Sarah Cliss, Ely Standard Newspaper
Sarah Cliss, News and content editor with the Ely Standard, has around 35 years of journalistic experience, much of it locally in East Cambs and Fenland. She lives locally and is the mother of two grown-up daughters. Her husband Tony is a former Ely postman who is now based at March.
In her many years of local journalism, Sarah has been involved in various campaigns, community award schemes and fundraising e orts. She has been with the Ely Standard for over two years (this time around). She worked for the paper in the 1980s, and has a long history with this beautiful city and its wonderful community. Sarah is originally from Sussex, but nished her schooling in March. Much of her working life has been spent in neighbouring Fenland and West Norfolk.
Ian Lindsay, Councillor and Ex-Mayor
Ian Lindsay was born in Cambridge, but moved away when he was ve years old. during his career he joined the Medical Branch of the RAF and served as a medical officer. Although he didn’t serve there, Ian knew the RAF Hospital in Ely well, as one of his three children were born there.
Ian was in the RAF for 29 years and during that time, his children all boarded at King’s School, so he got to know and love Ely. After numerous moves Ian and his wife, Suzanne, settled here in 1997, before leaving the RAF in 1999. Thereafter, Ian worked in occupational medicine until he retired in 2013.
Sue Freestone, King’s Ely
Sue Freestone, MEd GRSM LRAM ARCM, has been the Principal of King’s Ely since September 2004. Prior to this role, she was Head of Sibford School, Oxfordshire, from 1997.
Sue is a former Chair of SHMIS (now the Society of Heads), and currently represents HMC on the Independent School Council Wellbeing committee.
Lis Every, Councillor and Ex-Mayor
Before retiring, Lis Every worked for over 30 years in secondary education as a teacher
of business and was a Secondary Head Teacher in Peterborough. Her family has run a business locally since they arrived in the area over 40 years ago. After retiring, Lis became a local Councillor sitting on the City of Ely Council and East Cambridgeshire District Council, and was Mayor for two years. She was recently elected to the Cambridgeshire County Council.
Lis is absolutely committed to supporting skills development and helping young people in the area, to achieve their career potential through her work as Chair of the Learning and Skills Sector of the Chamber of Commerce.
Married with two children and two grandchildren, Lis’s hobbies include theatre and singing, as well as being a Trustee of Pos+Ability, VCAEC, Ely Museum and the Ely Choral Society, working on their Steering Committee for the Ely Youth Choir. Lis is also a governor for Ely St Johns Primary School and Ely College.
Elaine Griffin-Singh, Youth Ely Hub
Elaine Griffn-Singh is currently a local Councillor with East Cambs District Council for the North Ward. She formerly served on the City of Ely Council for eight years and held the o ce of the Mayor of Ely during 2013-14. Elaine was a founder member of the Ely Traders Association and was Chairman from 2004-2007.
Elaine now has a Probate Research and Genealogy business, but was an antique dealer for 25 years with shops in the town. She has had a number of other entrepreneurial enterprises.
Elaine is currently a Director and Chair of Youth Ely Hub!, the charity in charge of Centre E community centre, which supports local youth provision and services.
Gill Prangnell, Cambridgeshire Chamber of Commerce
Gill Prangnell retired recently after an interesting and varied career that included 10 years teaching in secondary schools, and a similar period of time at the County Council, in roles as diverse as travellers’ liaison and policy. Gill has worked for the careers service, and for a short time, as a researcher for a Cambridge University project that involved interviewing people in the Ely area. Most recently, she worked for Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce where her role included supporting the Ely Chamber of Commerce, and acting as an independent judge for the Ely Standard Business Awards.
Gill is now a Chamber member and is helping to develop its fth ‘Ely Grow Your Business’ event, held at The Maltings on 12th July. Otherwise, Gill is thoroughly enjoying spending time with her 18 month old grandson.
Bridget Hickish, Elyi Magazine
Bridget Hickish is a local business owner and the Editor of Elyi Magazine. She lives in Ely with her husband James, formerly the Head teacher at St Mary’s Junior School, and is now retired and a voluntary Associate Priest at St Mary’s Church. They have three children.
Bridget was born in rural Wiltshire, studied Music, Drama and Education at Warwick University and moved to Cambridgeshire in 1991 to take up a teaching post. She has lived in the area for the last 26 years, making the move into the heart of Ely in 2013.
Jeff Hide, Ely Hereward & Rotary Club
Je Hide settled in Ely in 2008 after retiring from a career in law which included equestrian show jumping cases in the Olympic Court in Lausanne, Switzerland. For five years, he was in charge of a divisional police prosecutions o ce in West Sussex. For over 20 years, he was an instructor and examiner for the British Horse Society and had also competed in target pistol and ri e shooting at national level. He is currently Chairman of the Electric Boat Association in the UK, Vice Chairman of the Great Ouse Boating Association and takes over as President of the Ely Hereward Rotary Club from 1st July.
Caline Easey, Littleport & Ely Timebank
Caline Easey is the Littleport & Ely Timebank coordinator and has been working in this capacity for nearly four years. Timebanking is a local initiative which sees members swapping time and skills with one another for free. It currently has 145 organisations and individuals helping one another throughout Littleport, Ely and surrounding villages. Caline is an Ely Hereward Rotary member and is a neighbourhood Watch coordinator, and committee member. She has been fostering the odd hedgehog for a local hedgehog sanctuary and owns one noisy cat, two children and husband.
