Wiltshire Community Foundation appoint new Patrons

We are delighted to announce the appointment of two new patrons, John Rendell and Dame Elizabeth Neville.

John Rendell has been associated with us for over 35 years. During this time, he has been involved in a variety of roles, including a period on the Board of Trustees from 2000 to 2012, and is currently a fundholder.

Passionate about Wiltshire, John grew up on a farm in the Southwest of the county. He attended Dauntsey’s School before studying at Bristol University. He then qualified as a Chartered Accountant, which led to him working in London and overseas for 14 years. John returned to the county in the late 1980s, and was introduced to Wiltshire Community Foundation while working in the same building as us in Swindon. Since the turn of the Millenium, John has been working as a Private Investor and has always kept a close relationship with the Foundation.

Dame Elizabeth Neville DBE QPM DL also has a long association with Wiltshire Community Foundation, having raised funds for our High Sheriff’s Fund during her time as High Sheriff of Wiltshire from 2010 to 2011. She was then a Trustee from 2011 to 2020.

Elizabeth arrived in Wiltshire as Chief Constable in 1997, having previously served in every rank of the profession across four different police forces. She held this post until 2004. With her countywide responsibilities, both as Chief Constable and High Sheriff, Elizabeth developed a great love for Wilshire and is currently a Deputy Lieutenant. She also participated in the formation of the Bobby Van Trust, before becoming a Trustee, and was also a school governor at Stonar School in Atworth.

Both join Wiltshire and Swindon Lord Lieutenant Dame Sarah Troughton DCVO, who was appointed as a patron in 2012, following a period as a trustee for Wiltshire Community Foundation from 2004 to 2012.

Reflecting on the moment he was asked to be a patron, John Rendell said: “I am very pleased and very honoured to be a patron of Wiltshire Community Foundation.

“My involvement with the Foundation started in 1989. I liked the idea of the community foundation approach, and I particularly liked the permanence of it, and that it was going to be long-term. I liked the focus on Wiltshire, which is my home county, and is a county which I feel a strong connection with.

“I feel that community foundations are very important as they are locally based, with professional people working on the ground, who can assess need and prioritise the available resources.”

Dame Elizabeth Neville DBE QPM DL said: “I consider the Wiltshire Community Foundation to be an outstanding organization which brings huge value to the county, and I feel very privileged to be a Patron.”

Commenting on the appointment of our new patrons, Wiltshire Community Foundation joint Chief Executive, Fiona Oliver, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to announce John Rendell and Dame Elizabeth Neville as patrons of Wiltshire Community Foundation.

“Alongside Lord Lieutenant Dame Sarah Troughton DCVO, we are proud have a group of patrons who are passionate about the county and the communities that live within them, understand local need, and are dedicated to improving their lives by connecting people who care, with causes that matter.”

Find out more about our new patrons on their Wiltshire Community Foundation profiles, by clicking here.