The Foundation of Lady Katherine Leveson

Portait of Lady Katherine Leveson by Cornelius Jansen, dated 1625

The Foundation of Lady Katherine Leveson in Temple Balsall is a Christian Foundation, with a fascinating past, lively present and an open future.

The history of Temple Balsall is focussed on the Old Hall which was the headquarters for the Knights Templar from the 12th Century and The Church of St Mary the Virgin, built about 1320 by the Knights Hospitaller, who succeeded the Templars and which was later restored by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott in 1849.

The present work of the Foundation is focussed on the education of children in the School, Lady Katherine Housing and Care which provides supported and residential care for older people, St Mary’s Church and the Leveson Centre for the study of ageing, spirituality and social policy.

Funeral hatchment depicting the Leveson coat of arms - three leaves (a rebus of 'leaves-on') and the lion of the Dudley family, from whom Lady Katherine was descended.

This work follows the will of Lady Katherine Leveson who set up the Foundation in 1674 so that these aspects of Christian witness and discipleship might continue in her memory. You can find out more about all these aspects of our work by following the links above.

To keep in touch with events and people at Temple Balsall you can subscribe to the Foundation's magazine Temple Matters.

The community continues to be open to the future as it explores ways in which it can strengthen its Christian witness through the support and encouragement of children and the care of older people.

Governing Body of the Foundation

The work and finances of the Foundation are overseen by the Foundation Governors who are appointed from a wide range of backgrounds and professions and reflect the extensive experience they are able to bring to the on-going administration of the Foundation.

Michael Adlington
Born in Cheshire, married at St Mary's, Temple Balsall and now with three grown-up sons and three grandchildren, I have lived on the edge of the parish since 1964.

After leaving Wrekin College I spent seventeen years working in the motor industry, first with Armstrong Siddeley and latterly with the Safety Glass Division of Pilkington Bros. A major career change took me into turkey farming which has evolved into an all year round operation now being run by our eldest son.

Motor sport has provided a great interest, competing in several different categories over the years, followed by involvement with the Pony Club at both local and national level. Golf has always provided a challenge and we spend as much time as possible in the summer on our narrow boat.

Lord Aylesford VL
Born in 1947. Educated at Oundle School and Trinity College, Cambridge.

Gillett Bros Discount Bank London (1969-1971); Albert E Sharp - Stockbrokers, Birmingham (1971-1974); Packington Estate (since 1974).

Married Penelope Cawley in 1971; 4 daughters and 1 son.

President, Warwickshire Branch of Country Land and Business Association; Chairman, Gamekeepers Welfare Trust; Tax Commissioner; Trustee of Coventry Hospitals Charity, Coventry Sports Foundation and Coventry Cathedral Development Trust: President, Warwickshire Cricket Club; Vice Lord-Lieutenant for the West Midlands.

Interests - Field Sports, Real Tennis, Archery and Golf.

Susan, Lady Cadbury
Born South Africa - formal education in Zimbabwe. Worked in London until marriage to Sir Adrian Cadbury in 1994 and came to live in Knowle. Involved with supporting husband in his work for The Birmingham Settlement. Governor of the Foundation since 1999.

Rt Hon James Edward, the Viscount Daventry
National Diploma in Agriculture and Land Management, Royal Agricultural College.

Shakespeare McTurk and Graham - Chartered Surveyors (1980-1983); Bain Dawes plc - Insurance Brokers (1983-1987); Bain Clarkson/AON - Insurance Brokers (1987-1990); Director, Penrose Forbes Insurance Brokers Limited, Hiscox Group plc (1990-1998); RK Harrison Insurance Brokers Limited (1998-present).

Patron of George Eliot Fellowship and Mary Ann Evans Hospice; Committee Member, Warwickshire Country and Land Association; Management Committee, Turf Club, London.

Mr Matthew Dugdale
Married to Paige, four children. Educated at Eton College. Employed by David Ker Fine Art. Partner, W S Dugdale Farm Partnership. Director, Real Property & General Housing Co Ltd and of Central & Midland Ltd. Past Chairman, Warwickshire Branch CLA. Chairman. Atherstone Hunt Club.

Interests - Art, Wine and Golf. He has built a freight railway line and is happily living in the second most ugly house in England (according to the BBC).

Mr Michael Fetherston-Dilke
Michael, born in 1948, comes from a long-established Warwickshire family, who live at Maxstoke Castle, near Coleshill.

After Rugby School, he read politics and economics at the University of Bristol. He then followed a career in finance and industry, having qualified as a chartered accountant. On his return to Maxstoke in 1992 he developed a range of Midlands business interests.

He enjoys encouraging his sons into most sports, particularly cricket, golf and archery and all country pursuits.

In 1999/2000 he was High Sheriff of Warwickshire, an office also previously held by several members of his family, including his father, Captain Charles Fetherston-Dilke, a former Governor of the Foundation.

Mr Ian Holloway
Born in Bristol and educated at Bristol Grammar School. Married to Connie with one daughter.

Fellow the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants; Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants; and Fellow of the Institute of Management Consultancy. My career has usually involved the multiple use of accounting, IT, project management and consultancy.

Employed by CEGB, Wilts United Dairies Ltd, Carreras Ltd, Coopers and Lybrand, AEI, Rolls Royce, Cadbury Schweppes plc, Terry of Redditch, Ian Holloway Associates (Management and Accounting Consultancy).

Interests - Genealogy, photography, the National Trust, involved in a range of charitable organisations and interested in the care of older people. Chairman of Chadwick End Trust/The Mission House Charity since 1995.

Mr William Husselby OBE DL
Bill Husselby is the Chairman of Cogent Elliott Advertising, one of the largest independent advertising agencies outside London. A Governor of Lady Katherine Leveson since 1987, subsequently becoming Chairman of the School Governors in 1989 and Chairman of the Foundation in 1996.

High Sheriff of the County of West Midlands: 1986/87. Currently Director of the Welsh National Opera, a Trustee of the Birmingham Opera Company, a member of the Development Council of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and a Trustee of the Birmingham Museum of Science and Technology (ThinkTank).

He has lived in Fen End for 35 years.

Mr Robert Meacham OBE
Company Director, Kenilworth Daylight Centre Ltd and Industrial Rooflight Company Ltd. Chairman, Independent Review Panel - NHS Complaints; Hospital Manager for appeals and referrals under the mental Health Act. Trustee of Temple Balsall Amalgamated Charities. Chairman, Freedom Association, Warwickshire & West Midlands Branch. Leader, Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council, 1981-1991.

Sir John Owen DCL (Lambeth); MA, BCL (Oxford); LLM (Wales).
Educated at Solihull School. Commanded 2 King Edward's Own Ghurkha Rifles 1945. Called to the Bar, Gray's Inn 1951.

Deputy Chairman, Warwickshire Quarter Sessions 1967-1971. Queens Counsel 1970. Recorder of the Crown Court 1972-1984. Dean of the Arches and Auditor of Chancery Court York 1980-. Circuit Judge at Old Bailey 1984-1986. Justice of the High Court of Justice (Queens Bench Division) 1986-. Chairman, West Midlands Area Mental Health Review Tribunal 1972-1980. Honourable Liveryman, Worshipful Company of Scriveners

Mrs Clare Sawdon JP
Born and brought up in Temple Balsall. Appointed a Governor of the Foundation in 1996, she serves on the Court and Estate Committees of the Foundation. Also appointed to the Mission House Charity at Chadwick End on behalf of the Trustees.

Elected to Warwick district council in 2002. She has been a magistrate in Warwickshire since 1986 and Deputy chairman of the Family panel since 1990.

Clare was previously a non-executive director of South Warwickshire Combined Care NHS Trust with particular responsibility for the mentally ill. A school governor. Chair of Stoneleigh Parish Council and councillor for 17 years. Chair of the Dame Alice Leigh Almshouse, Stoneleigh, 1984-1989.

Involved in a variety of voluntary organisations, particularly interested in health and well being of older people in the community.

Julie Fletcher - Bailiff to the Foundation

The Rev'd Dr James Woodward - Master of the Foundation

Ordained in 1984, he has worked as a Curate in the Diocese of Durham, as Chaplain to the Bishop of Oxford, as a hospital Chaplain in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham. He has worked in Temple Balsall since 1998. He has a long-standing interest in the relationship between health and religion: pastoral theology and health care ethics. He has written widely in these fields. He is an Associate Lecturer of the Open University, and honorary Research Fellow in practical theology at Cardiff University and an Associate Fellow within the centre for Health Studies within Warwick Business School.

His role as Master of the Foundation also includes being Vicar of St. Mary's Church and he also directs the work of the Leveson Centre.
Detailed biography and interests

The Foundation of Lady Katherine Leveson
Registered Charity no. 213618
Temple Balsall, Knowle, Solihull, West Midlands B93 0AL

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