Charles Anson, the Queen’s former press secretary, has joined the Trustees of Cumberland Lodge in Windsor Great Park, to help oversee the delivery of the charity’s new strategic plan.

Cumberland Lodge is celebrating 70 years as an educational foundation this year and it has reinvigorated its founding principles to focus on addressing the root causes and effects of social divisions by equipping and inspiring people to engage in constructive dialogue.

Charles brings a wealth of experience in corporate and public sector communications and diplomacy to the work of Cumberland Lodge. He is a Vice Chairman of the international financial communications consultancy, Cubitt Consulting, and he has also served as a non-executive director of Siren Communications for more than a decade. He was a lay member of the UK Press Complaints Commission from 2012-14, and prior to that he worked as a Director of Communications for corporates including the investment bank Kleinwort Benson, Grand Metropolitan plc (now Diageo plc) and Hilton International.

From 1990-97, Charles was Press Secretary to Her Majesty The Queen, and from 1978-81 he served in the Downing Street Press Office under two successive Prime Ministers, Margaret Thatcher and James Callaghan. Earlier in his career he spent 20 years in the British Diplomatic Service, with postings to Washington and Tehran.

Charles said: “I am delighted to be joining the Board of Cumberland Lodge. I knew of its work from my time working for The Queen as her Press Secretary in the 1990's.

“Social cohesion has been such a cornerstone theme of our post-war democracy and of our diplomacy, so this interests me professionally. Plus the work of Cumberland Lodge is increasingly international, and the risks to social cohesion, on both sides of the Atlantic, make its work more important than ever.

“I look forward to doing what I can, as a trustee, to help the organisation fulfil its mission to build more tolerant, peaceful and inclusive societies.”

The Chair of the Trustees of Cumberland Lodge is Sir Stephen Wall, who served as Britain's ambassador to Portugal and as Permanent Representative to the European Union over a 35-year diplomatic career. Sir Stephen worked closely with five British Foreign Secretaries and was Foreign Policy Adviser to John Major and EU adviser to Tony Blair.

 

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Cumberland Lodge is an educational foundation with a vision of more tolerant, peaceful and inclusive societies. It tackles social divisions by equipping and inspiring people to learn from one another and engage in constructive dialogue.

The charity works with leaders and influencers, community practitioners and students of all ages, to foster learning and critical thinking through:

  • Subsidised residential study retreats for almost 4,000 students per year, from universities and educational institutions across the UK.
  • Conferences, lectures and seminars for students, community groups, policy makers and opinion formers and school groups, on issues of social cohesion, with high-profile speakers drawn from academia and public life.

 

  • Mentoring schemes and scholarships to support postgraduates, early career researchers and international students studying in the UK, equipping them with leadership, communication, critical analysis and public engagement skills.

 

  • Educational and cultural events for the local community, including schools workshops, art exhibitions, lectures, literary events and music recitals.

 

Cumberland Lodge itself is a former royal residence dating back to the 1660s, but it takes its name from the Duke of Cumberland who was Ranger of the Great Park in the mid-18th century. King George VI and Elizabeth the Queen Mother granted use of the lodge to the St Catharine’s Foundation in 1947, an educational trust that was the basis for Cumberland Lodge as we know it today. The foundation’s patron is The Queen. The facilities of the Lodge are available to hire for residential and non-residential conferences, meetings and special events.

 Find out more at cumberlandlodge.ac.uk/venue-hire.

The Great Park 
Windsor 
Berkshire SL4 2HP 
cumberlandlodge.ac.uk 
01784 432316