Meet our team
Our small and friendly team of six people work closely together to run the Pilgrim Trust and manage our various grant programmes. For general enquiries, please email info@thepilgrimtrust.org.uk.
Sue Bowers MBE
Director, Preservation & Conservation Lead
Sue joined the Pilgrim Trust in 2020 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, where she was most recently Director of Investment and Head of the National Heritage Memorial Fund. She has worked in the heritage and grant giving sectors throughout her career. Starting at the Museums and Galleries Commission, she worked in local government before joining the Heritage Lottery Fund in 1994. Sue has an MA in Museum and Gallery Management, is a Fellow of the Royal Society for the Arts, and a Trustee of the Arvon Foundation and the William Morris Gallery Trust. Sue also leads on the Preservation and Conservation grant programme.
Nik Burdon
Grants Manager, Preservation & Conservation
Nik joined the Pilgrim Trust in 2024 as Grants Manager for the Preservation and Conservation Programme. Nik also works as Relationship Manager, Museums and Cultural Property at Arts Council England where she works with National Portfolio Organisations and on programmes such as MEND (Museum Estate and Development Fund) and Volunteering Futures. She has over 20 years’ experience in the heritage and cultural sector, with previous roles at Museums Libraries Archives Council, Museums Association and Museum of London.
Sonja Forbes
Grants Manager for Social Change
Sonja joined The Pilgrim Trust in 2018 and leads the Trust’s Social Change programme, which currently focuses on young women’s mental health. She has worked in the charity sector for over 15 years and has been involved with programmes to do with criminal justice, youth education, poverty and women and girls. Before joining the Pilgrim Trust, she was a Programme Officer at Buttle UK, a grant giving organisation supporting disadvantaged children and young people.
Justine Michell
PA to the Director
Justine joined the Pilgrim Trust in 2011. She has worked as a PA for over 25 years, moving from the charitable, grant giving sector into investment banking and management consultancy, before returning to the grant giving sector. Justine is responsible for managing the office, supporting the Director and helping potential and existing grantees. She is also manages our grant-making database, Flexigrant.
Meg Moody
Finance Manager
Meg joined the Pilgrim Trust in 2025 as Finance Manager. A Chartered Accountant, she has worked across higher education, property, and professional services in both the UK and Australia. She is committed to making finance accessible and enjoys supporting teams to deliver projects with meaningful impact.
At the Pilgrim Trust, Meg is responsible for overseeing financial management, reporting, and compliance, ensuring the Trust’s resources are used effectively to support its charitable mission.
Caroline O’Dwyer
Communications Manager
Caroline joined the Pilgrim Trust in 2024. She has over 25 years’ experience working on communications and campaigns. As director of communications at youth justice charity Just for Kids Law, she worked on campaigns which influenced national policy and changed the law. She was communications consultant at Youth Futures Foundation, an organisation with a £90m endowment set-up to tackle youth unemployment. She advised on brand, strategic direction and helped to create its Future Voices group, which allows young people to tell their stories and advocate for change. She has corporate comms experience as well as working on grassroots campaigns.
“He hopes that such a gift wisely applied may assist not only in tiding over the present time of difficulty but in promoting her [UK's] future well-being.”