Press Release 1 October 2025
The Guild of Handicraft Trust, which runs Court Barn Museum, is delighted to announce that Christopher Rodrigues CBE has been appointed Chair of its Board of Trustees.
He will take over from Mary Greensted, who has been interim Chair since Peter Taylor stood down from the role in 2023.
Christopher is the son of two Royal Ballet dancers and has had a lifelong passion for the Arts. He has pursued this in parallel with a long and successful international business career in financial services and tourism.
He has chaired the British Council, the Royal Ballet School and the Almeida Theatre and was first a Council member and then Trustee of the National Trust.
In 2007 he was awarded a CBE in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours for services to British business interests and charitable works in the UK and USA.
Speaking of his appointment, Christopher said ‘As a 40 year Cotswold resident I was already aware of the importance of Arts and Crafts in the 20th century history of the area. Now, as I move to Chipping Campden, this role will allow me to support the Court Barn team of staff and volunteers as they share the story of a maker-centric art form as relevant today as it was 125 years ago.1
GoHT interim Chair Mary Greensted commented ‘I was so pleased to meet Christopher and talk through our vision for the future development of Court Barn. I am excited to leave it in his capable hands and look forward to working with him and the wider team in the coming years which are crucial for the museum’s future.’
Curator, Sarah McCormick Healy added ‘All of us at Court Barn, staff and volunteers, are immensely looking forward to working closely with Christopher. He becomes our Chair of Trustees as we develop our plans for the Museum’s 20th anniversary in 2027 and the 125th anniversary of the C.R. Ashbee’s Guild of Handicraft arriving in Chipping Campden in 1902. Christopher’s leadership will help shape a dynamic programme of exhibitions, events, and community engagement initiatives that honour the museum’s rich heritage while looking boldly to the future.’
