More about the candidates

11 August 2011

Cymru candidate statement: Steve Hack

I have been actively involved in Friends of the Earth since the early 1980's and have been a life member since then. For a number of years this was as part of the Bath group, as the energy campaigner, including attendance at national conferences and training weekends

Over 10 years ago I moved to the Carmarthen area and became the coordinator of this group. During this time I have recognised the need for a strong voice representing the interests of Wales - especially at the current moment in time as the Welsh Government pushes for greater autonomy.

I firmly believe that this represents a great opportunity for Friends of the Earth Cymru to influence policy and to continue its excellent work to date - I would fight for greater resources to enable this to take place. The progressive environmental agenda in Wales has the potential to influence global policy and act as a beacon for good practice.

Additionally, I feel that my understanding of the wider issues, and how they relate to Friends of the Earth, means that I will be able to actively contribute to the debate over how strategy is determined and resources are allocated to support such activity.

Currently I am the managing director and majority shareholder of a Swansea based renewable energy company, Seren Energy. I founded the company in 2007 and we develop sites for community scale wind turbines employing a staff of nine. To date we have gained planning consent for eight turbines, with another two in planning and several more in preparation.

I have extensive knowledge of the energy sector and the issues associated with it, as well as having many years experience working in small businesses. This has given me an understanding of accounting, marketing and management - assisted by studying for an MBA which I completed in 1990. I founded Natural Collection in 1995, which raised a significant sums for Friends of the Earth, but reluctantly sold it in 1999.

As a hobby, I am developing a 100kw hydro-power project on my land which uses the existing infrastructure of redundant mill buildings I own. I am also creating a three acre forest garden in order to create more local resilience to the issue of food security.

I am also a member of the Green Party, the Vegan Society, the Vegetarian Society and the Vegan Organic Network - all of which I support but am not active in a campaigning capacity. I am a separated 53 year old and have three children, aged 19, 17 and 13, who live with their mother in Bath.

East of England region candidate statement: Victoria Harvey

Friends of the Earth is unique among environmental organisations in its local group network which provides the ability to work up from grassroots to national and international.

The expertise given to local groups can give them huge influence with decision makers and the local press, amazing lobbying power with government and also feed back very valuable knowledge back to Friends of the Earth.

I am very concerned that at a time when the numbers of local environmental groups are growing, the numbers of Friends of the Earth local groups are declining, and the national press coverage of Friends of the Earth has declined significantly. I have been deeply committed to Friends of the Earth for many years and as a Board member I want to support local groups and help Friends of the Earth increase its media presence.

After being a national supporter of Friends of the Earth and many other NGOs since 1992, I joined South Bedfordshire Friends of the Earth in 2002 becoming joint coordinator in 2003 and then coordinator in 2005. I also am very involved in I love LB;- a group of local retailers and residents who promote local shops.

I work very closely with Campaign for Better Transport, getting coverage on ITV Daybreak programme on our local bus cuts as part of CBT's Save your Buses Campaign and giving evidence on bus cuts to the House of Commons Select Committee on Transport.

In 2005 South Bedfordshire Friends of the Earth, after going through all the legal and planning channels, launched a major protest against building of the Linslade Western Bypass which launched the national group Road Block and received coverage in the Guardian and the Daily Telegraph.

We received an Earth Movers Award in 2008 for gaining funding of one million pounds from government towards a housing development of 1300 houses to be an exemplar for sustainable transport. Despite only 90 houses being built due to the recession, the estate has provided a brilliant bus service called the Dash Direct which is carrying about 1400 passengers a week and has created a modal shift of 21%.

We work very closely with community groups, the local councils and Arriva and believe that as well as challenging we gain far more influence and credibility if we proactively provide practical solutions. Therefore we provide much of the bus information in Leighton Buzzard, and have planted flowering hedges and wildflower meadows, as well as saving woodland, regional planning and campaigning for wind-farms.

We have been very active on the national campaigns using the expertise in planning gained from national Friends of the Earth to get neighbouring MPs as well as our own to support the Big Ask and actively campaigning on the Localism bill and the Energy Efficiency bill.

Experience:

I was on the Board of South Bedfordshire Local Strategic Partnership from 2005-2009 as the Community and Voluntary Sector representative. I was a voting stakeholder on the East of England Regional Assembly and a member of the regional planning panel. I am on the steering group for the Dash Direct bus service.

I am chairman of Leighton Buzzard Station Travel Plan which is part of a national pilot programme which brings together councils, residents and train operators. I chaired the steering group of a high profile report on Alternatives to the Wing bypass which included Stephen Joseph, Director of Campaign for Better Transport, and other transport experts.

North East and Yorkshire & Humber region candidate statement: Bill Rigby

I am pleased to offer myself for nomination to the Board of Friends of the Earth. My reasons are as follows:

I have wide experience and commitment to environmental activism and campaigning, particularly since 2004, when I made a conscious decision to prioritise this work. I have been part of establishing a new Local Group, in Beverley, and supported its work, currently being the coordinator.

I have supported the work of Friends of the Earth as a whole through regular attendance at National conferences and regional gatherings, having given particular support to the marine network, being the secretary of Marinet for six years, campaigning at a national as well as local level.

My professional experience has been at senior level in education policy, administration and advocacy, so I fell well equipped to support the strategic development of Friends of the Earth. I am particularly committed to empowerment at a local level, both through the local groups network and in collaboration with NGOs with allied values.

If the nomination is accepted, I can give time and energy to support the interests of Friends of the Earth with impartiality and commitment.

South Central region candidate statement: John Halladay

John Halladay has accepted the nomination by Bracknell Forest Friends of the Earth to stand for re-election to the Boards of Friends of the Earth Trust/Limited for the South Central region. John has been coordinator of the Bracknell Forest group since 2009. John's particular interests in the environmental field include recycling, the concept of individual carbon allowances and the effect of increasing world population on the environment.

He supports the Board's aim to increase cooperationg and joint campaigning between organisations such as Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth. He also believes that one of the greatest challenges for the Friends of the Earth is to convince commercial organisations of the need to change their working practices and to show greater awareness of their impact on the climate. As an interim manager, John works with a wide variety of commercial Companies and has access to corporate boards of directors.

John is currently Chair of the Engagement Committee, a Board committee responsible for governance in the areas of fundraising, communications and activism (FCA). He works closely with the Director of FCA, holding quarterly meetings, in addition to the timetabled Committee meetings, to ensure that the objectives of the Engagement programme are met.

John chairs the Motions Working Group, a sub-group responsible for ensuring that better mechanisms for improving democracy and involvement are implemented for Friends of the Earth stakeholders.

John has been an active sub-group member of the Mid Term Review working group, contributing to the formation of the final strategy: Sustainable Development in a time of Planetary Emergency.

Reasons for standing for re-election:

• to continue to develop and refine of Friends of the Earth strategy;
• to promote Friends of the Earth strategies in the wider business community;
• to continue as Chair of the Engagement Committee, thereby ensuring that Friends of the Earth senior staff adhere to the objectives of the Engagement programme;
• to continue to develop ways in which Friends of the Earth stakeholders (local groups and individual activists) can participate in decision making;
• to continue to develop, with the Director of FCA, ways in which Friends of the Earth stakeholders can be encouraged to more participative involvement in Friends of the Earth campaigns;
• to accept responsibility, with fellow Board members, for the continued strong Governance of Friends of the Earth which has been set by the current Board;
• to ensure that the highest standards of professionalism are enforced and that the rules of, eg, The Charity Commission, are rigorously applied.

Professional Background:

John is an interim Human Resources manager specialising in remuneration and employee benefits. He also manages a retail website of products made from recycled materials. John brings over 25 years' of management and commercial experience to the position.

Other Activities:

As well as coordinating Bracknell Forest Friends of the Earth, John is a member of Greenpeace. He has frequently lobbied local MPs, organised 'green' events and regularly speaks to schools and other groups on environmental concerns.