Executive Committee

Officials

Chairman
Peter Cooper BSc CEng MICE Chartered Civil Engineer
Worked in the civil engineering industry for 30 years for contractors, local government and consulting engineers, mainly in highways and infrastructure. Born and brought up in Scarborough, moved away to work at age 18, returned 6 years ago. Particular interest in the built environment and the quality of public spaces. Vice-Chairman of Scarborough and District Civic Society.

Vice Chairman, West
Don Pickis
In education 1952 -90, he taught at Fulneck School, the Moravian settlement near Pudsey, for several years. A member of CPRE, founder member of Littleborough Civic Trust; currently secretary of Steanor Bottom Society, a Trans-Pennine group concerned with pack horse tracks and former toll roads. He has his left foot in Lancashire and his right in Yorkshire.

Treasurer Richard Ward Solicitor in private practice. Born in the West Riding and lived in Huddersfield for the last 32 years. President of Huddersfield Civic Society. Particularly interested in town centres and presentation in order to publicise the movement favourably to a wider audience.

Committee Members

Mike Burke Retired insurance company official, now Hon. Archivist and Reunion Organiser, Ashville College, Harrogate. Born in Wakefield but has lived in Harrogate for many years. Former Vice-Chairman, Harrogate Civic Society and YHASA. Present interest in the Association is recruitment, development and planning.

Dr Kevin Grady
Trained as an economic historian at Leeds University, completing his PhD on building development in the West Riding in the Georgian period. Thereafter he was a lecturer at Leeds Metropolitan, Exeter and Leeds Universities. Author of several books including The Illustrated History of Leeds. Formerly Director of Eye on the Aire and former Chairman of YHASA, he is currently Director of Leeds Civic Trust.

Kevin Trickett, BA (Hons), MBA, MA (Phil), MAPM.
Civil servant with over 30 years management experience, half in project work. Currently a project manager for the Department of Work and Pensions, based in Leeds but delivering a national IT project. A native of Wakefield, now President of Wakefield Civic Society, having been a member of the Society's Executive Committee for around 14 years. Special interest in diversity and equality issues.

Malcolm Sharman

Malcolm lives in Hull but was originally from the Peak District.  In 1968 he was awarded a degree in 3-D Design by Leeds Metropolitan and undertook a post-graduate Certificate in Education at Manchester University in 1969.  He was awarded the Leeds Art Travel Scholarship in 1967 and did 'The Grand Tour'. DfES granted him a sabbatical in 1968 to study Ceramic Design Education at St Martin's, Lancaster. He has since worked as a each in Hull, and has worked in the community as an Adult Education Tutor for over 25 years. He also was co-opted as a Local Councillor in the East Riding and served as a School Governor. Since retirement in 2004, he has become increasingly involved in the work of Hull Civic Society as Programme Secretary and Good Mark Award Officer, and is also a Trustee of the arc (Architectural Resource Centre) in Hull. 

Cyril Oliver For 34 years, Leeds-born Cyril has been an active citizen of Bridlington and is currently serving as Vice Chair for Bridlington and District Civic Society. He has also been a member of the Renaissance Town Team for Bridlington, as well as Chairman of Local Development and Employment PACT -- a European programme for the funding of deprived areas. He is also Chairman of the Bridlington Protection Group, a group which he helped object successfully to the Yorkshire Marina Inquiry in Bridlington, and he is a member of the Bridlington Regeneration Partnership's Core Steering Group.

Katie Stewart, BA(Hons, Poli. Sci., Econ.), MA (Poli. Sci.), MPhil (Poli.Sci) Originally from America, she has a Bachelor's in Politics and Economics from the University of Tampa, a Master's in Politics from Columbia University in New York City, and a MPhil from the University of York. She has previously worked for YHACS as a Development Officer, during which time she worked to strengthen the civic society movement throughout the Yorkshire and Humber. She now works for the Leeds City Council.