The Vine Trust Board

Dr Claire Bawn Board Member

Dr. Claire Bawn is a GP. She has been involved as a medical volunteer since 2011 in both Peru and Tanzania, has served on the Medical Committee of Vine Trust since 2015, and became a trustee in 2019. She is honoured and excited to have been appointed as the new Chair of Vine Trust in June 2023.

Mr Malcolm Webb Board Member

Malcolm joined the board in 2018 and is a Chartered Accountant, working in the oil and gas industry in Aberdeen. A supporter of Vine Trust for many years, Malcolm travelled to Tanzania in October 2017 to see the work of our medical and construction programmes first-hand.

James Clark Board Member

James first became involved with the Vine Trust in 2006 when he lead the delivery voyage of Amazon Hope 2 to Iquitos, remaining in Peru for a further three months to help with operations. He works in the Port Marine industry and lives with his wife and two children on the South coast of England.

Alex Currie Board Member

Alex has served as Parish Minister in Whithorn, Dumfries and Galloway for 33 years, and joined the Board in 2023. He has been a member of four Vine Trust construction expeditions in Tanzania. In 2015, he reached the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro with his closest friend Garry.

Mrs Jenni Knak Board Member

Jenni is a Principal Teacher of Mathematics in Perth and Kinross. Having been involved with the Vine Trust since 2012, Jenni has completed two home-building expeditions and led three school trips to Tanzania. She has also been a part of the Education and Expeditions Committees of Vine Trust.

Mr Scott Wham Board Member

Scott is an architect who has led his own practice in Ayr since 2014. His involvement with the Vine Trust began in 2011 when he visited Peru with a group from his church. Scott completed a visit to Tanzania in 2019 and 2022, and has been involved with supporting the planning and development of the Kazunzu Village of Hope for several years.

Dr Jess Cooper (Fergusson) Board Member

Jess is a General Practitioner based in Lerwick, on the Shetland Isles and joined the Board in 2024. Jess’s professional path has included several years working in rural Zambia and another island community on Scotland’s west coast. In addition to her clinical work, Jess has been connected with Vine Trust for many years, including joining the medical committee and volunteering onboard the MV Jubilee Hope in Tanzania on two occasions.

Neil Johnstone Board Member

Neil joined the Trust’s Finance and Personnel Committee in 2018 and in August 2024, he took part in a Community Partnership Expedition to Moshi, Tanzania. Neil recently retired from a long career in construction where he gained senior management experience and served as a statutory and joint venture director in the UK and Europe. He also has charitable trustee experience with Balerno Village Trust and as a church elder.