Meet our new trustees joining the board
We’re delighted to announce that Helen Simpson, Beck Crowhurst and Catherine Rex, have joined our board of trustees.
With each trustee bringing a wealth of expertise – from law and education to tech and operations – we’re so excited to have them on board to guide us and strengthen our leadership as we approach the final year of our ambitious three-year strategy.
Strengthening our board
Our new trustees join at a pivotal moment for Bookmark, as we continue working towards our goal of partnering with 1,000 schools, where 500,000 children will benefit from a programme by 2027. Their diverse perspectives and experience will play a vital role in guiding our organisation and ensuring we continue to deliver meaningful impact for children who need us most.
Helen Simpson
Helen Simpson will chair our Audit and Risk Committee. She is the Managing Partner at Dentons and has extensive school governor and charity board experience. She succeeds Paul Fletcher, who will step down in December after completing his three-year term on the board.
Beck Crowhurst
Beck Crowhurst joins as our schools expert and will also sit on the Primary School Advisory Board. Beck is currently Director of Education at the Centre of the Children’s Workforce, but previously spent 13 years with the Reach Academy, which she joined as English lead and left as Head. Her deep understanding of schools will be invaluable as we continue to grow our programmes and reach more schools.
An English teacher, avid reader, and parent to a mini bookworm, she is a firm believer in the power of books and reading and keen to use her experience to help the charity scale its impact and ensure no child is left behind in their literacy journey.
Catherine Rex
Catherine Rex will become our tech expert when Phil Neal steps down in December after three-years on the board. Catherine has worked at Google for more than 11 years and focused on strategy and operational development with a particular focus on AI governance – experience that will support our continued innovation and growth.
As the mother of a dyslexic child she is passionate about helping children find the joy of reading, and in the power of reading to unlock critical thinking skills as the future of technology quickly evolves.
Thoughts from our Chair of Trustees and CEO
Our Chair of Trustees, Rachel Brodie, shares her thoughts:
“I’m delighted to be welcoming our three new trustees to the Bookmark Board, after a thorough recruitment process. As we enter the final year of our three-year strategy, ambitiously benefitting 500,000 children across 1,000 schools, our mission remains as critical as ever. With the support of Beck, Catherine and Helen, together with our existing trustees, we can continue to deliver for the children who need us most, and ensure that we provide effective and strong governance of the charity, through diverse experience, perspectives and expertise.”
Frankie Smith, interim CEO, comments:
“As Paul and Phil approach the end of their final terms as Trustees at Bookmark, I would like to express my thanks for their support as the organisation has grown during their tenure. We have grown from three schools in Camden to over 590 partner schools across England. As we welcome Beck, Catherine and Helen to the Board, Bookmark is well placed to complete delivery of our current strategy and look to the future, as we continue to support children across the UK.”
Looking ahead
As we approach the summer holidays and the end of the second year of our three-year strategy, we’re excited to continue deepening our impact to foster a love of reading among children in disadvantaged communities – where the need is greatest.
Our new trustees will play a crucial role in helping us strengthen our plans for future growth, so that more children can experience the joy of reading and have a brighter future.
Read our 2024 – 27 strategy
We’ve got ambitious plans to support more children across the country over the next three years.
