Cerian Eiles – Executive Director
Cerian Eiles is the Executive Director of Intra Community Trust, leading the regeneration and development the Old High Street Intra conservation area in Medway through community interventions, arts and cultural activity and heritage revitalisation to foster economic development, environmental sustainability and placemaking.
Cerian’s background is in the arts and cultural sectors, with 20+ years’ experience working across the arts sector and with a range of art forms in roles that include strategic fundraising support, organisational development and business planning. She has worked with organisations at all scales, including the National Theatre, and the Old Vic, alongside grassroots organisations such as The People’s Orchestra and Medway African Caribbean Association. Cerian also holds a wealth of experience in capital fundraising and campaign management for major cultural institutions.
She started her career as a performer/ practitioner, designing and delivering projects with and for young people in inner London, exemplified by her long-term work as the Head of Musical Theatre for Theatre Peckham.
Jody Carrington – Project Manager
Jody Carrington is from Rochester and has spent most of her life working in the Intra area.
Co-owner of Poco Loco music bar and Tapas and Tacos restaurant, Jody has a passion for the Intra area, live music, food, drink and Medway in general and the wonderful people that live, perform and work there.
Having become involved in the High St heritage action zone project during Covid, Jody has gone on to become a trustee of the Intra community trust.
Jody is a director of Medway Pride, and along with other members of the ICT, curates the pride fringe festival every year and other cultural events within the Intra area.
Her hope is to see Intra thrive whilst continuing to be a diverse, independent and unique creative place.
Alex Cameron – Chair
Alex Cameron is part of the leadership team at The Vines Church in Rochester and plays an active role across the URC Southern Synod and Churches Together in Medway. Since retiring from a successful career in Avionics Displays in 2020, he has dedicated his time to community regeneration, cultural development, and environmental advocacy across Medway.
He was part of the team that created Medway’s Cultural Strategy and now serves as Co-Chair of the Intra Community Trust, a new initiative supporting inclusive local development. Alex is also involved in the Rochester Eco-Hub and contributes to the Medway’s Climate Change Network, championing sustainability and collaboration.
His creative and strategic work extends into the arts and charitable sectors: he is Chair of the Rochester and West Kent Art Society and a Trustee of Idea Test, a Medway-based charity supporting cultural projects in Medway and Swale.
Janet Fisher – Chair
Janet Fischer FRSA is the CEO of Live Music Now. She is the Hildegard Behrens Foundation Global Humanitarian Entrepreneur of 2019. Prior to joining Live Music Now, she was CEO (maternity) at ACE NPO Poet in the City and CEO of Fulham Opera.
Janet holds an MMus (RNCM) and an MBA, and in addition to her performing work as a soprano, which has included performances in the UK, Europe, Asia and North America and a two-year stint in the West End, Janet is a teacher, producer, and strategy consultant.
Outside of her professional life Janet is long-time volunteer for Crisis UK, an avid triathlete and in her spare time she is restoring her ex-Royal Navy Minesweeper MV Tongham.
Sheila Featherstone – Trustee
Sheila Featherstone has a family business connection with Intra since 1904. She has hands-on experience of historic building restoration, including Chatham House in 2022 with Historic England as part of the HSHAZ. She had a career in marketing and sales in the IT industry, then spent 15 years teaching, prior to managing the ex-Featherstones Department store buildings full time, as 4th generation Featherstone. She has broad commercial experience including working with small businesses and a deep appreciation of heritage and its value to communities. She is the local historian in her village and is also a trustee of two schools.
Robert Flood – Trustee
Robert Flood is a lifelong Medway resident, born at All Saints in Chatham and with family roots in Rochester and Chatham dating back to the 16th century. He runs an audio-visual company based at Chatham Historic Dockyard, providing technical support for events and broadcast productions.
Rob has a lifelong fascination in located and social history, with a particular focus on Chatham Intra and the wider Rochester area. Alongside his professional work, Rob is deeply involved in civic life. In addition to the ICT, he is Chairman and a Trustee of the City of Rochester Society, a Director Oral History Medway CIC and a Director of the Short Bros Aviation Heritage CIC. He is also a committed ally of LGBTQIA+ communities and a supporter of Medway Pride.
Nick Flynn – Trustee
Dr Nick Flynn lives on the old high street Intra. He has been a senior university lecturer, deputy director and director of the Prison Reform Trust, and head of research and development for a national charity working in urban regeneration, and community engagement. He holds a PhD in criminology and a master’s degree in urban policy. He has carried out research in the UK, USA, Russia, and across Europe, publishing on training and employment programmes for the unemployed, offender rehabilitation, crime and place, and public perceptions of crime and justice. He is a member of the advisory panel for the Centre for Policy Research on Men and Boys. He became a trustee of ICT in April 2004.
Irina Fridman – Trustee
Originally from Russia, Irina Fridman has been living in Medway for over two decades. As a Chartered librarian, she is passionate about reading. She worked as a local history librarian in the archives centre for over 10 years, which fuelled her interest in local history, especially Medway social history’s landscape. She has also keen interest in Medway’s creative arts.
Alex Paterson – Trustee
Alex Paterson has been ward councillor for Rochester West & Borstal since 2018. He is Medway Council Cabinet Member for Community Safety, Highways & Enforcement and is communications and campaigns manager for a large inland waterways charity. Alex spent 20 years working as a journalist for the Daily Mirror and its sister titles before moving into political communication and campaigns. Married with a grown-up son and daughter, he has lived in Rochester for more than 20 years and has a keen interest in Medway’s creative arts scene, architecture and social history. He is an Assistant Warden of Rochester Bridge Trust.