Newsletter
Board members12 January 2012
Ben Jackson / Bill Rigby / Bonnie Horsman / Frank Green / Hilary Griffiths / Jess Gold / John Halladay / Mike Smyth / Simon Counsell / Steve Hack / Stewart Crocker / Tania Sayer / Victoria Harvey
Ben Jackson
- Friends of the Earth Limited
- Recruited: 2009
- Member of Engagement Committee
- Due for re-election 2012
Currently UK Director of Crisis Action coordinating campaign coalitions on global conflicts, Ben has been Head of Campaigns at the World Development Movement, Director of Action for Southern Africa (successor to the Anti-Apartheid Movement) and Director of Communication and Campaigns at housing charity Shelter. He has also worked in Whitehall and Westminster. He was an Associate Director at Forster, the leading social and environmental communications consultancy. He is the author of two books and a wide range of other publications on international issues. He designed and leads a module on civil society campaigning on the country's first MA course on campaigning at City University.
Bill Rigby
- Friends of the Earth Trust and Limited
- Elected Board member for North East and Yorkshire and the Humber
- Elected: 2011
- Due for re-election: 2014
For many years (Bill) worked in teaching and local government with diversions into higher education (Malawi and Uganda). When pressed would call himself an 'educationalist', but now committed exclusively to the voluntary sector, promoting environmental and social justice. Former Chair of the Development Education Association and coordinator of Beverley Friends of the Earth.
Bonnie Horsman
- Friends of the Earth Trust and Limited
- Elected member for Northern Ireland
- Elected: 2009
- Due for re-election 2012
- Member of Organisational Excellence Committee
MA (Trinity College Dublin) and MSc in Leadership for Sustainable Development (Queens University Belfast). Group Coordinator of Friends of the Earth, Banbridge & Mourne. Steering Group member of Transition Ireland and Northern Ireland (TIN). Board Member of Warrenpoint Harbour Authority. Heads up a consultancy company called 'New Way Solutions' that focuses on the interface between environmental idealism and commercial practice.
Frank Green
- Friends of the Earth Trust and Limited
- Elected member for Midlands
- Member of: Engagement Committee
- Elected: 2010
- Due for re-election 2013
Studied Electronic Engineering at Liverpool University. Used telecoms, broadcasting and computing to peaceful ends, developing interactive systems and supporting access to online learning. Now advising on technical strategy and environmental sustainability of ICT in education.
Currently a member of Rugby Friends of the Earth.
Hilary Griffiths
- Friends of the Earth Trust and Limited
- Elected Board member for South East
- Member of: Engagement Committee
- Elected: 2007, 2010
- Due for re-election: 2013
A career in education, currently teaching secondary school Science and Maths in a variety of different schools.
Enjoys walking, squash, theatre, natural history and geology.
Co-ordinator of Guildford and Waverley Friends of the Earth
Jess Gold
- Friends of the Earth Trust and Limited
- Elected member for London
- Elected: 2009
- Due for re-election 2012
- Vice Chair of Campaigns Committee
Studied at Manchester University. Following a career promoting school councils, she has established Project Earth Rock, a programme to teach about sustainability and climate change through song. She likes dancing, anything musical and protesting.
Joint co-ordinator for Camden, she is interested in how you can make local groups more satisfying and effective for all involved.
John Halladay
- Friends of the Earth Trust and Limited
- Elected Board member for South Central
- Chair of: Engagement Committee
- Elected: 2008, 2011
- Due for re-election: 2014
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 works as a Human Resources consultant greening the employment practices in UK companies and is also the joint co-ordinator of Bracknell & District Friends of the Earth.
John Tiller
- Friends of the Earth Trust
- Vice Chair of Organisational Excellence Committee
- Co-opted trustee 2010
Career includes working in both the public and private sectors in finance and also on large scale change projects. A Chartered Accountant, was also awarded a Postgraduate Diploma, with distinction, in Charity Accounting and Financial Management at the Cass Business School in London in 2008. Enjoys walking, listening to jazz, cryptic crosswords and is a season ticket holder at Watford FC.
Mike Smyth
- Friends of the Earth Trust (Chair)
- Member of: Organisational Excellence Committee, Campaigns Committee
- Co-opted Trustee: 1983
A solicitor specialising in commercial law recently retired as a partner of Lawrence Graham, a major London legal practice. Advises Friends of the Earth on commercial legal matters.
Local Group member of Friends of the Earth since 1973, currently with the Guildford and Waverley group.
Simon Counsell
- Friends of the Earth Limited (Chair)
- Member of: Organisational Excellence Committee; Campaigns Committee
- Co-opted: 2006
Graduated in Environmental Science. Joined Friends of the Earth as a volunteer in 1986 shaping our rainforest campaign.
Director of the Rainforest Foundation in 1997. Led international efforts to protect the rainforests and their inhabitants.
Steve Hack
- Friends of the Earth Trust and Limited
- Elected Board member for Cymru
- Elected: 2011
- Due for re-election: 2014
BSc Electrical & Electonic Engineering Bath University 1979. MBA Bath University 1990. Co-ordinator Carmarthen Friends of the Earth. Treasurer Carmarthen Energy Trust. Managing Director & major shareholder Seren Energy which is a developer of sites for community scale wind turbines. Intertested in permaculture and renewable energy, with pet projects in both ongoing at home.
Stewart Crocker
- Friends of the Earth Trust
- Vice Chair of Engagement Committee
- Recruited April 2008
An earlier career in farming led to twin passions for nature conservation and international development. Currently Executive Director of WasteWatch. Enjoys organic gardening and Fell walking.
Tania Sayer
- Friends of the Earth Trust and Limited
- Elected member for North West
- Elected: 2010
- Due for re-election 2013
- Chair of Campaigns Committee
Has a BSc in Biological Sciences, a PhD in animal cell biotechnology and more recent environmental qualifications. She works for an environmental charity which focuses on energy efficiency, renewable energy technologies and the alleviation of fuel poverty. Has been campaigns coordinator of South Cheshire FOE since 2005 and is passionate about Youth & Education work.
Enjoys Shakespeare's plays (especially the histories), modern poetry, cooking, watching the birds in her garden, being with her family and sitting with her cat.
Victoria Harvey
- Friends of the Earth Trust and Limited
- Elected Board member for East of England
- Elected: 2011
- Due for re-election 2014
Friends of the Earth Trust - Company No 1533942
Friends of the Earth Limited - Company No 1012357
Registered Charity No 281681
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