Meet our people
Meet our board
As a co-operative, HF Holidays is governed by a board of 12 volunteer Directors who are elected by the Society's members. This board sets the strategic direction of the company and is made up of members who have a passion for walking holidays in the UK, Europe, and beyond. Collectively, our board aims to reflect the interests and background of the wider membership. Individually, Directors offer professional or commercial expertise.
Each Director serves on one or more of the board’s committees, which are aligned to the Society’s strategy: People, Product, Performance, Membership & Governance, and Audit & Risk. Their roles are to enable Directors and members of the Executive Leadership Team to consider matters in more detail than is possible during a board meeting, including the appropriate strategic objectives and goals and to make recommendations to the board.
Ben Reid
ChairHaving joined the Society in 2013, I’m a relative newcomer to HF Holidays but I have felt at home from the start. I love the ethos of a member-owned business run by and for the benefit of its members. I have enjoyed several HF Holidays in the UK and overseas and the one constant factor has been the quality of our volunteer leaders. We need to ensure that this important element is at the heart of our future plans.
Stephen Guile
Vice ChairIt was my privilege to serve as a director from 2018 to 2022. I worked with our highly committed CEO, staff, and fellow board members whilst we developed our current strategy, ‘Building our Tomorrow’. As Vice Chair I want to drive success over the next four years by improving our holidays, viability, and workplace.
Linda Haydon
I took my first HF holiday in 2013 in the Lake district and since then I have stayed in most of the UK houses and travelled to Puglia and the Dolomites with HF. My entire career has been in the travel industry which enables me to contribute to the future development and success of HF Holidays as a Board Director. HF is a unique organisation which brings together people drawn from a wide range of backgrounds, but who all share a love of walking and the great outdoors.
Stephen Swift
My senior-level experience of the leisure industry includes holidays, hotels, and restaurants. This involved strategic planning, property, digital technologies, and financial performance. Professionally I was a main board member of the National Trust responsible for all its commercial activities including holidays and hotels and Chief Executive of a major animal rescue charity. I am passionate about HF Holidays and believe I have the right blend of professional skills and experience to help take the society forward.
Richard Drury
HF Holidays has been an important part of my life since taking my first holiday as a child, then with my own family and now as an HF Holidays Leader. I’m keen to help preserve those things that make HF Holidays so special, whilst recognising the need to evolve our holiday experience and attract new guests of all ages and backgrounds. As a recently retired Human Resources Director I have a strong interest in our people, and I’ll do my best to bring together my professional and personal experiences to support the business.
Diane Moss
With an academic background in geography and geology and a firm belief that walking is the best form of travel, exploring the great outdoors on foot ticks a lot of boxes for me. Professionally, I am a governance consultant, working with boards to develop and deliver vision and strategy. I aim to combine these skills and my trustee experience in other organisations, to help HF to continue to thrive and be the top choice provider of great walking holidays.
Keith Sellens
I have been involved with HF Holidays constantly since 1987, as a guest, a member, and more recently, as a leader. Our family have derived great fun and fellowship from HF Holidays and its continued wellbeing and development is close to my heart. My focus is on maintaining the core values of inclusivity and sociability which have been promoted throughout our history, whilst ensuring that we are fit and ready to continue providing excellent value holidays.
Sandra Taylor
My first experience of HF was in 2013 with a weekend in Abingworth. I immediately became a member and in 2019 a leader. HF Holidays offers much more than mere walking holidays with its strong membership, sense of community and its special ethos. With a varied career ranging from advertising, to working in pensions and lecturing in Business Studies I value this opportunity to use my skills to help HF flourish for future generations to enjoy.
Andrea (illy) Illingworth
I am fairly new to HF Holidays but as a walk leader and member I already feel part of the community. I bring a fresh pair of eyes and a collaborative leadership approach. I have a service industry background, having worked for the NHS for 36 years in a variety of roles. I value the opportunity to apply my skills and expertise at a strategic level, supporting HF Holidays to continue to lead the way for unique walking holiday experiences both nationally and internationally.
Read Andrea's Journey from Leader to Board Director here.
Read Andrea's Journey from Leader to Board Director here.
Jerry Gould
With a career in leisure management, then at a Big 4 professional advisory firm, latterly as a partner, I am now Vice-Chair of a large teaching hospital and a Cotswold Voluntary Warden. I joined the HF Board in 2023 and hope my background and range of experience has provided the support to the Board in delivering its strategy that HF’s members would expect. Having been elected for another four years, I intend to work hard to continue adding value.
Malcolm Oliver
Our first HF holiday was in the Canadian Rockies in 2007 and it combined excellent value and great, sociable walking with people we have remained friends with ever since. I have senior business, IT, and project management experience with the RAF, roles within industry, Local Government, and an environmental charity, plus a range of voluntary work. Having served previously on the HF Holidays Board, including as Chair, I aim to continue making a positive, strategic contribution to an organisation I truly believe in.
Duncan Gager
A convert to HF Holidays since retirement. I have quickly come to appreciate that HF is a special organisation with a long and proud tradition of providing walking holidays in its own unique style. Whether travelling on my own or with a group of friends, I have always found HF to be a welcoming and inclusive world. As a Chartered Accountant and former Finance Director with a City based financial services firm, my aim is to bring my professional experience of financial management to contribute HF’s future and continued success.
Manuela Gordea
Society SecretaryAlthough I only recently joined HF Holidays, I already feel part of the team. Our Board members are dedicated and experienced professionals whom I consider it a privilege to work with. My legal education, knowledge, and commitment will contribute to the future success of the Society. When it comes to walking, my favourite destination is Scotland, especially St Andrews. A stroll along East Sands Beach is a must-do and it’s made all the better by stopping for an ice cream and spending time admiring the view.
Executive Leadership Team
The Board of Directors delegate the day-to-day running of the Society to the CEO and the ELT who are each responsible for a particular area of the Society. The CEO reports to the chair of the Board.
Chris Simmonds
CEOI have spent my entire career in the business of making people happy through holidays, as CEO of Saga Holidays, Revitalise and the JG Travel Group. In the autumn of 2024, I joined HF Holidays and I am privileged to lead this pioneering, heritage travel company whilst sharing their co-operative values. My fondest memories of walking include seeing the flora of the Borneo rainforest, spotting Bee Hummingbirds in the Sierra Maestra in Cuba and here in the UK, I cherish any ancient woodland in spring, adorned with a carpet of wood anemones and bluebells.
Justine Gibbs
Head of Finance & PerformanceI've just celebrated my six-year anniversary with HF Holidays. My goal is to leave our finances in a much better place than I found them. I’ve had a long career in finance spanning over two decades and have always enjoyed working in the hospitality industry. I’ve visited our much-loved Monk Coniston country house in the Southern Lake District several times, but the stunning views, fantastic food, and wonderful guests never fail to amaze me.
Toni Douglas
Head of Hotel OperationsI’ve worked in hospitality for 25 years, both here in the UK and abroad. I also completed Cornell University’s coveted General Manager programme in New York. I believe HF Holidays has unique values that put people at the heart of everything. Since joining the business in 2021, I have tried to inspire our hotel teams to treat guests to a home-away-from-home experience complete with incredible food, genuine care, and attention to detail. Our long-term goal is to ensure our country houses are fully sustainable and well-maintained so that they can be enjoyed for generations come.
Rob Box
Head of Transformation & StrategyMy first HF Holiday is one I’ll always cherish. I took my dad to the Southern Lake District for his 70th birthday and we stayed at Monk Coniston. We enjoyed gentle strolls around the lakes and climbed the Old Man of Coniston – the highlight of my dad’s holiday. At the end of a walk, nothing beats a cold pint and a packet of crisps. My goal for the continued success of HF Holidays is to refine our strategy and bring in suppliers who understand our ethos and ultimately add value to the Society.
Ali Bull
Head of People and CultureHaving worked in the travel, retail, recruitment, and hospitality sectors, I bring a wealth of experience to HF Holidays. I’m excited to work with the People Team to further enhance the workplace benefits we offer. As for walking, my favourite spot is Hastings. I love the combination of hills and sea views and believe it’s the best of both worlds, especially when paired with a whipped cream hot chocolate at a seaside café.
Gillian Mininch
Head of Tour OperationsI’ve been working with HF Holidays for 31 years, but I first started when I was a student and spent two summers as a volunteer walk leader. Since then, I’ve gained a Mountain Leader qualification and was a member of the Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team for 25 years. When it comes to the outdoors, nothing rivals Scottish mountain summits for me, especially when rewarded with endless views of mountains and lochs. My favourite time to visit is May – long days, the midges aren’t too bad, and the weather can be stunning.
Honorary Officers
Elected by Members of the Society at the annual general meeting, our Honorary Officers are comprised of a President and a maximum of eight Vice Presidents. They shall all be Members of the Society and selected upon the recommendation of the Board.
Helen Boaden
PresidentAfter my first HF Holiday, I felt like I had discovered a glorious secret and boasted of it to my elderly auntie, Stella. She burst out laughing and told me that she had been a member of HF Holidays for over 50 years! After working at the BBC for 34 years, and becoming the first female Director of BBC News, I’m now in retirement. When I’m not out walking, you’ll find me chairing the Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough and the Windsor Leadership Trust – a charity devoted to good leadership. I love the landscapes the UK has to offer and as President of HF Holidays, I celebrate the variety of stunning coast and countryside experiences we offer every day.
Keith White
Vice PresidentI enjoyed my first HF Holiday in 1978 at Milford-on-Sea and was instantly impressed by the sense of fellowship – something we are still known for today. Ten years later, I was first elected as President and was re-elected every year until standing down in our centenary year in 2013. I have had the privilege of being the longest-serving President in the history of HF Holidays. My executive career was in the international trade and development sectors, and I now advise and mentor directors and entrepreneurs. I love taking walks along the Thames Path because you can watch the wildlife on the water and admire the grandeur of Hampton Court Palace.
David Gray
Vice PresidentMy family all became members of HF Holidays in October 1948, and I will celebrate 75 years of membership in 2024. I also led many walks as an HF Holidays Leader, and while there are so many excellent walking locations to choose from, I’ve always been very fond of the Brecon Beacons (Bannau Brycheiniog). On a clear day, Pen y Fan enjoys brilliant views and the range from Crickhowell to Hay on Wye has some outstanding trails. I love the sense of community HF Holidays offers and as current chair of the HF Holidays Retired Leaders Association, I help organise its annual reunion.
Bob Gomersall
Vice PresidentMy first HF Holiday was at Tywyn (mid-Wales) in 1961, aged 11. I started leading for HF Holidays in 1969 and I'm still going strong today. The rugged hills and vast lochs of the Scottish Highlands make it a wonderful place to walk, and you’ll find me at Glen Coe every summer and again at Christmas and New Year. A standout spot for me is the Holly Tree on the edge of Loch Linnhe, which, on a sunny day, takes some beating. I’ve served on the board for 32 years and I’ve still got the same passion for HF Holidays that I first found as a boy all those years ago.
Angela Brassey
Vice PresidentAfter many happy years as an HF Holidays guest and member, I served on the board from 1994 to 1997 and was delighted to be made an Honorary Officer as Vice President in 2018. My favourite walking destination is probably the High Pyrenees, where my husband and I (Peter Brassey, former CEO of HF Holidays) have spent the last 35 years walking and skiing. Now, in my later years, I’ve found that rail holidays in the mountains are becoming more attractive. In summer, there’s nothing quite like a trip to Switzerland’s Bernese Alps where a handy network of cable cars allows us to trek through the mountains with ease.
Joyce Hilton
Vice PresidentEver since working my first summer season as a leader in Scotland, HF Holidays has been a huge part of my life. Fast forward to today and I've served 28 years on the board and have been enjoying HF Holidays for over 60! While I’ve walked in incredible places all over the globe (including a trip to the Himalayas), there’s something special about the Scottish Highlands. My husband and I love Glen Coe and our country house, Alltshellach. When leading walks in the area, it was always a pleasure to see the delight and sense of achievement guests felt when completing a summit of Ben Nevis.
Our Values
Our Board live and breathe our Values as part of the way they work.
