Meet the Board of Trustees
Godfrey Carter
Godfrey Carter needs little introduction. Born to the Founders of Woodridge College and Preparatory School, Leslie and Mervynne Carter, Godfrey has seen the school grow from its infancy to where it is now. Godfrey attended Woodridge for most of his school career, only breaking to attend St Andrews College in Grahamstown when the years he needed to attend were not yet established at the school.
After studying at Rhodes University and Pietermaritzburg Training College, Godfrey taught at the Preparatory school from 1977 to 2003 and became Deputy Headmaster in 1999 – 2003.
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Godfrey married Sue in 1975 who has worked with him throughout his entire career at Woodridge serving the community together.
Godfrey also served as Chairman of the Old Woodridgean Association for a number of years.
Godfrey and Sue’s four children all attended Woodridge and currently two of their grandchildren attend the school.
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Wendy Parsons (nee Wakefield)
Wendy attended Woodridge from 1983 until she matriculated in 1994. She lived on campus as daughter to Val and Derek Wakefield (maths teachers from 1982 to 2000) so she has many fond memories of school life. She was head girl of the Prep and Head of Matopos in Matric but her fondest memories include the lifesaving club, school drama productions and aerobics classes in the squash courts. She still keeps close touch with many of her classmates from 1994 and is a keen supporter of the OWA. As a chartered accountant, she is well suited to the role of the Trust's treasurer and her experience in South Africa's renewable energy sector has provided her with valuable skills to assist the Trust in meeting its strategic objectives. She currently lives in the UK with her family, working remotely for an investment company based in Johannesburg.
Neil Gibbs
Neil is an adopted Old Woodrigean and has known the Carter Family for nearly 20 years. He has been to the school on a number of occasions where he has experienced the ethos of the school and the camaraderie that comes with it.
He is a corporate solicitor and handles a broad range of corporate and commercial matters ranging from start-up business to providing legal support and corporate governance advice to SMEs as well as to blue chip clients, investors and financial institutions. Neil became a partner in Woodfines in 1997 and Managing Partner in 2018. He is also a member of the Law Society.
Neil is also part of the business protection team that provides a range of advice to organisations related to database theft, unlawful competition, and intellectual property infringement and misuse.
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David Bage
David attended Woodridge from 1972-1979. Following a stint in the army He graduated from The University of Port Elizabeth with a B.Com degree. Since then he has worked in auditing, the motor industry, the leather tanning industry, plastics recycling & extrusion and most recently, following a move to the UK in 2002, in wooden pallet pooling where he is the UK & Ireland Operations Director for a Dutch owned business operating across Europe. He is married with 2 adult daughters and a granddaughter, living in Rugby (the home of the game) in the English Midlands. His love and passion for Woodridge has never left him and he hopes to be able to help in some small way for others to be able to experience what he did.
Debbie Birch (nee Carter)
Debbie attended Woodridge College and Preparatory School from 1984 to 1995. While studying for her PR degree, she worked at Woodridge as a ‘Stooge’ aka Teaching Assistant from 1996 to 2000 and also served on the Old Woodridgean Committee from 1996-1998.
She has a master’s degree in marketing and has been working in the third and charity sector for over 25 years leading on numerous marketing and fundraising projects and initiatives. During her career – Debbie has overseen over £30m in fundraising for various charities, not-for-profits and membership organisations.