Meet The Board
Silverburn is led by an enthusiastic board of directors who ensure the park remains as an asset for the local community.
Read their stories below.

Morag Dawson

I was born in Edinburgh and have lived in Fife since 1987 and am a graduate of the University of Stirling with a BSc Dip Ed and later a Postgraduate degree from Edinburgh University in Guidance and Counselling.

My career in Education began in 1981, teaching Biology, retiring in 2016 as a Pupil Support Manager. Over this time, I was a firstly responsible for Careers Guidance. I then ran and oversaw the provision of alternative programmes in school for those for whom mainstream education was failing them. I ran the Princes Trust Groups in school. I oversaw the Army course in school and external college programmes. I then managed Stirling Council’s Secondary Specialist Provision for children with severe and complex health and learning needs. Latterly I was charged with arranging transition programmes for all pupils with a particular focus on those in danger of missing out.

I have been a Director of FEAT Trading Community Interest Company since 2020. I am also a Director of BRAG. They work across much of Fife helping disadvantaged communities achieve a more prosperous future. I am currently President of the Rotary Club of Leven, an Elder in my local church and have served on the council of my local Golf Club and Community Library where I currently volunteer. I live close to the sea where I enjoy wild swimming!

Throughout my career I was passionate about supporting disengaged young people back into mainstream education to better place them to progress into a positive future. My passion now is to be able to make a difference in the community in which I live.

Kevin Murray

Silverburn Park has always been a special place for me. I grew up in the area and as such it was a place where spent a lot of my childhood and somewhere I later passed through often, when returning to visit over the years, feeling sad as I witnessed its slow decline, before FEAT and the amazing group of volunteers took on the task of breathing new life into it.

With my background being in financial services undertaking governance, project delivery, risk & stakeholder management, as well as championing wellbeing, diversity and inclusion, it was an ideal opportunity for me to join the CIC Board and use my professional experience to help make the park once again become a place of heart, mind and soul within the local community.

In my spare time I also enjoy walking my dogs, gardening and have a passion for history and the natural environment. 

Dougie Saunders

I am Dunfermline born and moved to Levenmouth at the age of 21 and have now lived in the area for over 45 years. I married a local girl (Pat) and we brought up our two children (Scott and Jill) living in East Wemyss, Windygates and Leven. A favourite place to visit was Silverburn Park, not only the gardens and pet farm, but also playing squash within the Mill building. I also remember fondly the Scout Camps on the Top Lawn and many ‘Training Weekends’ in Silverburn House. I also remember vividly the very large Boys Brigade Marquees on the South Paddock, now the Campsite.

I retired in 2015 following a 38-year career in the Police Service. I joined Fife Constabulary and retired from Police Scotland. During my time with the police, I worked not only in Fife but also with the Scottish Criminal Intelligence Service in Glasgow. I have many wonderful memories of many disciplines throughout my service, including Community Policing, Scenes of Crime, Intelligence, Critical Incident Management and more recently Licensing.

When my son joined the Scout Movement, as a parent I enrolled as a voluntary helper. This saw me spending more years than he did in the movement helping with Cubs, Scouts and during the latter stages international camps at Blair Atholl, Chile, and Thailand.

I enjoy gardening, cycling and photography. In 2020 I offered my help at Silverburn and joined the Friends of Silverburn Park. This group is now over 70 strong with its membership contributing to the future development of the park. Whilst most of our efforts of the last year has been revitalising the pond area, we are now turning our attention to providing play facilities for children and young people within the park.

I am sure that the skills and experience I have acquired throughout the years will assist me in my role as a Board Director with FEAT Trading CIC, taking Silverburn Park forward into a very productive future.

Deborah Watson

I was born in Leven and moved back in 2013 and live with my husband Martin and our two cockapoo dogs.

My personal connection with Silverburn Park is that my grandfather was Provost of Leven when the Estate was handed over to Leven Town Council by the Russell family in the 1970s. I can also remember my father playing squash in the Flax Mill. It was freezing cold!

I retired in 2020. During my career as a Dietitian in the NHS I was involved in multi-agency projects aimed at supporting those with mental health problems. The promotion of health and wellbeing has therefore been a central part of my working life and I am excited by the plans for Silverburn Park and grateful for the opportunity to contribute as a Board Member in any way that I can.

Lesley McDonald

I was very fortunate to have Silverburn on my doorstep when I was growing up in the 90s. My involvement in the board happened after I discovered, as a new campervan owner at that point, there was camping. It meant I could visit family but stay nearby.

The first time driving down the driveway, after around 30 years, I was overcome with emotion and I realised immediately how special a place Silverburn really was. By the time I left after that first camping trip, I had agreed to join the board of directors.

I completed my LLB at Glasgow University, later converting this to English law.

I am a qualified solicitor of England and Wales and have worked for a financial institution for 20 years. The first half of my tenure was spent in employment tribunal litigation; the latter, in Human Resources.

I have sat as a Director on a number of boards over the years and have also supported a number of organisations to address governance issues, employee capability, leadership development and strategy planning.

I have a particular in health and wellbeing, and recently qualified as a gym instructor and personal trainer. I was delighted to be able to deliver Silverburn's very first wellbeing weekend, and look forward to more of them in the years ahead.

Brian Robertson-Fern

I’m now in my 60th year and I have a long history of working in the welfare to work sector. I was raised in Dunfermline and now live in west Fife. My career started as a self-employed builder before I then joined the Scottish Prison Service in 1990. After leaving there as a governor grade in 2000 I then then spent a short time setting up an independent whisky company that I then sold before joining the voluntary sector back in 2002. I have been described as a social entrepreneur having been involved in several new social value ventures having an specific expertise in employability and regeneration within impoverished communities.

As well as being on the Board at Silverburn I’m also the Managing Director of BRAG Enterprises which is one of Scotland oldest social enterprises where we recently opened an enterprise centre in the Levenmouth area. I’m also the current Chair of Glenrothes Y (YMCA) where I have been a long-standing trustee. More recently within my BRAG role I have been the driving force behind Together Levenmouth which now includes the High Street Hub in Leven

My experience with Silverburn is recent but I have stayed at the campsite a few times in my self-built campervan

Geoff Proudlock 

I am currently Director of Faculty of the Faculty of Business, Enterprise, Tourism with Supported Programmes. I have over twenty years’ experience in the education sector. Prior to working in education, I worked in housing where I had various role in the development and provision of social housing, community development and homelessness.

I have over thirty years’ experience of corporate governance having sat and chaired various board and committees in both the public and voluntary sector.

Further details on my professional career and voluntary work can be found on my LinkedIn profile which can be found at https://www.linkedin.com/in/geoffrey-proudlock-180011118/

I moved to Fife in December of 2023 to take up my post at Fife College. I am passionate about ensuring that Fife is a great place to live and work and I am keen to ensure that communities within Fife have access to relevant and quality services and are able to enjoy the natural resources that make Fife so special.

As a resident of Leven, I know how important Silverburn is to the community as a great place to escape from the pressures of daily life. I am excited by the Flax Mill development and I am looking forward to using the skills and experience I have gained to ensure that Silverburn continues to provide an environment where our communities can find opportunities to enjoy this great place.