The David Vaisey Prize for Gloucestershire Libraries is organised and administered by the David Vaisey Trust.

The David Vaisey Trust is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation, registered with the Charity Commission (No 11660680), able to receive funding grants from charities and organisations, and a tax effective entity for Gift Aid donations from individuals.

The management of the annual Vaisey Awards is the responsibility of the Trustees, assisted by representatives of Gloucestershire Library Service and Cheltenham Festivals.

The Trustees are:

• Deborah Thacker (Chair)

A previous Chair of Judges for the Vaisey Prize, Debby took over as Chair of the Trust in November 2023. She has been teaching literature in higher education for nearly 30 years and currently teaches children’s literature and fantasy courses to American students on a study abroad programme. Her research is focused on the inter-relationship between those organisations, such as libraries, publishing, the media and academia, that mediate between children and reading fiction, but she has published on many aspects of children’s literature. She has been on the evaluation team for Cheltenham Festivals’ Reading Teachers = Reading Pupils programme since its inception in 2016. A Cheltenham Festivals Trustee, Debby is also co-Chair of Governors at a small Gloucestershire primary school where she is also ‘English’ governor. In addition, she is on the board of MakeBelieve Arts, a small educational charity that delivers an innovative storytelling curriculum (Helicopter Stories) to schools around the world.

• William Armiger

A Vaisey judge for the first time in 2023, Bill is former English teacher and headmaster. He also has an abiding interest in music. Having now retired to Gloucester and with more time for other activities, he’s found time to pursue another lifelong interest – fostering a love of reading, particularly amongst the younger generation. It’s the perfect background for a Vaisey trustee.

• Tryphosa Bennett

Tryphosa Adhiambo Otieno Bennett BEd(Hons) Med, who became a trustee in June 2022, is a Kenya-born educationist. An English teacher at Severn Vale School in Gloucester, every day she witnesses the impact reading makes on the growth, world view and cultural capital of her students. ’Phosa’ as she’s popularly known, sees books as our portals onto other worlds and other ways of life – experiences that that show how similar and yet how complex human nature is. If books are our portals, libraries are our universes – places where we can seize opportunities to jump through these gateways and be immersed. Or amazed. Phosa is passionate about curriculum diversity, an avid reader and a relentless promoter of literature from ‘unheard voices’. 

• Julia Hasler

Julia was an antiquarian book dealer in Bloomsbury for nearly 20 years before taking a law degree, training as a solicitor and working in Cirencester. Whilst a solicitor she assisted the board of the Tetbury Rail Lands Regeneration Trust, acting as a very hands-on trustee during the period when the newly renovated Tetbury Goods Shed was transformed into an Arts Centre. For 10 years during this period she was also a trustee of the Tetbury Music Festival. Julia is an avid reader and an enthusiastic supporter of the David Vaisey objectives.

• Air Marshal G A Robertson

‘Black’ Robertson joined the RAF in 1963 and spent the next 36 years in flying, staff and command appointments, including tours of duty in the USA , Germany and the Falklands. He flew all the RAF’s front line fast jet aircraft and also qualified as a helicopter pilot. After leaving the Service he spent 5 years with British Aerospace (subsequently BAE Systems) before setting up his own business consultancy. After serving as Clerk and Company Secretary to The Honourable Company of Gloucestershire from 2013 to 2018, he too turned to writing; his third book was published in 2023.

• Sarah Smyth

Sarah Smyth is currently Blackfriars Talks Curator at the Gloucester History Festival and formerly Artistic Director of the Cheltenham Literature Festival for 14 years after working with publishers including Secker & Warburg and Methuen. She has been a member of the ITV Regional Advisory Council, the British Arts Festival Association board, advised the Charles Dickens Museum and launched the first Cheltenham Science Festival. She lives in Charlton Kings, Gloucestershire.

Administrator :

• Pat Lipinski

Pat Lipinski recently retired from her post as manager of Gloucestershire Library Services for Education. Pat has spent her working life as a librarian in both public and school libraries. She has been on the panel for Cheltenham Festivals Reading Teachers = Reading Pupils and was involved in the Festival’s annual Battle of the Books. Pat is also a volunteer coordinator for Read Easy.

For photographs, information about the charity and queries, please contact Pat Lipinski, Administrator and Secretary to the Trustees: vaiseyawards@gmail.com.

Treasurer:

• Brian Bennett

Brian is a retired Chartered Civil Engineer, with expertise in the management of
projects in the water sector. Having worked in the UK and internationally, he spent
the last 20 years of his career managing water projects in East Africa and was a
registered engineer in Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania.
An avid reader and a supporter of the work that libraries do especially for those who
have no access to reading books on their own, Brian joins The Vaisey Trust as its
new treasurer taking over from Graeme ‘Black’ Robertson. He brings in his vast
experience of project management and financial control to support the trust in its
worthy cause.