I am a retired Chartered Accountant with 8 years experience first as Financial Secretary and then as Finance Director of a national Charity followed by 17 years as Director of a private company with interests in property, investments and charitable trusts. After taking early retirement I worked part time for a large church where I overhauled the financial systems and introduced new accounting and donations software. Experience as employee, volunteer and Trustee in the voluntary sector has taught me some of the pitfalls of organisations that rely on volunteers who are managed by employees who themselves are directed by volunteer Trustees.

I have been a WSR Fireman since 1997 and was involved with the establishment of Williton works by the so called "Iffy Rivet Company". I volunteered there for many years working on the overhauls of 6412 and 34046. I was a WSR plc Director from 2009 to 2012.

I believe that WSRA activities should complement those of the plc but not duplicate them or compete with them. Its Trustees should motivate its members to contribute their skills and experience to provide the financial and voluntary resources that the plc is unable to provide itself. Nevertheless, I will do my best in consultation with the membership to implement the review as mandated at the May 2015 EGM.

As a Trustee I would try to provide accounts that are understandable by all members whilst complying with statutory requirements including the new regulations for accounting periods beginning after 1st January 2015.

I am currently Vice-Chairman of the Association and represent the charity on the board of the WSR Plc. Previously, I was a steam fireman with British Railways at Oxford, leaving in 1968 with wide experience of many loco classes and types of train plus considerable knowledge of railway practices and administration. I have worked with volunteers all of my life, being initially a volunteer firefighter before joining the Fire Service in which I served for 34 years from 1970, rising to the rank of Sub-Officer with control of financial management and supervising personnel, and giving fire safety advice to industry, hospitals, schools and theatres. I am a former signalman at Blue Anchor and former WSR fireman. I am currently also working on the restoration of auto-coaches nos 169 at Williton and W233 at Buckfastleigh. This is my second period as an Association Trustee. Having previously served as Bishops Lydeard Station Master for four years (2003-2007) I was invited back in 2008 by Robin White. I helped to restore locomotive no 5542 to working order and was 5542 Fund Chairman until being invited to become a Director of 5542 Limited, serving on their board until 2014. I am Health & Safety Representative for the Association, working within the Plc policy and procedures. Previously I have been both Volunteer and Youth Co-ordinator for the Association and currently hold the portfolio for the Norton Fitzwarren site. I have a keen interest in financial management and planning for the future, and in the welfare of Railway personnel, essential if the Railway is to succeed in the future.

Volunteered at WSR since 1994; Quantock Belle steward until 2014. Managed QB gala operations until 2009. Proposed and instigated Real Ale & Cider Festival, now in 16th successful year. Volunteer at WSRA Steam Rally and other events. Past secretary of WSRA's Quantock Belle sub-committee.

Grew up in Bournemouth and remember British Railways last steam operated main line. Fortunate enough to have enjoyed several meals aboard the Bournemouth and Brighton Belles, fostering lifelong fascination with railway catering.

Ran own successful business for 30 years until semi-retirement at 50. Been a company director. Currently manage portfolio of rental properties in UK and Spain. Served as executive committee member, and on disciplinary sub-committee, of national trade association.

17 years experience of meetings and commercial negotiation with WSR plc management, including past MD, present GM, past and present Chairmen, as Somerset CAMRA's Festival Liaison Officer. Held various volunteer committee positions with CAMRA for 25 years, including Branch Secretary, Pubs Officer, Brewery Liaison Officer. Currently Pub Protection Officer. Involves liaison with various councils, speaking at council meetings, court hearings and public inquiries.

If elected I would encourage our Association to make much more of charity status. Income should be substantially from charitable funding awards, much less commercially generated. I would support formation of sub-committees, including one for communication. Review should now be the vehicle to guide our future strategy. WSRA Board urgently needs new trustees with the necessary qualities and life experience to carry out review recommendations with confidence and skill.

I have been a volunteer on the railway since 1983 when I qualified as a signalman and continued this duty until last year. Since 1985 I have been a director and archivist of the West Somerset Steam Railway Trust. I spent more than 20 years researching the history of the branch line and published the definitive and highly regarded book in 2006. Since 2008, I have been curator of the Gauge Museum. I was elected a trustee of the WSRA unanimously in 2013. Outside of the railway I spent many years as a senior manager in the civil service. I managed large teams of people successfully and built up a high degree of skill in business management, people management and financial control of a business. I have recently left full time employment so now have more time to use these skills on the board of trustees.

There is no doubt that the WSRA must change as the current difficulties are untenable. Members' views must be listened to and be taken into account. The board of trustees must change to do this. We need to help the WSRA regain its core position on the railway. I am well known and respected by the PLC and by members and directors of other organisations on the railway. With my long background and wide business skill set, I am well positioned to help to drive that process forward.

I was unconstitutionally suspended as a trustee in May 2015 for advocating change.

I have worked around the WSR since 2000 when I became a TTI. I now do various IT related things including the webcams at Bishops Lydeard & the FoBAS website. I made the FOI that discovered the link between Cllr Huxtable and the WSRA representative Roger Bush that led to the councillor resigning cabinet and SCC deciding not to sell the freehold. I believe that the WSRA has lost the trust of many members who know more than the journal tells them through social media and the railway press. We need to get trustees who are able to heal the rift between the PLC & WSRA boards. If asked I will not sign any confidentiality clause. I know from my work as a Nurse what is confidential and what is not. I believe as a charity the members should be both informed and their opinion taken into account. I may not follow every idea but I will listen. I am there to represent the member interests, if I feel any decisions are not in the interest of the whole membership I will vote against. I intend to be in contact with members on a regular basis via social media and forums as well as writing an online blog. I am an independent thinker and have the future of the WSRA at heart. If you wish to talk to me my contact details will be public for all to see. Hard decisions are coming up. I can make those decisions.

My first railway interest was as a member of the Plymouth Railway Circle in 1975. I became involved in the Dumbleton Hall Preservation Society, regularly helping on working parties at Buckfastleigh. I also regularly assisted with the management and repair of a Wallis & Steevens 'advance' steam roller. I first became an Association member in 1985. In 1989, I began to help with the restoration of no 4561, completed in October of that year. In September 1989, I became a director of 4160 Limited then based on the Plym Valley Railway, where I had been a founding member since 1980. I suggested that as the WSRA was looking for another big restoration project, 4160 would be ideal; the shareholders allowed the move to Minehead in April 1990. I assisted with the restoration of 4160, completed in 1993. I have also been a fireman and driver on the WSR. Began working for the Plc, of which I am a shareholder, as external carriage cleaning contractor in 1992; later worked as an employee in the Permanent Way and S&T departments until 2014. I remain company secretary of 4160 Limited in which the Association is a large shareholder. If elected, I would hope to be able to offer my almost 40 years' experience within the preservation movement to the Association at a time of what is becoming great and wholly unnecessary turmoil caused mainly by an un-constituted, extremely aggressive group of members acting as a so-called 'reform group'. I hope to assist in a process of genuine reconciliation between the Plc and the WSRA.

I am a retired research scientist (Physics). I was formerly a University Research Fellow and latterly Technical Manager for under water sensor and acoustics research in the MoD.

I have supported the WSR since 1989 as a WSR Plc shareholder, and a life member of the Association. I am a regular volunteer on the railway as a signalman and line controller. I have also volunteered for two years at Williton, where I worked on mainline certification of 34046 Braunton. I was a major benefactor of the Association

I have extensive experience and training as a charity Trustee. I am the secretary and Trustee of the 6024 Preservation Society which is currently overhauling GWR 6024 King Edward I at Minehead shed. I am also Director and Trustee of Jeremy Hosking's Royal Scot Locomotive & General Trust which owns several iconic mainline steam locos along with a large heritage engineering facility at Crewe.

My aspiration for the Association is to:

• make the WSRA a more open, transparent and accountable organisation that responds to member's interests and views.
• cancel any aspiration to purchase the railway freehold.
• enhance the governance and management of the Association and to avoid the serious problems that have risen in recent years.
• help repair the very fractured relationship between the Association and the West Somerset Railway plc.
• raise the profile of external fund raising in support of the Railway, and reduce reliance on trading activities, some in competition with other railway groups.

I retired to Somerset and since 2011 I have worked on the WSR as a signalman. I also work on the S&T Gang. I have been involved with heritage railways since 1988. I retired as Chief Constable of Sussex in 2001, and was invited to return to public service as Chairman of the Gangmasters Licensing Authority in 2004.

I am committed to openness. Members should be consulted whenever possible and their views listened to. If members make suggestions these should be carefully considered. If those suggestions are not workable then there should be a clear explanation. This new method of working should start with the recommendations of the Review.

Members of the Association have a wealth of experience and specialist knowledge. I hope that I would be able to help harness that experience to assist the Trustees to return the Association to being the principal support for the railway, working with it to ensure its long term sustainability.

For six years I was Vice-Chairman of Nacro, the Crime Reduction Charity, with a turnover approaching £60M. I have been Secretary and Treasurer of two membership associations, one of them a charity, am a Trustee of three other national charities and Chair the Board of Governors of an independent school.

I hope to bring this successful track record of good leadership with integrity to the WSRA, so that I can help it operate it effectively and transparently. I believe that everyone on the railway should work together and be treated properly.