Jonathan Godfrey joins Hay Festival board

Hay Festival has appointed Jonathan Godfrey OBE, former principal of Hereford Sixth Form College, to its board of directors.

Godfrey is a "leading figure" in UK education, according to Hay. In 2013, he was awarded an OBE for services to education, and last year Hereford Sixth Form College was the inaugural winner of the Times Educational Supplement ‘Sixth Form College of the Year’ award.

After studying Chemistry at Oxford University he gained a Doctorate and was awarded a Post Graduate Diploma in Education there in 1981. He was deputy principal at Worcester Sixth Form College before joining Hereford Sixth Form College as principal from 1997 to this year. The Sunday Times and HR Magazine named him as one of the top five most people-focused c.e.o.s in the public sector, while he has also been chair of the Sixth Form Colleges Association.

His appointment coincides with the festival’s "increased focus" on its growing strand of education work - the Hay Levels series of free educational videos, free Schools Days programming, Hay Festival Academy, and Hay Compass - and follows the appointment of its first education manager, Aine Venables, earlier in the year.

Caroline Michel, chair of Hay Festival, said: “We are thrilled to announce the appointment of Jonathan Godfrey to the Hay Festival board of Directors. Jonathan has been a long-time friend and supporter of the festival. His wealth of expertise in the education sector is an exciting addition as we continue to grow and deepen our work in schools and communities across the country.”

Godfrey said: “Having lived in Hereford for 20 years I have greatly enjoyed coming to Hay Festival. Working with Peter Florence to support the educational work of the festival has been a privilege and a delight and I am very much looking forward to being even further involved as a board member.”