The Office Team
Our management and administration staff are based in our office in Talgarth.
Simon Evans, Chief Executive Officer
Simon is an environmental scientist who joined us from the Westcountry Rivers Trust in 2004. His initial role was Deputy Director before becoming Chief Executive in 2016. He has been involved with all aspects of our work over the years from liming headwaters to project management, building project bids and the day-to-day of running the Foundation. An avid fisherman, his passion is improving rivers and how our soils are managed.
Wendy Lodge, Office Manager
Wendy joined the Foundation in 2004 to deal with the fishing bookings and general administration. Now, as Office Manager, she looks after the general bookkeeping, HR and other office management issues. She has a passion for the environment and conservation.
Allyson Williams, Fishing Passport Manager
Allyson joined the Foundation in 2006 and is usually the first person you will talk to at the Foundation on the phone or if coming to our office. Initially employed to assist with administration tasks in general for the Foundation, the rapid expansion of the Passport meant her role quickly developed more towards the day to day running of the fishing scheme, advising anglers on how and where to book. Recently, she has also started co-ordinating and designing websites for affiliate organisations.
Shannon Price, Administration Officer
Shannon joined the Foundation at the beginning of 2020 as an Administration Officer. Her role varies from dealing with the fishing bookings, general administration tasks, supporting head of finance, GIS mapping and fundraising tasks. Shannon is very passionate about the environment and has previously gained a BSc Geography degree from Aberystwyth University. Outside of work, Shannon is always off hiking and exploring across stunning Welsh landscapes.
Yingquan Lin, Finance Officer
Ying Joined the Foundation at September of 2023 as a Finance officer. Her role is mainly handling purchase invoices, supporting the Head of Finance, and covering the fishing bookings. Ying was born in China and came to Wales in 2004 to complete her Master’s degree in Business Management. She now has a family of her own, with her husband and two lovely daughters. Outside of work, she loves reading, movies, and cooking.
Wendy Ogden, Business Development & Catchment Market Lead
Wendy Ogden joined WUF at the start of April 2023 as Programme Manager for Land Use and Natural Capital. Wendy has many years of experience of project management gained through a career in public sector finance and academy school business management at a senior level. More recently she has worked in sustainable development after completing a Masters Degree in Environmental Management and has published academic research in riverine pollution and floodplain ecosystem services.
Jonathan Fry, Chief Operating Officer
More info soon…
Helen Pruett, Fundraising and Citizen Science Support
Helen joined the Foundation in August 2023, having spent almost twelve years working as a Community Fundraiser for another Welsh charity, where she was also responsible for recruiting and coordinating a team of volunteers in Mid Wales. Prior to that, she was a secondary school teacher of modern languages and holds a BA Joint Honours Degree in French and German as well as a Post Graduate Certificate of Education.
Helen is a nature lover who would always rather be outdoors than indoors. When not at work, she is a keen cook with a particular interest in Indian cuisine.
Martin Cray, Head of Media and Comms
Martin has worked in the media for over 30 years. Starting in photography, he worked in advertising before moving into film and TV. A passionate conservationist, he has made award winning nature films and manages a moor above the Usk Valley
Jonathan Ray, Finance Director
More info soon…
The Habitat Team
The Foundation’s habitat staff work out in the catchments twelve months of the year, come rain or shine. In the winter, the work involves mostly fencing and coppicing, while in the summer months we concentrate more on liming and fish pass work.
Our current Habitat Team consists of:
Lee Perola, Habitat Team Member
Lee has worked for the Foundation since 2006 and has been involved with habitat improvement, water quality and fish access projects all over the Wye and Usk catchments.
Meyrick Ames, Habitat Team Leader
Meyrick has been with the Foundation for 19 years and has been involved in nearly every major outdoor project we have undertaken. He is skilled in using nearly every type of machinery required for river restoration. Meyrick has another string to his bow too: a graduate in graphic design, many of the photos featured in this website are his.
Louis Macdonald-Ames, Head of Operations
Louis is probably more office-based these days but he is the one who manages all the Foundation’s physical outdoor work, including H&S and consenting. Having gained a Higher National Diploma in Fisheries Management from Sparsholt College, Louis has worked on rivers all his life and has a wealth of knowledge in everything fisheries-related.
Wayne Richards, Habitat Team Member
More info soon…
Catchment Advisor & Nature Based Solutions Teams
Working in the catchment with farmers and landowners takes a certain type of person: someone who is dynamic; who has a thorough understanding of agriculture and a real passion for the rivers we seek to protect.
Our advisors identify opportunities to improve farm infrastructure and land management that are beneficial to both the business as well as the environment.
Catchment-wide Approach
In line with an ethos that has guided WUF since its inception, we work through our projects on a catchment by catchment basis to tackle the causes, not just the symptoms of diffuse pollution. We try to work with every farm in a catchment and our advice therefore covers a broad range of topics. It needs to be tailored to the requirements of each individual farm.
Guiding Principles
Quite often, the work of our advisors is a distance from a river. However, all their endeavours are to the benefit of the rivers and towards achieving the Foundation’s charitable objects.
Find out more about their work here.
Nature Based Solutions
Nature Based solutions is a new but rapidly expanding area of the Foundation. The department was started in 2020 and continues to grow.
Izzy Love, Project Manager – Nature Based Solutions
Izzy joined the Foundation in April 2021 after graduating with a BSc in Physical Geography and MSc in Geographic Information and Climate Change. Following a year of working in the Foundation, Izzy worked within the water industry, before returning to the Wye & Usk Foundation in September 2022 as a Senior Natural Capital Officer.
She has experience in working on a range of environmental projects from co-ordination to delivery, including the planning and development of constructed wetlands, HRA monitoring and riverine habitat improvement schemes. She is also involved in other project areas including natural flood management, biodiversity enhancement and spatial data mapping, with experience in conducting river habitat surveys, biodiversity net gain assessments, and the use of several natural capital metrics.
Her role at the Foundation involves identifying and developing opportunities to implement catchment interventions and nature-based solutions within the Wye and Usk catchments to target key environmental issues, including pollution and flooding, to benefit both people and nature.
Dreda Darling, Natural Capital Officer
Dreda joined the foundation in 2020 having gained a BSc in Zoology and an MSc in Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture at the University of Exeter. She grew up on a mixed farm on the banks of the Wye and has spent the last few years working as a freelance cook. As such she is passionate about all things food, farming and conservation.
Initially working as part of the Monitoring team, Dreda now divides her time between Natural Capital and Farm teams, working on projects to identify and deliver natural capital opportunities within the Wye and Usk catchments.
Chloe Dixon, Natural Capital Officer
Chloe is a Geology and Physical Geography graduate from the University of Edinburgh, with a Masters in Paleobiology from the University of Bristol. Previously Chloe has published work on dinosaur fossils in Scotland and the impact of oil spills on marine ecosystems. Chloe has also been involved in outreach projects, including developing teaching materials for the Scottish curriculum and delivered classes to schools about biodiversity and interdependence.
Chloe joined the Foundation in April 2022 as a Natural Capital Officer, she is involved in areas such as wetland feasibility and design, and opportunity mapping to identify potential for natural capital and specifically Natural Flood Management (NFM) within the Wye and Usk catchments.
Katie Parkinson, Project Manager – Nature Based Solutions
Katie grew up on a dairy farm in England and is passionate about wildlife, biodiversity and holistic grazing management on the farm. She has previously worked in the agri-tech sector with a focus on sustainable agriculture. She joined the foundation in April 2022 as a Natural Capital Officer and now undertakes project management and catchment advisory work in both the Usk and Wye catchments.
Katie is BASIS FACTS qualified.
Jenny Bashford, Catchment Lead (England)
More info soon…
Sian Mercer, Catchment Lead (Wales)
More info soon…
Majid Khan, Catchment Advisor
More info soon…
Robin Ransome, Catchment Advisor
More info soon…
Kate Thomas, Catchment Advisor
More info soon…
Jess Radnor, Catchment Advisor
Jess joined the team of Catchment Advisors at the foundation in January 2024, she grew up in rural Herefordshire and studied Animal Management at Hartpury College. Since finishing college in 2018 she has worked on a small mixed farm and in retail while continuing to follow her passion for regenerative agriculture.
Outside of work Young Farmers is a big part of Jess’ life and has taught her a multitude of different skills. She has taken on a variety of different voluntary roles in her time in YFC like being Club Chairman of her local club and being Herefordshire County Training Officer. She hopes to put those skills to good use delivering on projects across border of the catchment.
Lucinda Lewis, Catchment Advisor
Lucinda has lived and worked in Herefordshire for most of her life. She studied ecology at Birmingham University then trained and worked for 18 years as an agronomist which provides an invaluable knowledge base for nutrient management and crop nutrition. When not on Foundation duties Lucinda and her family farm in Dilwyn.
Lucinda is FACTS and BASIS Soil & Water qualified.
Jonathan Pugh, Catchment Advisor
Jonny grew up in the small village of Llanfihangel Talyllyn near Brecon and has been with the Foundation for 12 Years. Having originally worked as a habitat team leader, Jonny brings a lot of experience to the farm team in relation to practical work to improve habitat alongside watercourses.
When not at work Jonny helps his father with his agricultural contracting business and the family also farm a small flock of sheep. His agricultural background means he is well equipped to work with farmers and is keen to help support changes that are a benefit to both rivers and the farm business.
He is BASIS Soil & Water qualified.
Tom Jolley, Catchment Advisor
Having gained an Honours degree in Marine Science and Masters in Fisheries Biology and Management, Tom worked for many years as a researcher focusing mainly on sub-Saharan and tropical fisheries where he helped to deliver many pragmatic solutions in the field.
Following a few years in the renewable energy industry and coming home to settle in Wales, Tom is now one of the Foundation’s Catchment Advisors working cross border. One of Tom’s main interests is the use of “off stream” livestock watering options, facilitated by the use of renewable energy technologies.
Tom has been fishing since he was ten years old and is BASIS Soil & Water qualified.
Bridie Whittle, Catchment Advisor
Bridie grew up on a dairy farm in Herefordshire and was passionate about farming from a young age. She graduated from Seale Hayne with a BSc Ag (hons) and has spent time working on dairy, livestock and arable farms, set up an organic poultry (eggs) business on the family farm and spent the last 12 years working for the Soil Association, inspecting organic farms across Wales and the borders.
She now lives with her family close to the river Wye near Hay on Wye and works with farmers in the catchment on the Welsh side of the border.
Ben Nott, Catchment Advisor
Ben joined the Wye and Usk Foundation in 2019 after finishing university with a BSc and MSc in Exercise Science and Human Physiology. After nearly 10 years living in Cardiff for university and work, Ben is now living back on the family farm near the Wyre Forest in Worcestershire with his wife and young children. He splits his time between practising and promoting sustainable agriculture with a passion for spreading the soil health bug.
He now lives with her family close to the river Wye near Hay on Wye and works with farmers in the catchment on the Welsh side of the border.
The Monitoring Team
The Foundation’s monitoring staff work out in the catchments twelve months of the year, come rain or shine.
They test the rivers for things like phosphorus, oxygen levels, nutrients, flows and temperature, to assess the effects of issues and interventions.
Our current Monitoring Team consists of:
James Hawkins, Head of Monitoring
James joined the Foundation in 2021 as part of the Natural Capital team, having previously worked for DEFRA. He has been involved in our work with Integrated Constructed Wetlands for nutrient reduction, as well as developing our capacity for Natural Flood Management (NFM) which is a rapidly developing area of current environmental work. He has now taken over the role of Head of Monitoring, where he oversees our monitoring work across all of our projects, as well as looking for new opportunities for WUF to develop data gathering and technical capacity.
Jamie Carruth, Monitoring Team
After graduating with an MSci in Marine and Freshwater Biology from the University of Glasgow in 2023, Jamie quickly began working as a Monitoring and Data Officer within our monitoring department. With previous relevant experience gained working with the Loch Lomond Fisheries Trust, Jamie was able to take over as the lead in the Wye and Usk Foundation’s electrofishing campaign as well as responsibility for the Foundation’s wide-ranging water quality monitoring. Combined with this role, Jamie is also the primary manager of data collected across the majority of projects carried out by the Foundation.
Trustees
Charlie Newington-Bridges, Chairman
Charlie Newington-Bridges is a barrister specialising in commercial and chancery work. Before retraining as a barrister he spent 15 years in investment banking latterly as a director of ABN Amro’s European equities business. He is a trustee and vice-president of a large educational endowment fund. A keen, but at best moderately successful salmon and trout fisherman, he also loves running long distances particularly up and down the Black Mountains and Brecon Beacons. He lives in Monmouthshire, close to the river Usk. Charlie became Chairman of the Foundation in March 2019.
Elizabeth Passey, Trustee
Elizabeth was the Foundation’s Chairman from 2012 to March 2019. She is Chairman of the Rural Payments Agency and a past Board Member of the National Lottery Community Fund. She grew up in Herefordshire on the banks of the River Arrow.
Michael Timmis, Trustee
Michael Timmis is Chairman of a £60m turnover timber products company. He has fished on the Wye since 1960 and travels to Iceland, Russia and Scotland in pursuit of salmon. Michael was Chairman of Wye Salmon Fishery Owners Association from 2013 to 2015 and is a Director of the Upper Oykel Fishings Ltd.
Peter Horsburgh, Trustee
Peter Horsburgh is the founding partner and chairman of London based Environmental Technologies Fund which manages €250m. He had previously over 30 years experience of European & US growth company advisory & investment work in, particularly, technology with Matrix Corporate Finance, PaineWebber Intl (UK) Ltd, now part of UBS, and at NatWest Markets Inc. Peter is a graduate of Trinity College, Oxford; is a member of the UK Parliamentary Renewable & Sustainable Energy Group (PRASEG); has served on the European Advisory Board of the Cleantech Venture Network and is a member of the British Venture Capital Association’s (BVCA) Energy, Environmental & Technology Group. He lives on the banks of the Wye at Erwood and has fished the river since boyhood. He’s fished a further 30+ rivers in the British Isles and all over the world particularly now in Iceland and British Columbia.
Matt Taylor, Trustee
Matt Taylor lives on the banks of the Wye in Herefordshire, cares passionately about the health of the rivers and regularly walks and fishes in the area. After studying for a M.Phil in Environment and Development, he has spent over 25 years working in communications roles for multinational companies and is currently Head of Communications for EDF, the French energy company.
Charles De Winton, Trustee
More info soon…
Alan Johnson, Trustees
Alan has been a fisherman all his life. He was brought up beside the Tweed and in the Isle of Skye. Having studied medicine in Edinburgh and travelled extensively he was then a surgeon in Birmingham for 30 years. He is now an organic livestock farmer in Worcestershire, a member of the Dudley Clinical Commissioning Group and Secretary of the Midland Flyfishers Club.
He has never lost his love of fishing and the environment. After witnessing first-hand the destruction of the wild sea trout population in the West Highlands, he believes that wild fisheries are acutely endangered and that without vociferous advocacy they could cease to exist. He regards the Wye & Usk Foundation as a highly successful advocate for wild fish and their habitat.
Rupert Edwards, Trustee
Rupert Edwards lives in the home in which he grew up, on the Grwyne Fawr in the Black Mountains, where he occasionally catches a brown trout. Having spent 15 years in finance at JPMorgan, he took at an MSc in Environmental Technology at Imperial College, and then worked in investment/advisory firm Climate Change Capital. He has spent the last 10 years working on environmental economics and finance policy issues, particularly related to climate change and conservation, including as Senior Advisor to US NGO Forest Trends and as a consultant to the World Bank.
Fiona Hillman, Trustee
Fiona Hillman is an organic dairy farmer and keen fisherman, living and farming for over 30 years beside a beautiful stretch of the river Usk near Abergavenny. She is a Nuffield Scholar with particular interest in sustainable farming and food production. She considers the work of the Wye and Usk Foundation important in helping farmers achieve this, and thereby also improve the health of our rivers.
Richard Norman, Trustee
Rich Norman is a Herefordshire farmer, farming a 500 cow dairy herd, 4 broiler sheds and a 500kw Anaerobic digester in the Arrow Valley near Pembridge.
He has a BSc in Agricultural Business Management from Wye College and spent 3 years working in East Anglia for Andersons as an agricultural business adviser. He returned to the family farm in 2005 where he now works in partnership with his parents and brother.
Rich has been a committed fisherman since boyhood making regular trips to Scotland and Wales after trout, sea trout and salmon. He is also a dedicated member of Midland Fly Fishers.
Anthony Lavers, Trustee
Anthony Lavers is a Sustainability Manager at Taylor Wimpey, a FTSE 100 volume housebuilder. Prior to joining Taylor Wimpey, he worked as an environmental consultant at AECOM.
Anthony has a MA in Biological Sciences from Oxford University, and a MSc and PhD in Environmental Studies from Imperial College London. He has a lifelong interest in conservation and environmental issues, stemming in large part from a childhood spent in Latin America. He is also a dedicated but intermittently successful fisherman.
Jonathan Bengough, Trustee
Jonathan Bengough has lived and worked in Herefordshire for the last 40 years. A property agent, he was taught to fish by his Father on the Hampshire chalk streams and now lives and farms beside the River Arrow.
Andy Pyle, Trustee
Andy is a Chartered Accountant and has been a Partner at KPMG LLP for 16 years, where he leads the Real Estate sector team and is the Risk Management Partner for KPMG’s Deal Advisory business. He lives in Herefordshire, close to the Malvern Hills.
Ambassadors
The Foundation is fortunate to be represented by four Ambassadors who share our values and objectives. They too have a passion for the rivers and the wider environment.
Anthony Priddis, Ambassador
Anthony Priddis was taught as a boy by his grandfather to fish and tie flies. He has always loved rivers and appreciates more than ever their vital importance for farmers, walkers, anglers, canoeists, ornithologists, conservationists or just each of us when we turn on the tap! Clean, healthy rivers matter for us all and our environment. Anthony has lived in Herefordshire since he became Bishop of Hereford in 2004 and retired to a village near the Wye in 2013. He is President of the River Wye Preservation Trust.
Charles Rangeley-Wilson, Ambassador
Charles Rangeley-Wilson is a writer, broadcaster, film-maker, photographer and conservationist.
In recent years, he has worked with WWF UK to promote more sustainable water management in chalk streams, more information on which can be found on his chalk stream conservation website. In 2011 he helped to found the Norfolk Rivers Trust, which promotes river conservation in his home county. He is also an Ambassador for the Angling Trust and Vice President of the Wild Trout Trust.
Talulah Riley, Ambassador
Talulah Riley is an actress and writer. She is an ambassador for the Princes Trust and The Natural History Museum, as well as for the Wye and Usk Foundation, and is passionate about the British countryside, conservation, clean-tech, and sustainable agriculture.
Tony Norman, Ambassador
Tony Norman is a Herefordshire dairy farmer living on the banks of the river Arrow and was a trustee of the Foundation for many years.
He has a passion for field sports and conservation and has been a Wye fisherman for over 50 years. He is a committee member of the Lugg and Arrow Fisheries’ Association and has been the driving force behind hundreds of miles of litter clean-ups in the Wye catchment. He also regularly advises Foundation staff on agricultural matters.
