Elizabeth Crilly
CEO and Founder
This Centre is important for Killyleagh. The life of Hans Sloane shows us the importance of curiosity, ambition, determination and enterprise in us all.
This Centre will have succeeded if the people of Killyleagh and its surrounds can take on this message and make use of the Centre. The Centre will be a place that helps people of all ages explore, learn and enjoy just how great Killyleagh is – its people past and present and the beautiful environment.
We hope many will enjoy visiting and taking part in what it offers in STEM, the Arts, our Culture and Heritage and the diverse communities that grow here.
As well as setting up the Sir Hans Sloane Centre, Elizabeth is involved in STEM Education and Physics Education research.
Elizabeth studied Pure and Applied Physics at Queens University Belfast and Medical Physics at Aberdeen University. She has worked in a number of research positions in industry and with Cambridge, Surrey, Leeds and Hull universities. Latterly she promoted STEM while raising her four children who are following careers in Science, Medicine and Education.
Lorraine Lawson
Trustee
Lorraine is a local business woman and proprietor of Kingfisher Crafts Gallery on Killyleagh High Street.
After a successful 30-year career in public service Lorraine turned her interests to the arts sector through silver- smithing. This culminated in setting up the Kingfisher Crafts Gallery.
Kingfisher champions local arts and crafts. It has become a shopping destination for locals and visitors alike in their search for beautiful objets d’art. Everything from jewellery, paintings, sculpture, fabric and crafts all juxtaposed to form a whole that adds up to an enjoyable browsing experience.
Recognised as a strong advocate for Killyleagh and the Strangford Lough area, Lorraine was asked to join Killyleagh Development Association and serves on the committee as secretary.
With business acumen and experience of the tourist footprint of Killyleagh, Lorraine believes that the Sir Hans Sloane Centre will be a welcomed addition as a tourist hub for Killyleagh and the Strangford area. A showcase of the many great attributes of the town and beyond.
Richard Cushnie
Richard Cushnie grew up on Killyleagh’s Shore Road and returned to the village in 2003. Richard was appointed Director of the NI Bureau Washington in August 2024 having had an extensive career in the NI Civil Service. Interestingly,
Richard was previously Deputy Director of the Bureau from 2017 to 2020 so he has worked in Washington during the time of the 45th President of the United States of America and now the 47th!
He also worked as a journalist in England before joining the civil service and he has degrees in English and in Public Administration. “In America I saw how communities working together could transform lives.
It is great to be part of the Hans Sloane Centre as it builds on a similar spirit in Killyleagh.”
MARTIN J CRAIGS
Martin was born in England but has had a cherished home in County Down since 1969. Martin is an alumnus of a diverse set of educational institutes Millfield School, Somerset, UoU & Open University, Belfast, INSEAD Paris, Columbia NYC & Cambridge University.
He spent most of his career overseas , primarily in Asia selling airliners for Short Bros, Saab & BAE/ Airbus. Based in Hong Kong 1985 -2002, where his sons Kain & Kallam were born, he watched with them “ The 1997 Handover” at close range.
After working and visiting over 100 countries , Martin took the luxury of semi retiring to NI in 2014, making available his time for good causes.
Today he takes pleasure in his roles as a Trustee of QUB Literific Debating Society (est 1850) & the Hans Sloane Centre with ongoing international advocacy and mentoring as Ambassador @ World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC.org)
Martin’s legacy ambition is to see more young people being better equipped to relate to, and talk up, their NI birthplace’ added global value. An insightfully imagineered STEM focussed & well funded homage to Sir Hans is emblematic of that.
He has enjoyed supporting the Hans Sloane Centre project in reshaping his experiences in research, advocacy & event delivery as Founder of The Aerospace Forum Asia ( AFA) & CEO of Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA).
MELANIE GRIMSLEY
Melanie is an advocate specialising in access to justice, with a particular focus on equality, visible difference, and educational provision for children with special educational needs. She holds a First-Class Honours degree in Law and a Master’s in Access to Justice from Ulster University.
Her work sits at the intersection of advocacy, education, and social justice. She believes all young people deserve not only access to education, but meaningful engagement with the richness of the world around them, including local history, science, and the natural environment.
Melanie is especially drawn to Sir Hans Sloane’s collections, his observations of nature and his remarkable commitment to public access which laid the foundation for the British Museum.
She is passionate about making historical figures like Sir Hans Sloane accessible to new generations, not as distant names in textbooks, but as real people of curiosity, contribution, and influence. She believes that reconnecting children with stories rooted in their own communities helps foster a sense of place, possibility, and identity.
Roll of Honour
Acknowledging all the direct help, support and encouragement from this fantastic bunch of people: