Two GA Trustee vacancies open for nominations

A high-quality geography education is essential for future generations, as geography has a critical role in solving many of the global challenges we face.
The Geographical Association is looking for two new Elected Trustees to join its Board of Trustees from 1 September 2026.

Details and nomination form are here.

The Board of Trustees meets three times a year in Sheffield, London and online. It comprises 14 Trustees and has responsibility for providing strategic direction and sound governance for the Association.

Elected Trustees serve an initial four-year term with the possibility of continuing for a second term if supported by the Board. GA Trustee positions are not remunerated but travel and subsistence expenses are reimbursed. Nominees for the role of Elected Trustee must be members of the GA and will be asked to show that they actively uphold and support the aims, values and mission of the Association.

Trustees welcome the nominations of colleagues from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences that can strengthen and complement the existing Board of Trustees. 

For example, this might include those in their early/mid teaching career stage, school leaders, primary colleagues and/or those with experience of leading the geography programme of a MAT.

The deadline for the current round of nominations is Monday 4 May 2026. 

If you have any questions about being a GA trustee, please contact the current Chair of Trustees, Alastair Owens via a.j.owens@qmul.ac.uk.

The GA's new Strategy 2026-2031

Every five years the Geographical Association releases a new Strategy.

I was involved in the creation of the previous strategy during my time as GA Vice President and President. It involves the Governing Body.

More than ever, young people need to be geographically literate in order to respond positively to a world of changing challenges and opportunities.

Geography helps young people better understand their world and how to successfully live within it.

The Geographical Association’s (GA) strategy for 2026–31 responds to these challenges. We will focus on three priorities:

• Advocating for the value of geography
• Supporting teachers
• Supporting the next generation of geographers

Read the full document from the link on this page.

There is a new Vision and Purpose.

GA Strategy 2025-2030 consultation open

While serving on the GA Governing Body I was involved in lengthy discussions as we developed the 2020-2025 Strategy and the language around supporting educators and developing the work of the Association.

The discussions for the next five year strategy are underway, and there's a chance for you to be involved.

The @The_GA launched a consultation our developing 2025-30 strategy at #GAConf25. & everyone is invited to contribute on the link below. We've already had loads of feedback & welcome your comments too.

More info & how to respond ⬇️https://t.co/Sw0TqZuDBf...

— Steve Brace (@SteveBraceGeog) April 19, 2025

You have until the 16th of May at 4pm to answer the questions.

Here are the questions:

 

Elected Trustee roles - deadline 9th May

When I was going through the GA Presidential cycle I served as a Trustee for 4 years. Prior to that I had spent fourteen years serving on the Secondary Phase Committee.

Both of these are options if you want to get more involved in the running of the Association.

The Geographical Association has a chance for you to get involved as a GA Trustee - an elected trustee.

The current Governing Body is here.

The deadline is in early May.

Ending my GA Presidential journey

Today is the final day of my GA Presidential journey. It's been emotional...

I've previously blogged about myself when I started as President.

I started my involvement with the GA Secondary Phase Committee around 2004-5, thanks to Rob Lodge who got me involved, and this was when I first encountered Alan Kinder, who was co-chair for a while. I later worked for the GA for three years - starting there 15 years ago tomorrow.

Thanks to everyone involved in the last four years of my Presidential journey, who has supported me in the process - there's a lot of people I could mention here from fellow Trustees, volunteers and those who serve on the committees and SIGs, staff at Solly Street and all those who are GA members. It's been a privilege. It's also my last day of four years as a Trustee and serving on the Governing Body, having also been Chair of Education Group for a year as well, and with previously working on the Secondary Phase Committee for about ten years on and off... and also writing the GA Webwatch column for about twelve years.

I hope I've pushed the idea of Quotidian geographies a little more into the spotlight. I think the GA has certainly changed during my time in the Presidential cycle.

Special mention to Jeremy Krause for his encouragement before and kind words after. Also thanks to Paula Owens and Steve Rawlinson for the original 'push': a few years earlier than I was originally planning.

I shall continue to develop the blog and add more stories from the archives and updates on Presidents as I find them, or they are communicated to me. I hope the project might one day find its way into a different (perhaps even printed or extended digital) form when I have time to do it a little more justice and carry out the necesary research. I need to renew my British Library Reading Room membership which lapsed just after the pandemic.

It's over to Denise Freeman and Hina Robinson tomorrow for the next couple of years of female teacher Presidents - there have been very few of those, so feel free to throw your hat into the ring.

Keep an eye out for your chance to put yourself forward to be GA President in 2025-2026.

Nominations will be asked for before too long.

Image: Selfie taken as I left the University of Guildford campus following my GA Presidential conference in 2022... a job well done.... 

Word cloud of Presidents updated too...

Quick trivia quiz question: Which three surnames have been shared by more than one President?

Thanks to Bob Digby for the mention too...

Today several colleagues finish their terms in trustee roles @The_GA...

A very big thank you to Olwen Lintern-Smyth our outgoing chair, @bobdigby Honorary Treasurer, Sue Holden, @GeoBlogs Immediate Past President, and Dan Cowling, for their vision, commitment and hard work! pic.twitter.com/ah232Ye7Je

— Alastair Owens (@AlastairHackney) August 31, 2023

GA Governing Body vacancies for September 2023

 After four years as a trustee as part of my Presidential journey through the GA, my term in office comes to an end at the end of August 2023.

At the same time, there is also the end of a term of office for several other GA colleagues who I have worked with for the last four years. This means that there some vacancies on the GA's Governing Body, which is of course a good training ground for those who may have ambitions to become more involved with the Association and give back to the association and perhaps ultimately put themselves forward for Election for GA President.

There are actually four vacancies to be filled, which carry different responsibilities.

You can read more about them on the GA website page, and the links here.

Chair of Trustees

Honorary Treasurer

Elected Trustees

Co-opted trustee

For those who may have previously suggested that the GA and its Governing Body needs to become more inclusive and diverse, this is your opportunity!

Happy to answer any questions about the roles and the wider work of the GA's Governing Body if anyone is interested in finding out more.

I will blog my thanks to some of those people who are leaving GB later in the year...