Committee Members
Mike Bush
Mike has lived in the village for 15 years with his wife Carol and is the district councillor for Great and Little Oakley, Wix and Stones Green. Mike is a retired facilities and project management consultant within the building services sector. He has 3 children and 5 grandchildren and you will often see him with them. Mike was a regular volunteer behind the bar in The Maybush Inn until very recently. Mike is also a founder member of The Great Oakley Community Initiative (GOCCI) that was formed during the onset of the covid pandemic to support the vulnerable residents and remains in place to continue to support community needs.
Paul Day
Paul was born and educated in Harwich and Colchester and completed an Engineering apprenticeship with a local company. Served in the Royal Navy as a Polaris and Hunter Killer nuclear submariner. Joined the Merchant Navy served as Navigation and Chief Officer. Then Managing Director, Company ownership worldwide. Chairman of Great Oakley Parish Council and member of management committee of GOCH, lives in GO four years. Managing Director of Harwich Transportation, Railway and Shipping Museum CIC. Previously a Bar volunteer until health issues. Son and family live in village.
Mark Godfrey
The driving force behind the campaign to purchase and re-open the Maybush Inn, Mark has lived in the village for 20 years. Mark is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants and has over 35 years senior management experience throughout the UK and Europe. Now retired, Mark gives up most of his time to run the Society and undertake shifts behind the bar at The Maybush Inn.
Sandy Godfrey
Sandy has been involved with the village for over 15 years and has lived here for 10. She has over 35 years experience of I.T., Office and HR management and has now retired. Sandy is a keen member of the Harwich Society and believes strongly in developing and maintaining our community and heritage. Sandy is a regular volunteer behind the bar and in the kitchen of The Maybush Inn. Sandy has been a Committee Member of the Society since its inception and has been the driving force behind the recruitment, management and delivery of the food offering since July 2021.
Ann Offord
Ann moved to the village in 2017 and been a member of the Great Oakley Community hub since 2017. More recently becoming an active member of the Great Oakley Parish Council. Ann’s work history involves being Proprietor and licensee of an Off Licence and Video Shop, working for Essex County Council in excess of 20 years as a Libraries Manager, Registration Service Manager and as a Ceremony Officer conducting and registering Weddings. These roles evidence many skills including management, recruitment, retention and developing staff. In addition to acting as Budget holder and Treasurer. Ann currently works as a GP Care Advisor.
Kevin Thorpe
Kevin lives in the nearby village of Beaumont with his family and is an active bar volunteer and user of the Maybush Inn. He has been a key member of the Red House Project Team taking a leading role in completing the Planning Approval process with TDC. Kevin has had a career as a senior IT professional and has spent many years managing large multi-million pound IT projects and Teams in London and Worldwide. In 2019, he set up Auxillium Curo Ltd as an IT Managed Services company based in Thorpe Le Soken and using his wealth of knowledge to provide Corporate level IT Services to small to medium local firms and supporting the community.
Jim Watson
Jim has lived in the village for 21 years and recently retired from the ECC Library service. He has been involved with the Maybush Inn since taking up shares in both the initial and the Red house offers. From the first reopening of the pub in 2016 Jim has worked continuously as a volunteer and continues to do so on Wednesday evenings.
Matt Willis
Matt moved to the village in 2012 and took it upon himself to arrange a number of sporting activities including cycling events, a successful charity ride for Teen Talk and canoeing events. Matt is currently an assistant Cub Scout leader in Dovercourt and the Chairman of Great Oakley FC. Matt has spent most of his working life in London as computer system administrator specialising in UNIX working for a large number of Tier 1 investment banks. He spends most of his spare time shooting, kayaking, cycling, listening to music and spending time with his children. Matt has been a Committee Member of the Society since its inception and now lives in Colchester.