Board of Trustees

Derick Walker
Chair

Derick was educated at Westminster School and Christ Church, Oxford where he read physics before joining the advertising industry in 1979.

He was a founder partner in a start-up agency which was sold to Saatchi & Saatchi in 1995, where he worked for over 20 years as an international strategy consultant. He now runs a marketing consultancy, lectures and mentors business entrepreneurs.

Derick’s son and daughter were both at Hilden Oaks in the 1990s. Prior to becoming a Trustee, he was a governor of Sevenoaks School for eleven years, (where he is now a Foundation Trustee).

Derick joined the Trust in 2013 and was elected Chairman in February 2014.

Daniel Eaton
Vice Chair

Daniel Eaton is Headteacher of Leigh Primary School, a position he has held since March 2013. Previously he was Assistant Headteacher at Amherst School in Sevenoaks where he was also Head of Music.

A keen pianist, organist and singer, Daniel regularly performs in concerts both in the south east and further afield and regularly accompanies and directs adult and children’s choirs. Other hobbies include travelling and cooking as well as attempting to keep off the calories by playing squash once a week.

Daniel is a Freeman of the City of London and a Fellow of the Guild of Musicians and Singers and is married to Clare, a barrister based in London.

Linda Alexander

Linda has worked as an Early Years Practitioner for over 20 years in a variety of settings, including the Nursery at Hilden Oaks. She has also owned and managed her own nursery in Tonbridge.

Linda currently works for Parenta Training, assessing early years practitioners assisting them to achieve level 2, 3 and 5 qualifications in childcare, and leadership and management qualifications in early years settings.

Linda’s daughters attended Hilden Oaks during the 1990s. Her hobbies include walking, swimming and theatre.

Joining the Trust in 2015, Linda sits on the Staffing & Remuneration and Education Committees.

Sue Bell

During her year as the Mayor of Tonbridge & Malling, in 2022/2023, Sue visited Hilden Oaks on a number of occasions and was so impressed with the School, she was delighted to be invited to join the Trust. She now feels privileged and proud to be a trustee.

Sue has a background working in finance, payroll, Social Services and as a Student Support Manager in a secondary school, which she enjoyed for fourteen years.

In her spare time Sue teaches exercise classes in the community, which she has done for many years.

Sue joined the Trust in 2024, and sits on the Education Committee.

John Buckles

John was born and educated in Lancashire, and has spent the past forty years working in education, as a teacher and also as a bursar, in both state and independent schools.

John became a Deputy Head in 1998, a position which he held for five years before making the move from teaching to become a full time bursar. In this role he was closely  involved with the development of Saint Ronan's seeing it grow from 70 children to 470 currently.

John recently retired and is looking forward to have more time to spend on his hobbies; cooking, gardening, fishing and cycling.

John was appointed as a Trustee in 2021 and sits on both the Premises and Finance, and Staff and Remuneration Committees.

Andrew Robbens

Andrew was educated at Tonbridge School and St Hughs, Oxford where he read Chemistry before joining the financial services industry. He has lived in the Middle East, has served as both an officer in the British Army Reserves and as a Special Constable with Kent Police, and currently works on the equity desk of a global asset manager.  He is a director of a family property firm and a member of the Investment Committee of a charitable organisation.

Both of Andrew’s daughters were at Hilden Oaks and he joined the Trust in 2023.