Our Trustees - Camphill Devon

Gavin Gracie (Chairman)

Gavin Gracie is a senior executive with extensive experience at main board level. Gavin has worked across a wide array of industries, including education, healthcare, hospitality, hygiene, and aviation, and has led organisations of different sizes from very small to quoted companies. His last executive role saw him working closely with local authorities, commissioning education for children with special educational needs (SEN). He began his career as a Chartered Accountant, and for the past twenty years has held CEO and CFO roles, serving on various boards, providing critical advice on governance, financial strategy, and compliance.

A natural people person, Gavin derives satisfaction from helping individuals and teams grow, thrive, and reach their full potential. His empathetic and results-driven leadership style ensures that the organisations and teams he leads are well-positioned for long-term success.

Now semi-retired, Gavin lives near Exeter in a National Trust property, where he and his wife are rejuvenating a once-overgrown garden. Originally from Southern Africa, Gavin has lived and worked in the UK for thirty-five years. He is an avid rugby enthusiast, enjoys walking in the countryside, and takes great pride in his ever-expanding family of grandchildren.

Nicola De Pulford

Nicola is a traditional farmer with a deep love of the countryside, conservation, heritage and supplying food locally.

Due to illness in the family she started to run the family farm in Wiltshire at the age of seventeen, soon to be joined by her youngest sister. In 1989 they moved to two separate farms in Devon.

She is a photographer and has written five books including the best-selling ‘Book of Spells’ For the last 21 years she has published the Farmers Calendar and raised over £100,000.00 for charities, including Help for Heroes, St Catherine’s School in Ventnor, Chernobyl Children’s Lifeline and Farms for City Children.

Her daughter Verity was born with a balanced genetic translocation unique in the world! She has hands on experience and the ability to support and campaign for people to reach their full potential.

In 2017 Nicola was surprised and delighted to be invited to the Women of the Year awards in London. She continues to farm near Totnes.

Fiona McPhail

Fiona is Director of MWA Ltd, a consultancy providing Human Resources and Equality Diversity and Inclusion consultancy and professional learning and development provision. Fiona works with organisations across the UK to review and refresh strategy, policies and procedures and to provide implementation support and delivery. Former roles include as an International HR Director, working in a pan European role and as Divisional Head of HR at Leicester University a remit spanning HR, Equality Diversity and Inclusion, Staff Wellbeing and Professional Learning and Development. She holds a BA (Hons) from Lancaster University, and an MA from Warwick University. Her CIPD was gained at De Montfort University and she is a Fellow of the CIPD and Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management.

Diana White

Diana is now semi-retired. She originally trained as a teacher of English and Art. She became interested in Steiner Education and moved to Devon for her children to attend the South Devon School where she became Finance Manager for several years. In 1992 she started working for Robert Owen Communities, in her career in Health and Social Care, working with people with a learning disability. She has run craft workshops before moving to work in the residential care where she became a Registered Manager. She then managed supported living services. She has been a member of the Anthroposophical Society of Great Britain for many years and is active in the local Biodynamic Group. She still works part time supporting people whose services she helped to set up.

Kevin Gilbraith

Following a career in the rail manufacturing sector, Kevin spent the last 10 years of working life as a Manufacturing Quality Manager for Siemens Mobility, overseeing supplier selection and management. Having moved in retirement to Totnes, he is now enjoying South Hams life as fully as possible!

Steve Gill

Following a degree course at Plymouth Polytechnic 1978 – 1981, and a career with a variety of roles, all at the University of Plymouth – formerly Polytechnic South West / Plymouth Polytechnic, Steve is now fully retired. Career responsibilities ranged through technical support to an academic department through student IT support and IT purchasing to wider roles in Procurement across a range of goods and services areas. These were chiefly in the areas of IT, professional services and some research capital equipment. Steve has also spent some time in Higher Education Procurement activities both nationally and regionally.

Chris Bailey

Chris was born in Lincoln and went to Trent polytechnic, studying Business Studies before specialising in accountancy, and is a Certified Accountant.

He has been a Financial Director for 25 years, as well as a trustee at 2 local schools for 14 years, and is currently on the Plymouth Employment and Skills Board.

Chris is an independent advisor on the Plymouth Manufacturing Group and the Plessey board, having retired in April 2024.

He is also a Freeman of the City of Lincoln.