of their knowledge and professional backgrounds.
Current projects
The board is committed to keeping the public informed about their work. Below is a list of projects Droitwich Spa Place Board is currently looking at:
- Enhancing Droitwich Spa Lido.
- Improving the canal tow path between Vines Park and Salwarpe.
- Installing street art throughout the town centre.
- Hosting a Bike Night event for motorcyclists with Droitwich Spa Town Council.
- Installing solar lighting in Lido Park and Vines Park.
Completed projects
- Suspended permanent festoon lighting and flower garlands above the high street.
- Launched a Business Front Improvement Grant (this grant scheme has now closed an applications are being assessed.)
Members
Matt Nicol (Chairman)
Matt has been part of the town’s community for more than 25 years. As owner of Nicol & Co estate agents, he spends a lot of time listening to people moving in or around the area. Matt believes that this has given him a good understanding of where the challenges and opportunities lie for the future of Droitwich Spa. He joined the Place Board because he was impressed by the positive conversations going on and the passion and desire for the town from those already involved and believes he can add value to this.
Gemma Ranford
Gemma is the council’s Place Projects Officer for Droitwich Spa. Her job is to support the place board to further enhance the town. This involves working on projects ranging from tourism campaigns and place-making initiatives to physical regeneration and business support. As well as assisting the board, Gemma helps local events and groups such as St Richard’s Canal Festival and Droitwich Spa Business Association. One of her creations is the Droitwich in Bloom Trail.
Gemma has experience in managing social media, advertising, blog-writing, and photography. She previously worked in the Communications team at Wychavon before moving to Regeneration during Covid-19, where she supported businesses in Broadway, Droitwich Spa, Evesham and Pershore through promotional campaigns.
John Dillon
John Dillon is the Managing Director of GJS Dillon Commercial Property Consultants. He is a qualified Charted Surveyor, and a current Board Member of Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP).
John has extensive contacts in the construction and business community in around the Droitwich area and has had considerable experience co-ordinating complex commercial and development projects over the last 30 years in Worcestershire.
Richard Morris
Richard spent 26 years in the private sector covering various senior marketing positions, and 15 years in higher education as head of A levels and as a lecturer in business and research.
Richard has extensive experience in the public sector having been a Town Councillor since 1999 and District and County Councillor. His roles have included: Mayor of Droitwich Spa, Chairman of Wychavon, Deputy Leader & Executive Portfolio Holder for Communities, Housing and Economy during my time. He is currently the Cabinet Member for the Environment at Worcestershire County Council.
Tory Brettell
Tory Brettell has over 40 years’ experience within the leisure industry from qualifying as a Physical Training Instructor in the Women's Royal Navy to working as the Leisure Director for Whitbread Hotels (Marriott), to further working overseas in managing and supporting 49 Clubs in Europe. Today, she manages Traffic Health and Fitness, which offers professional support and advice on all matters relating to operating health, fitness, golf and spa facilities in the UK and overseas.
Tory is a highly motivated person and enjoys life to full. She loves being with people and loves all kinds of sports and activities. Tory does like to dot the I's and cross the T's and has a spreadsheet for everything!
She is passionate about the future of Droitwich Spa having recently moved back to the town where she was born and raised. Tory wants to help the Place Board in making Droitwich Spa a destination people would choose in the future and build upon the heritage and events which are already a big part of this historical town.
Mark Keld
Mark is the Town Clerk & Responsible Finance Officer for Droitwich Spa Town Council. He has spent five years in role and 12 years in Local Government. Prior to that, 26 years continuous career tenure with a major bank in the retail financial sector- covering all branch, area and regional network management roles and responsibilities.
Rod Spollon
Rod has enjoyed working in a variety of different industries including engineering, auctioneering, motorsport, events, hospitality, property, graphic design and finance. Rod has been a Droitwich Spa business owner for over a decade, owning and operating the Impney Estate.
Tim Kirkham
Tim has lived in Droitwich Spa all his life and was fortunate to be the manager of Droitwich Spa Leisure Centre for 30 years. During this time, he enjoyed seeing the leisure centre and the Lido grow into the facilities they are today.
Tim retired from Wychavon Leisure in November 2022 and joined Wychavon District Council as Leisure Facilities Manager. In this role, he works on projects to enhance Wychavon’s current leisure facilities and making them fit for the future.
Will Kerton
Will originally trained as an auctioneer in the livestock markets of Somerset before qualifying as a Rural Practice Chartered Surveyor. He became a Partner with Knight Frank in 2006 and ran their Worcester Office for over 10 years.
In 2017, he joined his wife Gillian with the operating of Churchfields Farm near Droitwich Spa. Churchfields is a working mixed farm that is famous for its ice cream. It is also the proud producers of Droitwich Salt and in more recent years has become a farm park with a large children’s play area, animal paddocks, fairy trail, café and restaurant. Seasonal events include spring lambing, maize maze, pumpkin picking and Christmas fairs and family experiences.
As a local man, Will is a very excited about what the Place Board proposes for his hometown.
Rachel Harrison
Rachel has worked within the beauty industry for almost 20 years after qualifying in High Level Beauty and Business. Education has always been a priority to Rachel. As well as owning her own Salon, Rachel teaches and develops courses in the private education and National Vocational Qualification sectors as educator and assessor. This work has meant teaching classes across the country, delivering seminars and product knowledge demonstrations at trade events as well as international travel.
Being an active High Street trader and having a passion to develop and preserve the town she loves, she joined Wychavon’s Town Advisory Panel. Rachel spent four years on the panel and worked with them on inward investment, accessibility, development plans and Town Centre Recovery in an advisory role to the executive board whilst working within the remit of Wychavon’s promises. She was also part of the steering group for Droitwich Spa Town Centre Investment Prospectus.
Rachel hopes to bring experience from working with Wychavon, councillors and local groups to the place board as well as helping guide projects for what is best for Droitwich Spa as a town.
Patrick Davies
Patrick has lived in Droitwich Spa with his family for 46 years and is very happy to call this lovely place home. He joined the Place Board as he strongly believes that Droitwich Spa has far more to give to residents and visitors.
Patrick’s commercial career was spent in the Food Industry – Cadburys, Typhoo Tea and Food from Britain and he did lots of travelling around the world, but it was always great to come home to Droitwich Spa. He helped set up the Droitwich Spa Food & Drink Festival in 2012 and was also involved in helping to return Droitwich Salt to retail and catering establishments around the UK. He is now retired and looks forward to supporting some of the exciting projects the board has identified.
John Hamilton
John has been an entrepreneur for 40 years. In the 80s and 90s, he worked on restructuring the business model of the insurance industry before becoming PA to the late Sir John Harvey Jones, who turned many ailing businesses around. John also spent two years working alongside a leading QC as an assistant in the high court, gaining him legal executive status.
In the last 25 years, John set up a local research and development manufacturing company which pioneered using plant material for dermatology care. His company is now heading to the pharmaceutical sector and worldwide distribution. John is involved with universities in the study of life cell research related to senescence and creating products to combat it.
He has recently been appointed joint chairman of Droitwich Spa Business Association to represent the views of the local business community.
Alex Sinton
Alex has been a Droitwich Spa Town Councillor since 2011 and is currently the Deputy Mayor. As a member of the Wychavon Town Centres Advisory Panel from 2019-2023, he was involved in the development of the Droitwich Spa Town Centre Prospectus and is delighted that the Place Board is taking steps to implement its recommendations.
Four generations of Alex’s family live in the town and he is therefore passionate about its future. The town has a great history and Alex believes the Place Board will help secure its future.