Name: Paul Barrett

Occupation: Retired HS&E Director / Manager, Chartered Chemical Engineer & Safety Professional – Oil & Gas Industry

Role: Swans Trust Secretary

Email: paul.barrett@swanstrust.co.uk

Why did you stand for the office of Trust Secretary? I have been a Swans supporter since the 1966/67 season, and held a season ticket for much of that period.  I’ve been a Trust Member since its inception.  After rotation working overseas (Algeria and Mozambique) for 17 years, before retiring in 2016, I have often thought that I may be able to offer something back to an organisation that I have always truly believed in.

What attributes / skills are you able to bring to the Trust’s administration? I have accumulated plenty of administrative experience, not only from various roles in my professional life, but also from outside work activities.  These have included 10 years as the nominated health & safety governor at my daughter’s primary school, and more recently, 3 years on the committee as vice-captain, captain and currently secretary to the senior section of my golf club. In my new role at the Trust, I would hope to continue to build upon the communication processes that have been established during the Trust’s existence.

How do you feel the Trust can further develop its representation of members and the wider fan base? At present, I don’t think that the Trust can do much more than they’re already doing for the membership. When the Trust’s share dispute with the previous and current owners has been resolved, we can then start to move forward with a much cleaner canvas to work upon. It’s also been exacerbated by the current Covid crisis, limiting not only access to the Liberty Stadium, but also face to face presence with our fan base.