OUR BOARD & MANAGEMENT TEAM
Robert Graham, Chairman
Ali Graham, Treasurer/Secretary
Ali Graham, Treasurer/Secretary
Robert has lived and worked on the Island for more than 34 years, 33 years operating his
own Quantity Surveying and Project Management practice along with his wife Ali,
who is RHT’s current Treasurer/Secretary.
Robert prepared the plans, obtained the Planning/Building Control permissions and
approvals, and supervised the renovation of the old
Robert has lived and worked on the Island for more than 34 years, 33 years operating his
own Quantity Surveying and Project Management practice along with his wife Ali,
who is RHT’s current Treasurer/Secretary.
Robert prepared the plans, obtained the Planning/Building Control permissions and
approvals, and supervised the renovation of the old bus shelter in Bridson Street to
create the Heritage and Exhibition Centre we have today, a welcome saving for the
Trust. Robert has been involved working behind the scenes since the formation of RHT in 2014, but over the last few years has become more involved in assisting with the preparation of exhibitions, carrying out most of the printing of the exhibition posters and managing the annual maintenance of the Centre building.
Ali Graham, Treasurer/Secretary
Ali Graham, Treasurer/Secretary
Ali Graham, Treasurer/Secretary
Manx-born in the Jane Crookall Maternity Hospital in Douglas, Ali was brought up with her sister, Jane, in the family home, Manchester House, Port St Mary, which overlooks
Chapel Beach. Ali lived in New Zealand for five years, returning in 1963. She was educated
firstly in Rushen Primary School and then Castle Rushen High School, before goi
Manx-born in the Jane Crookall Maternity Hospital in Douglas, Ali was brought up with her sister, Jane, in the family home, Manchester House, Port St Mary, which overlooks
Chapel Beach. Ali lived in New Zealand for five years, returning in 1963. She was educated
firstly in Rushen Primary School and then Castle Rushen High School, before going on to study for a year in the then Isle of Man College of Further Education, qualifying in
Business Studies. Ali has worked in the construction industry since then, setting up a Quantity Surverying services practice in 1992 with her husband Robert, having
gained a HNC qualification at the Isle of Man College in Building Studies. Having been brought up in Port St Mary, it holds a special place in her heart, so preservation of its
heritage - and that of the Parish of Rushen - will always be a part of her life.
Hon Juan Watterson SHK
Ali Graham, Treasurer/Secretary
Hon Juan Watterson SHK
Juan was born and raised in Port Erin & Port St Mary, educated at Castle Rushen High School and then went on to study at Lincoln University where he graduated with 1st Class Honours in Management. He qualified as a chartered accountant with KPMG in 2005 and has been an MHK since 2006. He has served in numerous backbench roles before spen
Juan was born and raised in Port Erin & Port St Mary, educated at Castle Rushen High School and then went on to study at Lincoln University where he graduated with 1st Class Honours in Management. He qualified as a chartered accountant with KPMG in 2005 and has been an MHK since 2006. He has served in numerous backbench roles before spending five years as Minister for Home Affairs, before being elected Speaker of the House of Keys in September 2016. Juan chairs Rushen Heritage Trust, and is a director of Southern Befrienders, Vice Chairman of Port Erin British Legion and is Hon. Colonel of the Island’s Army Cadet Force.
Connie Herdman
Staffan Overgaard
Staffan Overgaard
Connie was born and raised in Indiana. She attended Indiana University in her hometown, Bloomington, where she attained a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and a Master of Library Science degree. After two years as a school librarian she switched to public librarianship and spent the next 26 years in two public libraries, finishing her c
Connie was born and raised in Indiana. She attended Indiana University in her hometown, Bloomington, where she attained a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and a Master of Library Science degree. After two years as a school librarian she switched to public librarianship and spent the next 26 years in two public libraries, finishing her career as the director of the Fayette County Public Library for eight and a half years. In 2005, she moved with her husband to the Isle of Man and worked at the airport for nine years before retiring for a second and final time. She became a proud British citizen in 2017.
Staffan Overgaard
Staffan Overgaard
Staffan Overgaard
Corporate branding and campaign activities have been Staffan's signum for most of his professional life, either as a creator, organiser or administrator. In the last fifteen years, he has been involved in Marketing Resource Management as a founder and partner in BrandSystems. Staffan studied at the Royal Institute of Technology, earning a
Corporate branding and campaign activities have been Staffan's signum for most of his professional life, either as a creator, organiser or administrator. In the last fifteen years, he has been involved in Marketing Resource Management as a founder and partner in BrandSystems. Staffan studied at the Royal Institute of Technology, earning a Masters in Industrial Economy. He was Communication Manager at Ericsson for eight years and worked as a manager, project leader and copywriter for various advertising agencies for seven years, followed by five years as Communications Manager for a business to business company, while working as a Project Manager at an advertising company. In 2012 he started up Candor Diagnostics, a medical diagnostic company.
Kathy Potter
Staffan Overgaard
Kathy Potter
Kathy grew up in Lancashire, where she had a brief career as a primary school teacher followed by several years working for British Aerospace. In the 1980s she and her family moved to Keswick, Cumbria; since then most of her work has been tourism-related. Kathy has worked at various Visitor and Information Centres, including those run
Kathy grew up in Lancashire, where she had a brief career as a primary school teacher followed by several years working for British Aerospace. In the 1980s she and her family moved to Keswick, Cumbria; since then most of her work has been tourism-related. Kathy has worked at various Visitor and Information Centres, including those run by the Lake District National Park Authority and the Forestry Commission, and for many years was a volunteer at the Grange-over-Sands Information Centre. She has also worked at the Cumberland Pencil Museum in Keswick, and has been on the volunteer team for Grange Library and various parks and gardens. Since childhood Kathy has visited the Isle of Man regularly. Following the sad death of her husband in 2020, she relocated to a place she has always loved. She has a keen interest in the natural environment and loves to be out walking on our beautiful island.
John Quirk, Heritage Coordinator
Manx born and bred, John has worked in and with the media for 35 years. He worked as a journalist in Lancashire and the Isle of Man before spending 12 years working in PR and advertising. John lives in Port Erin and runs his own business, offering freelance writing, editing and admin services.
The Coordinator role was privately funded for
Manx born and bred, John has worked in and with the media for 35 years. He worked as a journalist in Lancashire and the Isle of Man before spending 12 years working in PR and advertising. John lives in Port Erin and runs his own business, offering freelance writing, editing and admin services.
The Coordinator role was privately funded for several years, after which it was funded for two years by a kind grant from the Dormant Asset Fund, which is administered by Manx Lottery Trust. The role has been funded directly by RHT since December 2023.
WWII Women's Internment
Our WWII Women's Internment team had a fantastic first exhibition in May 2015 called 'Friend or Foe? 1940-1941' which was visited by more than 3,000 tourists and local residents, including the former CEO of the British Museum, Sir David Wilson, who said the exhibition was of 'outstanding quality'. Courtesy of Betty Kelly, the team also published 'The Illustrated Roll Call' in May 2015. In 2016, the team extended the "Friend or Foe?" exhibition, exploring the creation of the world's only married camp in WWII. The exhibition was supported by an exciting weekend of events in early August in collaboration with the Erin Arts Centre on 'Wagner and Rushen Internment', where a group of special visitors came to give talks. The team produced its second book on Rushen Internment, 'Friend or Foe?', in 2018.
Get Involved
If you would like to volunteer at our Rushen Heritage Centre in Port Erin or get involved with any of our projects, get in touch with our Coordinator John Quirk at rushenht@gmail.com or give him a call on 07624 464634.