WITH just two weeks to go before construction work begins on the Turner Contemporary a list of people who will be running the gallery has been announced.

As we reported in July former editor of the New Statesman editor John Kampfner was appointed chair of the trust and has spent the last four months building together his team.

Among the new board members are a comedian, a former British ambassador, a school head teacher and Cliftonville hotelier Jane Bishop, who has run the Walpole Bay Hotel for the past 14 years.

The former youth counsellor, who says she is "passionate about the regeneration of Margate," will be joined by Tamsin Dillon, the head of London Underground creative project Art on the Underground, Bridget Edwards, chief executive of the Anne Peaker Centre for the Arts in Criminal Justice, and specialist criminal practitioner Francis FitzGibbon.

Welsh artist Laura Ford, planning, design and regeneration expert Helen Hayes and Kent county councillor Michael Hill will also add their expertise.

In a mixed bag the members will be joined by female stand-up comedian Shazia Mirza, BBC archive director Roly Keating, former British ambassador to the United States Sir David Manning, Sevenoaks School head teacher Katy Ricks, Reeves and Neylan Charted Accountants managing partner Clive Stevens and Invicta FM managing director Neil Webster.

Mr Kampfner said: "Each brings with them specific skills that will provide strong and professional oversight for the organisation. The construction of the gallery will run parallel to the transfer of governance from KCC to the new board."

The first meeting of the board will take place in Margate on November 25.