Trustees

Mike Wills has been fascinated by the inland waterways since his teens. Studying economic history helped develop the passion, and early experiences included digging out a disused lock and helping to raise a sunken wooden narrowboat which was subsequently converted into a houseboat. Regular towpath walks and dozens of narrowboat holidays helped him to introduce lots of his family and friends to the waterways. In 2019 he purchased part of a worsted mill and wharf on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal and subsequently has restored it to create a four storey house.

He is a Chartered Accountant and has worked as a senior civil servant, a tax partner in a medium sized practice and has been engaged as a non-executive director or consultant in a number of varied companies ranging from gold refining, electronic product recycling, pet food manufacture and insurance services. Most recent experience has been in setting up, running and subsequently selling a specialised school and as a non-executive director and trustee of a Housing Association.  Mike has also previously spent some years as Chair of Governors of both a primary school and a secondary school.  He was appointed an IWA trustee and a member of Finance Committee in 2022, and IWA National Chair in January 2024.

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