Trustees

David Budge (Chair of Trustees)

David has had a dual career as a commissioned army officer and a businessman, working in the British & European Aerospace industry in the role of a General Manager and Director, latterly as an International Executive Consultant. He holds an MSc from Cranfield University. He competed in the National Junior Ski Championships in 1964. It wasn’t until joining the British Army that he seriously trained as an alpine competitive skier. Throughout his military career he raced in numerous Military & Inter-Services Championships. He was UK Army Alpine Ski champion in 1975. He also trained as a cross-country skier during an attachment with The Royal Norwegian Army. His father, Vincent Budge, was a founding member and highly active Trustee of the Skiers Trust, having been the UK FIS representative for Biathlon & Pentathlon and responsible for establishing and running of the British Biathlon Team over the several Winter Olympics and World & European Championships.

Richard Berry

Richard was a member of the British Ski Team in the 1960s. Skiing has been a major part of his life. He followed with the Director of Skiing role at Swiss ski resort, Lauchernalp Valais, where he studied snow management and race-course preparation eventually pioneering the use of water injection for race-courses and revolutionising snow preparation equipment and techniques. He remains the only foreigner to have ever been asked to organise the National Championships of any alpine nation, in this case Switzerland. He has been Alpine Director of the British Ski Federation, a member of the world governing body FIS’s Alpine and Classification committees, a FIS Technical Director (TD), chair of the British TD Committee and Chief of Race at over 40 British and International Race events. He is BASI qualified and a life member. He founded the annual British Schoolboys Race Championships. Richard was involved in the early days of the Skiers Trust and has led it as Chairman for over twenty years. His expertise and experience remain central to our grant award judgements today.

Gareth Mason

Gareth’s career began in construction and spanned senior executive management in a variety of sectors, latterly in professional services. He holds an MBA from Cranfield University. Brought up to love playing competitive sports, he got the skiing bug in his twenties and hasn’t missed a season since (barring interruption by the covid pandemic!). If he has a bias at all then it is for snowsports to help the less fortunate in our society, particularly those with special educational needs.

Ingrid Christophersen MBE

Ingrid's MBE in 2007 reads “for services to skiing” which should be read as a major triumph of British understatement. Her contribution to British snowsports cannot be underestimated. After competing with the British Alpine Ladies’ Team, she became its manager for a number of years. She went on to teach at the British Mountaineering Centre in Scotland before becoming an International Trainer at the Austrian State Ski School. She managed the British Children’s Team for many years. As an instructor, she gained the top BASI Alpine qualification and BASI’s Nordic qualification. As Racing and Training Manager of the DHO Ski Club she has played a major role in bringing young people through to competing for their country. For many years, a highly active member of world governing body FIS’s Ladies’ Alpine Skiing, Alpine Youth & Children and Alpine Citizen committees, she remains an honorary member of FIS’s Ladies Alpine Skiing committee. As a FIS Technical Delegate (TD) for Speed Skiing, Alpine and Nordic events she organised and manage FIS race events worldwide. She is a BASI life member. Ingrid has been at the heart of the Skiers Trust for countless years with an enthusiasm across the spectrum of using snowsports to help young people. Her experience and good judgement remain central to our direction and grant awards today.

Peter Lowe

Peter is an Investment Director of Rathbones and a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI). Peter speaks a number of languages and has a degree in French & Swedish with Economics. Having spent his formative years in Italy he had plenty of exposure to skiing and most alpine sports. He is also a keen cyclist, enjoys coastal walking and open water swimming.