More about the candidates

North East, Yorkshire & The Humber candidate statement: Anne Schiffer

My involvement in Friends of the Earth, and/or other environmental organisations

I have been a member of the Leeds local group for a few years where I have mainly been involved in stunts to oppose a new incinerator and meetings with local MPs. Recently I was also "asked to leave" Apple's new flagship store on the opening day for tagging gadgets with questions about the company's links to mining in Indonesia.

Between July 2011 and March 2012, I volunteered in the Leeds Friends of the Earth office. I split my time between national energy campaign work and supporting the development of Make it Better. Earlier this year I volunteered to draft an internal document for Friends of the Earth International on community energy. I worked as regional campaign consultant (North East, Yorkshire & Humber) for seven months and wrote several documents for Make it Better on a consultancy basis.

Since June I have been working as energy campaigner on community renewables for Friends of the Earth Scotland.

My objectives in standing for the Board

My main goal regarding the running of the organisation is to improve engagement with people who are part of Friends of the Earth. This includes participation of local groups and how they feed into decision making and campaign work, as well as equality and diversity of members which was touched on at various sessions during this year's basecamp.

Any special skills or knowledge 

For the past three years, I have been facilitating international volunteer excursions for students and alumni from Leeds Metropolitan University to the coastal community of Kartung in The Gambia. We have been partnered with a group of women gardeners who are in the process of setting up a comunity garden to support local income generation by selling vegetable produce. Through this ongoing partnership, as well as my PhD research on energy in the same community, I have learnt a great dealt about what it means to work with grass-roots.

I also think that I have gained a good understanding of how FoE operates through various involvements outlined above.

Any relevant experience of working on Boards, committees or with other decision making bodies

If elected, this would be my first time to work on an organisational board but I am confident that I have the capabilities to be an effective member of such a decision making body. As a part-time university lecturer, I mark student work and liaise with colleagues to moderate results. As team leader for the Gambia volunteering project, I am heavily involved in team recruitment and shaping the overall partnership between Leeds Metropolitan University and Kartung.

Any potential conflict of interest (e.g. directorships, shares, political involvement)

Current board member John Halladay and Friends of the Earth Scotland's director Richard Dixon agree that my employment with Friends of the Earth Scotland does not pose a conflict of interest. I am also still technically a director of a business I registered with companies house after graduating. However, the business remains dormant.