Meet the LGB Members

My name is Christine Black, my husband and I have lived in Whitfield for 7 years. I previously lived in Munich, Germany for close on 20 years, my children and grandchildren still live and work there which means we travel back and forth throughout the year. I am a retired Montessori teacher/directress, I worked at a Montessori English speaking preschool in the heart of Munich, I still have a passion for the Montessori method "Help me to help myself" I still practice Montessori in my daily life, but I have also dabbled in Steiner and Reggio and I'm happiest in the woods and forests as nature is so giving throughout the year. I feel I still have more to contribute and share my experience of working with children and parents over the years. I am currently the President of Whitfield WI (women's institute) and we try to help our community the best we can, young and old. When I have spare time you will find me crafting or gardening, I try and learn a new craft or face a new challenge when the opportunity arises. I enjoy organising events as I do for the WI and one of my hobbies is to wander through the woods taking photos of the flora and fauna. 

I've lived in Ninebanks for 20 years. Having globe-trotted around the world as an army officer, my husband and I decided to settle in Ninebanks with our two young sons. I joined a construction company and over the years built 28 new schools, working with children throughout the construction phases. I retired recently and wanted to continue working with children, I visit school regularly and listen to children read and assist the school in any way that I can.

Following my university degree I ran an art gallery in the West End of London. I have always enjoyed exhibitions as well as painting in watercolour. Over the past 10 years I have been involved in running the gallery at the Allendale Forge Studios where i have also exhibited my paintings.  I was brought up in Sussex but moved to Whitfield from London in 1989 with my husband and 9 month old daughter. I have now lived here for over 30 years which has gone in a flash. Our three children attended Whitfield C of E Primary School and I was a governor there for 10 years during this time. Over the years I have helped in school when I had the time and have tried to attend the wonderful plays and Nativity performances the school put on. It is a unique place and has so much to offer in every way. I look forward to being able to attend these performances again and to helping out when COVID rules permit. 

My wife and I moved to a smallholding in Mohope in 2017 where we have Alpacas, rare-breed Coloured Ryeland sheep and honey bees together with our 5 dogs. 

I retired from the Royal Air Force in early 2019, after 40 years service, and settled full-time in this beautiful part of Northumberland. We both wanted to integrate fully into the local community and so I volunteered to both become a member of the LGB for Whitfield C of E Primary school and to also become a member of the St Mark's Ninebanks with Holy Trinity Whitfield Parochial Church Council. 

I have experience of being a School Governor within my past being actively involved with both primary and secondary education at schools in North Yorkshire and acting as a Governor at a middle school in Cambridgeshire. I am also a qualified Management Accountant and was frequently called upon to participate in both mathematics and economics curricular activities, where i was happy to offer my experience. 

In my spare time I volunteer at the Solway Aviation Museum at Carlisle Airport where, because of my aviation background, I am the Cold War expert including leading guided tours of the resident Vulcan bomber.