The English Speaking Union, whose mission is “to give young people the speaking & listening skills and cultural understanding they need to thrive” appointed Danny Preiskel to its prestigious Board of Trustees.
The ESU is a 100 year old education charity, chaired in the 1920s by Sir Winston Churchill. The current Chair is Miles Young, Warden of New College, Oxford, and former Worldwide Chair and CEO of creative agency Ogilvy & Mather.
The other Board members are: James Raven of Magdalene College, Cambridge who remains on the Board as one of two elected Deputy Chairs, alongside David Shaw OBE. The others are James Scruby, Barbara Firth, Sarah Hawkins, Richard Humphreys QC, Philip Maunder, Laurence Mutkin, Stephen Purcell and Sue Riley.
On assuming his position on 22 February 2021, Miles Young said ‘I am honoured and excited to be taking up this role. This is a particularly important moment for encouraging speaking and listening skills: they are fundamental to civil society and civilised discourse, but often are not adequately taught just when they are needed all the more. I am particularly interested in ensuring that the most disadvantaged in our society have access to the sort of experience and training that the ESU uniquely offers.’
Further information on the work of the ESU can be found out at www.esu.org whilst the press release for the new Board, elected at the February 2021 AGM can be seen here