Trustees

There are currently nine trustees of Barrow Farm RDA:

Chair – Isobel Gowers

Isobel is Academic Lead for Active Inclusive Learning at Anglia Ruskin University having previously spent time researching arthritis in humans and horses and lecturing equine and animal science at Writtle University College. Isobel started volunteering at Barrow Farm on a Saturday and after school in 1986.

After a break while at university Isobel returned as a volunteer coach in 2009 and has since completed her UK Coaching Certificate level 1 and 2 and became an RDA Advanced Coach in 2023. Isobel became a trustee in 2013 and Chair of Trustees in 2025. She also owns Rafferty, one of our working liveries. You can find out about Rafferty and the other Barrow Farm ponies on the ‘Meet the Ponies’ page.

Company Secretary and Safeguarding Officer – Jo Moss-Rowe

Before retiring, Jo worked within finance and social care for a Local Authority. She became involved with Barrow Farm through a riding club in the late 1970’s, when club members used to help with fund-raising and assist as leaders and side-walkers. Representing the riding club, Jo was part of the Barrow Farm team competing for many years with Jet and other Barrow Farm ponies, who are sadly no longer with us. One of Jo’s early memories is of riding Thistle, one of the original Exmoor ponies, in a gymkhana – and coming 2nd!

Jo volunteers on Monday evenings and Saturday afternoons and has been a committee member for some years. She was voted East Region Volunteer of the Year in 2012. If you want to know more about volunteering why not take a look at our How Can You Help Volunteering page. After all her years of involvement Jo says “I am happiest when the riders are enjoying themselves and having FUN.

Treasurer – Graham Fairhead

Graham joined Barrow Farm RDA as a trustee in November 2017, and took over as treasurer in July 2018. Before retiring, Graham worked in financial services for over forty years as an accountant and risk manager. Although Graham does not ride, he enjoys using his experience to support Barrow Farm with areas like administration, finance, and performance measurement. He also currently chairs the Estate Management trustee sub-group which makes sure the property is kept well maintained.

Committee Member – Anne Mitchell

Barrow Farm has been Anne’s home since the early 60’s and as a young girl she says she was very lucky to have ponies. On leaving school she trained as a British horse Society riding instructor and spent time away from home learning to back and ride young horses. She worked at a very large riding school in Middlesex learning and practising the skills that enabled her to later develop Barrow Farm RDA into the centre of excellence it is today.
Together with her parents Anne started Barrow Farm RDA in 1976 and worked consistently as coach and centre manager until 2018 when she retired from paid work and became a trustee. Her trustee responsibilities are to oversee all coaching, and to organise and coach carriage driving. She also puts together the newsletters and Facebook page content.

Committee Member – Martin Wood

Martin joined Barrow Farm as a trustee in November 2017, and was Chair of Trustees 2019-2025. Before retiring in 2014, Martin worked in the financial services sector in the UK and Ireland as a banker, lending to small and medium sized companies. Martin first became involved with Barrow Farm, through the Chelmsford Lions Clubs, when they along with other local Lions Clubs sponsored the Woodland Path. Martin doesn’t ride but enjoys using his professional experience in the areas of administration and finance, and he can be seen around Barrow Farm on a regular basis as he also Chairs the Volunteer Sub Group.

Committee Member – Kathryn Mawbry

Kathryn came to Barrow Farm as part of her corporate volunteering program in 2019, and become a member of our fund raising committee soon after, becoming a trustee in 2022.  Kathryn grew up in Northamptonshire and was a member of her local pony club and a volunteer at her local RDA.  Since leaving university and hanging up her riding hat she has worked in Procurement for a number of years in various global corporate organizations and is currently the Procurement Operations & Services Manager at QBE European Operations.

Committee Member – Martin Burchett

Martin started volunteering at Barrow Farm in 2016 after retiring form a career in building surveying and estate management, the bulk of which was spent looking after the University of London’s estate in Bloomsbury. He volunteers on Mondays and at pony days and other events as required and became a trustee in 2022. He has been involved with horses for the whole of his adult life and rides and helps to look after a friend’s three horses two or three times a week. 

Committee Member – Joanne Willcox

Joanne is a Headteacher of a Primary school in Waltham Abbey.  As a teenager Joanne started volunteering at Barrow Farm for her Duke of Edinburgh award and stayed for 4 years helping with the rides, ponies and was fortunate to compete on the fabulous Jet. During lockdown Joanne responded to advert to help with the carriage rides and has now returned to volunteering on a Saturday afternoon. Joanne is certain her love of teaching and her inclusive ethos stems from her time with us. Joanne became a trustee in 2022.

Committee Member – Janet Doghan

Janet has been volunteering at Barrow Farm since 2013 and became a trustee in 2024. She volunteers each week, helping with rides, and she chairs the Fundraising Group, a sub-committee of the Board. Janet’s career spanned 37 years, initially training as a general manager in the NHS and then defecting to Hospices; first to St Francis Hospice, Romford and then moving to Farleigh Hospice as Chief Executive in 1998 where she led the team involved in designing, planning, fundraising and building the new purpose-built hospice in Broomfield.

Janet learned to ride in her 40s and hacked past Barrow Farm on a Saturday, meeting riders and volunteers on our woodland paths. She vowed then that she would help out if she ever got the opportunity. She is currently involved in a two-horse share in Boreham where she rides regularly. At Barrow Farm, Janet says she has found her tribe. She enjoys serving on the board and using her skills and experience to help make Barrow Farm the best it can be.