Meet The Working Group

Toby Wise

I grew up in Martley and my wife, Sophie is from Abberley. Having worked in Manchester and London, we moved back to the area in 2007 and live in Abberley with our two teenage daughters, one of whom had just started waitressing at The Bell weeks before it closed. I have been a Bell regular for 15 years and really miss Friday evening "early doors", Sunday lunch and a pint or two after a bike ride.

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The majority of my career has been in Investment Banking. Currently I am at JP Morgan working on Big Data, Cloud computing and AI.

I was a member of Pensax Parish Council when we lived in Worles Common and have also been a Governor of Abberley Primary School.

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Andy Gillett

I grew up 200 meters from the Bell and after university and a brief spell living in Worcester moved back to the area and now live with my partner Trudy (a previous chef at the Bell) and my three children back in the family home in Pensax. The Bell is one of my neighbors and has played a huge role in my life and that of my family. More recently my eldest son, Edward completed his chef apprenticeship at the Bell but it has also been my family's go to place for a beer, to socialise and to have family celebrations for the last 50 years. Many of my other close family members are also regulars in the Bell with my father, brothers and sister all using it regularly over the same timeframes.

I am a Chartered Financial Planner and Director of BRI Wealth Management. I have been advising individuals and business owners on their finances for 25 years. I am also a current member of Pensax Parish Council.

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Julian Godwin

I’m 50 years old & I live in Stockton On Teme with my wife Vicki and four children.   I Have been a regular at The Bell since I moved back to the area 16 years ago, and went there as a teenager with my late father Ray,  sometimes with the rest of the farm hands, slaking our thirst after a hot day's haymaking!    My family and myself have loved having a great pub so near,  and particularly enjoyed the events like the beer festival,  live music and latterly the fresh cooked pizza from the oven!   Tom our eldest,  worked at The Bell for a time as a teenager. 

I farm Foxley Farm, near Mamble farming 350 beef cattle and crops.   After Agricultural College I worked in the Agri – business and fresh produce sectors both in the UK & abroad, returning to run Foxley, the family farm in 2007.    We have developed a business supplying seeds and fertilisers to other farmers, and my life runs her own livery yard from the farm.

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Rob Gready

My wife and I have lived in Worcestershire for nearly 30 years, mostly in Pensax and Abberley. We've been regulars at The Bell over this period, where two of our four children also worked when they were younger.

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I am a now retired former business owner and Company Director having worked in agriculture, food, health and social care. I was a Pensax Parish Councillor for a number of years.

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Stephen Osborne

I grew up in Abberley and after a few years living in Manchester, I returned “home” some eighteen years ago with my wife Janet, our two year old son Johnnie and our baby daughter, Libby. The Bell has played such an important role in our time here…from working there as a teenager (and watching my son do the same) through to our wedding reception, birthday celebrations, countless Friday nights with friends and much, much more!  

Since graduating from University, I have worked for 3M UK PLC for the past 25 years, where I am currently the UK Sales Manager for the Automotive Aftermarket Division. My spare time is spent running and cycling around the hills and lanes of Worcestershire.

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Nick Crabbe

I have lived in the local area since 1973 growing up in Shelsley and frequenting the Bell as a teenager. I then moved to Newcastle Upon Tyne for University and work in 1987, retuning to Worcestershire in 2004 when we bought a property in Abberley. I’m married to Sarah with two daughters who both attended Abberley Primary school. The Bell has always been a constant and in my opinion the best pub in the area, its closure is a great loss to the surrounding communities.

I am a Chartered and Certified Financial Planner and Chartered Wealth Manger. I built and ran my own business with four other colleagues which we sold in 2021.

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Lisa Bailey

I grew up living nearby in Shelsley Beauchamp, and despite moving away, have returned to the area in recent years. Having lived initially in a village with no local pub or shop, I am familiar with the difficulties of having to travel to socialise and meet people. I first used The Bell from the age of 17, and since returning to the area, have used it much more regularly, meeting many of my friends here, both old and new. My partner grew up living in Pensax and has been a regular user for many years, along with the rest of his family. 

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I have worked in Marketing/Communications for nearly 25 years in a variety of different business settings, working more recently with a local housing association.

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Luke Grant

I grew up in Worcestershire and moved to Pensax in 1981. We have 3 children who were born here .
I have many happy memories of times at the Bell. Walking there over the fields on a summers evening was idyllic and hope that can happen again.

I am a practising Solicitor. I ran my own firm for over 20 years before merging with a larger practice. I now work as a Consultant with a national Legal Aid firm.
Outside work, I play golf, Bridge and a enjoy cycling on the Continent.

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Dan Grant

I moved to Abberley in September 2022 with my wife and 2 children. For me, a key benefit was the 'The Bell' and have fond memories of attending the beer festival. I was really disappointed when it closed 3 weeks after moving in, and believed it would be a hub for me and my family to get to know people in the area.

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I'm a consultant IT Project Manager in the automotive and digital space and hope those skills can help save the pub.  

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