Meet the Team

Lucy Stephenson (Chair)  Lucy, a busy mum of two and teacher by profession, has now turned her hand to running the family second hand and antiquarian book business and family farm.  She has a deep passion for all things community, whether this is by helping to organise annual community events or serving the town as a County Councillor, which she has done since 2011, holding a variety of Cabinet positions as well as being the leader in 2022.  Her pride in all things Uppingham runs deep as does her keen identity as a Rutlander. 

Janet Thompson (Vice-Chair)  Janet had a successful career in Finance, moved abroad to Canada and Switzerland and on her return worked as a School Secretary and for the NHS.  Janet then decided that she wanted to work as a volunteer supporting local residents. She joined the NHS Assurance group and joined Uppingham First in 2013.  A member of Uppingham Homes CLT, a volunteer Hopper Bus driver since 2017, Chair of The Uppingham Neighbourhood Forum,  Janet was awarded the British Empire Medal in our late Queen’s Birthday Honours list in 2021 for which she is so proud and was happy to accept in recognition of all volunteers.  She was also invited to the Coronation of King Charles III.  She is very passionate about supporting local people and cascading information through UF and the Forum. Janet’s other passion is being a Brownie Guide Leader in Uppingham and is so proud of all the Brownies and how their confidence has grown. She sees supporting our youth as very important and fulfilling because they are our future. 

Geoff Thompson (Finance)  Geoff moved to Uppingham from Geneva towards the end of a 40 year career including senior global roles in IT, Operations, Risk Management and Finance for an international bank.  He was Chair of Governors of Uppingham Community College for 13 years and now on the Board of the Discovery Trust.  He chaired the Resilient Rutland steering group, delivering mental health, well-being and resilience support to our schools and was Rutland’s High Sheriff for 2022/23 focussing on encouraging volunteering and publishing the book “Rutland – a High Sheriff’s Perspective”.  In 2024 he became chair of Rutland’s oldest Charity, St John and St Anne, a registered provider of social housing for the elderly, and is Finance Director of Uppingham Homes and Uppingham First and a town councillor.  He enjoys cycling, travel, walking, vexillology, ballroom dancing and sings tenor with Uppingham Parish Church and Rutland Choral Society.

John Leslie  As a resident in Uppingham for the last 7 years, John has thrown himself into the community.  An IT Project Manager by training, he has used his organisational skills to manage a number of events in the town, most notably the recent NHS App Training  and the 2025 Stilton Cheese Classic Car Run.  As Chair of the Uppingham Surgery Patient Group, (PPG) he is also a key liaison between Patients and the Surgery, giving him an ideal platform to help improve the patient experience.  As a previous member of the Round Table movement for 15 years, John fully appreciates the value and importance of community service, and is pleased to be a Director of Uppingham First in furthering this objective.

Nick Townsend  Before his retirement, Nick worked as a solicitor in private practice and then as Group Legal Director for a public company.  He specialised in property development and planning law.  He moved to Uppingham with his wife Lis in 2020 where he joined two local community companies in order to continue his long-standing commitment to making a contribution to public life which had previously involved him in many local community organisations in his home town of Leicester.  This included chairing Leicester and Leicestershire Economic Partnership.  His other lifelong commitment saw him as trustee and chair of CARE a national charity providing support for people with learning disabilities. In his spare time he enjoys golf and riding.

James Torbell  James is a director of a long-standing and successful hospitality business, which has operated for over 20 years and is now the second-largest employer in the town.  He is committed to continuing the legacy of Robert Wills, former Uppingham First Director and founder of the hospitality business with his wife Carol, who strongly believed that the prosperity of a local area depends on the willingness of its business leaders to be active contributors to positive change.  Guided by this principle, James remains deeply engaged in the community, regularly organising local events and initiatives that support both social cohesion and the local economy.  His contributions to the region have been recognised through his receipt of the Biz Club Business of the Year award. James also serves as chair of the Events Committee for Discover Rutland, where he plays a key role in advancing tourism and promoting the area.  A well-known and approachable figure in the community, James is often accompanied by his Golden Retriever, Basil.