Following a careful search for new trustees to take the Trust forward into the next phase of its mission to secure a future for the wonderful tithe barn at Landbeach we are thrilled to announce that Kate Doak-Keszler is taking on the key role of Chair, taking over from Interim Chair Carolin Göhler. During the time in her interim role Carolin and the Trust have made great progress, particularly in preparing for further upgrades to the barn’s facilities and developing the range of events enjoyed by all those that visit this ancient and beautiful Landbeach landmark. Read on to find out a little about Kate, her love of historic buildings, and her hopes for the Tithe Barn Trust.

Hello! My name is Kate Doak-Keszler, and I hail from the mountains of Colorado in the U.S. I have a passion for heritage conservation and civic engagement and a love for drama—in storytelling, that is!

I grew up in a trades family, working as a carpenter for the family business while I was in college. I completed my BAS (Bachelor of Applied Science) in Construction Management and worked for a few years with Girl Scouts of Colorado before meeting my spouse, Brad. After getting married, I got whisked off on a globe-trotting adventure as we moved with his job as a U.S. Air Force member. We spent two years in Guam where I worked as a historian with the local AF. Our family moved to Newmarket three years ago and I wanted to find a way to use my experience and skills here in the U.K. I was lucky to come across the Tithe Barn when they were seeking new trustees and I fell in love with the building and the great team of volunteers who work so hard to care for the space. It was exciting to hear about the plans the Trust had for the Tithe Barn – adding more infrastructure to facilitate more events and programs, and building a greater sense of community.

I am excited to be taking on the role of Chair and working to make those ideas a reality by building on the wonderful progress already achieved by our great volunteers. I bring my experience as an architectural historian, my background in communications and social media, and my passion for storytelling. Our next steps are focussing on the provision of a permanent water and power supply to the barn which will greatly enhance it as a venue to be enjoyed by all who love this historic structure. You and all our supporters are absolutely key to the future of the Trust and I look forward to meeting you at a Tithe Barn event soon.