The team has had various help and advice along the way but 8 key people had formed the Steering Group by the middle of 2022, that would pave the way for the Chequers to re-open. At the point of the first RCCBS AGM in June 2024, the group became officially known as the Management Committee having been elected formally to represent shareholders.
The RCCBS Steering Group in 2023
Left to right: Clive Adams, Richard Woolley, Josie Nixon, Jon Lambert, Emma Swift, Sam Metson, Ian Wren, Nick Swift.
Richard and Josie have since retired from the committee in 2024 and 2025 respectively, having being part of the founding members of the project.
The Management Committee in 2024 advertising the 2nd share offer
Left to right: Nick Swift, Emma Drakeford, Richard Woolley (retired), Josie Nixon, Clive Adams, Jon Lambert, Sam Metson
Emma Drakeford was elected onto the committee in 2024. Emma Swift and Ian Wren unfortunately missed this particular photo opportunity!
“If you want to help us in any capacity and be part of the Management Committee come and have a chat. We are always looking for people to help with the ongoing maintenance of running the Roxwell Chequers Community Benefit Society for Shareholders. We never get to the end of the to-do list!”
Emma SWIFT (COMMUNICATIONS ENGAGEMENT & MEMBERSHIP OFFICER)
Biographies of our current Management Committee
Clive Adams (Building Renovation Project Manager)
Clive is a structural engineer undertaking a wide range of civil, building and structural engineering projects. He brings to the team a range of skills and knowledge related to all aspects of the construction process – feasibility studies, construction costs, contract administration etc. He also has project management experience from concept design to construction. As a keen member of CAMRA, including a judge on the Best Essex Pub competition, he is enthusiastic in developing a successful future for The Chequers. He was re-elected onto the committee in 2025 by members.
Emma Drakeford (Lead Procurement Officer)
Emma moved to Roxwell and has lived next door to the Chequers for the last 17 years so it was obviously a big part of her life, from catching up with friends, meeting new ones, watching rugby and just enjoying being part of the community.
She is Vice-Chairman of Roxwell Parish Council and cares very deeply about this great village we live in. She spent over 35 years in the Insurance and Reinsurance market in the City and has worked across many areas of the business during my career, she
feels she has varied and useful skills to offer to the Management Committee.
She believes it will be wonderful for the village to have the Chequers back open again as a place that everyone can enjoy, it has been greatly missed. She was re-elected onto the committee in 2025 by members.
Jon Lambert (Treasurer)
Jon has lived in the village for 9 years and brings more than 20 years of project management skills to the group along with a finance background. As a Member of the Association of Project Managers his professional knowledge from numerous major engineering projects helps the group focus on the many dimensions of the community pub project. He has held a number of voluntary roles with Chelmsford Hockey Club including Secretary and Facilities Manager during a successful £1.5m National Lottery Grant and subsequent building program. He still runs their successful annual beer festival.
Sam Metson (Chair)
Sam grew up in Roxwell and lives in Radley Green, where his family farm at Pooty Pools and Colleybridge Farm. He bought his first legal pint in The Chequers and is passionate about the need to secure its future as the social hub of the village. Sam is a Partner at Bidwells, a multidisciplinary property consultancy, where he practises as a Chartered Town Planning consultant. In a previous voluntary role, Sam was F&GP Chair of the Essex County Federation of Young Farmers Clubs and helped secure the purchase and conversion of a redundant building to create a new County Headquarters, which remains in use today.
Emma Swift (Community Engagement & Membership Secretary)
A resident of Roxwell for over 10 years Emma has a background in IT, currently working on strategy initiatives for financial services and identifying beneficial new technologies. Emma is a professional member of the British Computer Society. She worked previously with the retail and logistic sectors in areas such as marketing analysis, reporting and forecasting and customer analysis. Her voluntary work includes designing the initial database for the Roxwell Archive and supporting several small and medium enterprises with developing or migrating their websites. Her marketing and social communication networking skills significantly help the group in their work to inform and gather key information and data. A village with a pub was a key factor in Emma moving to Roxwell and she is committed to getting it reopened. In 2025, she also took up the role of Membership Secretary.
Nick Swift (Secretary, Grant Funding Lead)
Nick is a Chartered Engineer, with a broad range of experience gained over thirty years in Industry. He has lived in the village for over ten years with his wife Emma. In his spare time, Nick plays French Horn, and has served as Treasurer for his local community orchestra. Nick is a member of CAMRA and is passionate about real ale.
Ian Wren (Lead Volunteer Co-ordinator)
Ian moved to Roxwell with his family in 2002 and has been involved in many community groups and activities – serving on Memorial Hall committees, village Olympics, village volleyball team. He served 30 years in the London Fire Brigade retiring as a watch manager. He was subsequently re-employed as a trainer in the fire service. Ian and other family members have worked in The Chequers covering their previous owners holiday periods so has a reasonable knowledge of the day to day running of the pub. Experienced in all areas of the building process through completion of numerous projects within the village.