Steve Grainger - Chief Executive

As Chief Executive I am responsible to the Trust’s governing body for everything that happens in the Trust’s name. That includes all the day to day management, development and promotion of the organisation - internally all its finances, administration, staffing and membership; all the projects, programmes, activities and events undertaken by the Trust; the extensive areas of land managed by the Trust as nature reserves; the Trust’s external contacts with public bodies, private bodies, private-sector and community organisations; and the campaigns and lobbying that the Trust undertakes to promote Avon’s wildlife and its enjoyment by the public. My job is to ensure that the Trust is successful and achieves all its objectives. I am assisted by a team of 5 senior managers, each of whom leads a small team of staff, volunteers and placements.

Education Team

John Nickerson - Head of Education

• Lead and manage education team

• Contribute to the senior management team

• Lead and manage education programme at Folly Farm

• Teach environmental topics for about 40 days a year

• Contribute to achieving various special projects such as the People and Wildlife Bid

• Pretend trouble shooter for some IT problems

Naomi Silverton - School Grounds Officer
I support schools in developing and maintaining their grounds for wildlife and for their access and enjoyment. I offer advice to teachers (about habitat creation, management and funding), work with children and parents in doing environmental activities and completing practical improvements (such as planting hedges, creating willow structures, digging ponds), and work with the Estates team when putting in structures (footpaths and dipping platforms). Additionally, I provide In-service training to teachers about how to use and develop school grounds and I support School WATCH groups. As part of the Education team I get involved with the planning of and delivery of education events and children’s activity days.

Ruth Worsley - Community Education Officer
Manages Willsbridge Mill Environmental Education Centre, which involves management of:

• management of 50 Centre support volunteers (recruitment, training, coordination)
  
• local nature reserve (overseeing biodiversity improvements, development of visitor facilities and regular cross departmental liaison with landlords South Gloucestershire Council
  
• buildings (overseeing schedule of maintenance, management of service contracts,marketing and managing hirings and lettings
  
• interpretation and events programme - developing nature reserve and exhibition interpretation and coordinating annual programme of holiday and weekend events for general public and running training courses for adults working with children
  
• working with Alison to deliver outreach, weekend, and evening educational activity - running environmental art days in schools, running weekend birthday parties and evening brownie visits
  
• fundraising - working with John on grant applications to local authority, land fill tax and lottery
  
• partnership working - South Gloucestershire Wildspaces project, ACORRN Avon community recycling reuse network
  
• working with Pat and Sam on central events in Trusts 25 anniversary year
  
• working with Pat on producing the Environmental Policy (sustainable management systems) following an external audit
  
• working with Pat and Tim on volunteer management - regularly reviewing best practise
  

other special projects include:

- development of outreach education work through partnership working eg local authority Wild Space projects, the 'Wild about Play' regional initiative (environmental playwork project), National Trust environmental art workshops

- developing heritage trail to include new booklet and poetry walk (as part of S.Glos Councils Wild Roots project and 25 anniversary celebrations

Alison Logan - Education Officer
As Education Officer at Willsbridge Mill most of my work is involved with providing a programme of activities for visiting schools - from pond and stream dipping to woodland workshops and environmental games, from rocks, soil and recycling to natural art. Willsbridge is a centre for lifelong learning so we cater for all ages from pre-school to Open University mature students.

I organise a team of dedicated and invaluable volunteers who receive training to help run the activities with the students and also make new resources, displays and publicity materials.

I work with other groups on outreach work - like Bath City farm, The National Trust and Wildspaces! in South Gloucestershire. This may be taking groups onto their local nature reserve, running activities at their different centres or training events for adults who work with children.

During the school holidays I organise activities for children and work with the team at Trust events. I am also the Watch organiser which means I offer support and guidance for Watch leaders and community Watch groups around the Avon area and co-ordinate resources and equipment.

As part of the Education team I promote the Trust message and provide opportunities for people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds to get close to and engage with the natural world to encourage respect and care for the environment through a sustainable lifestyle.

Helen Adshead - Environmental Interpretation Officer
I work with people, introducing them to the natural environment and helping them to make a positive connection with it. The methods I use and activities I organise depend on the group of people I am working with. A 'normal' days work is often meeting a group of people (could be children, students, families, adults with learning difficulties) on a site (could be one of our reserves, school grounds, parks, other wildlife sites) and helping them to enjoy or understand the wildlife there (practical conservation tasks, environmental education activities or environmental art). My preferred projects are long-term ones rather than 1-day events - the work can have a much greater impact on people if they get involved over a period of time. But 1-day celebrations have their place as well, for such things as Apple Day and Tree Dressing.

Reserves Team

Tim McGrath - Head of Nature Reserves
I co-ordinate the work of the Reserves Team who delivers all the activity based on the Trust Nature Reserves. Currently this team is supported by 4.5 members of staff, 5 volunteer placements, over 50 wardens and up to 250 regular practical volunteers. The 38 reserves that cover over 2500 acres of land, comprise of habitats and species that are important within the former County of Avon. Of these 15 are owned by the Trust and many are managed through partnerships with local graziers.

I am also responsible for managing the annual budget (approx. £200,000 in 2005/06) that delivers a considerable amount of activity that we are committed to through conditions of management. This sum is made up from project and revenue based work, which is designed to maximise the biodiversity values of the Nature Reserve Estate. Most of this work is supported through working in partnership with English Nature, Defra (Rural Development Service), Forestry Commission and Yansec (Landfill Tax).

Current initiatives include the re-introduction of greater water parsnip (Sium latifolium) back to its former haunts at Clapton Moor, Rebuilding Biodiversity, a Biodiversity Audit of our nature reserves and monitoring the impact of Defra’s Mid-Term Review.

I also represent the South West Trusts on the South West Region’s Farming and Food Group.

Stuart Hales - Reserves Manager
I am responsible for planning and co-ordinating the management of The Avon Wildlife Trust’s nature reserves. The reserve holding is split over 38 sites and covers a total of almost 1100 hectares (2600 acres) of land, representing some of the best habitats within Avon. This includes wetlands, neutral and limestone grassland, ancient semi-natural woodland and urban areas. Fifteen of these sites are owned freehold by the Trust, totalling an area of almost 450ha.

My work on our reserves can be split into two broad categories. First and foremost to make sure that all annual maintenance activity is completed. This is essential in order to sustain existing biodiversity interest. For example neutral and limestone grasslands must be cut or grazed every year. I have to make sure that we complete our programme of hay cutting and that the farmers we work with are able to graze the land to an appropriate level at the right times in the right places.

I am also responsible for the delivery of a capital works programme. This is a series of projects designed to enhance the biodiversity interest of a site or allow more sustainable management practices in the future. For example restoring grassland or heathland that has been neglected, excavating rhynes that have been filled in and scrubbed over or fencing a site to allow grazing. This work is supported by HLF, English Nature, Defra, Forestry Authority and landfill tax (Yansec).

Tim Curley - Volunteer Co-ordinator
As Volunteering officer I am responsible for the co-ordination of the Trusts varied reserve volunteer base. My principle responsibilities are:

• To produce a work programme for and manage the Wednesday and Sunday Wildlife Action Groups
  
• To run the Conservation Assistant programme, providing training for volunteer placements to gain a wide range of experience
  
• Planning the estate team work programme, working closely with the Team Supervisor to ensure specific reserve management tasks that are completed
  
• To co-ordinate and support the 50 reserve wardens and local groups
  
• To establish new groups and recruit new volunteers
  
• Ensuring the delivery of the appropriate habitat management on the reserves, where necessary leading volunteer groups and providing specialist practical skills
  
• To develop opportunities and organise events for corporate groups
  
• Working as part of a cross sectional team to develop the Trust’s volunteer policy
  
• Maintaining all tools and equipment necessary for practical reserve management

Polly Glazebrook - Nature Reserves Monitoring Officer.
I provide support for the team by assessing the biodiversity interest and the impact of practical activities across the reserves. This helps to ensure that our work benefits the ecological interests on site.

I co-ordinate a programme of monitoring activity across the reserves. Many of our sites contain locally important habitats and UK Priority Species and Habitats (identified in the UK and Avon Biodiversity Action Plans). Of our 37 reserves, 15 have SSSI designation (Sites of Special Scientific Interest), 23 are Sites of Nature Conservation Interest (SNCI), 3 are designated as Special Protection Areas (SPAs) and 2 have SAC designation (Special Areas of Conservation) - we have plenty of flora and fauna to keep our eyes on! I work with a committed team of volunteers, including reserve wardens, volunteer placements and many experienced surveyors to ensure that all the biological data for the reserves is up-to-date. An important part of this is to monitor and survey the key biodiversity features of the Nature Reserves.

Andy Nevill - Estate Team Supervisor
Leads the Estates Team, which is made up of volunteers - some have been with us for over four years - who carry out practical work on Trust nature reserves, and sometimes work with the School Grounds Project.

Development Team

Pat Ellingham - Head of Development
I manage the Development Section (5 staff posts, 7 permanent volunteers) and my main priorities are -
Supporting Steve, Chief Executive, in day to day running of the Trust - this includes personnel matters, liaison with Trust Chair and General Secretary over governance issues and general administration of the Trust HQ.

Managing Trust membership - which is ably administered by Angela with the help of Sue Stevens. We work together to keep an eye on the new Face to Face initiative, monitoring income and any problems, and keeping in touch with any general membership issues. A current priority is working with the results of the membership survey to make sure we are offering the best in terms of member satisfaction - so we keep our supporters!

Developing the profile of the Trust - in the absence of a dedicated marketing section I’m well supported by Sam, and I’m working closely with Ruth on a programme of events to celebrate the Trust’s 25th anniversary. I edit the Trust magazine, produce other publications as needed (on our limited budget) and maintain the house-style overview. I’m also responsible for maintaining and updating content on the website.

I’ve worked for the Trust for over 20 years and still look forward to coming into work each day - not one of them have ever been the same!

Ken Johnson - Folly Farm Project Manager

As Project Manager for Folly Farm I am responsible for all aspects of delivery of the Trust’s ‘flagship’ project-in a nutshell I am here to make the project happen!

Rather astonishingly the Trust has been in discussion with the Heritage Lottery Fund for nearly 10 years about different ideas for Folly. An important part of my role has been to finalise these proposals and produce a business plan for the project which is viable and acceptable to HLF and our other funding partners.

The Project Manager is required to lead and instruct a team of professional consultants including for example the Architect and Engineers. This involves a great deal of co ordination and at times being a ‘master of all trades’.
In the last 18months I have been fundraiser for the project-preparing our massive [in terms of paperwork alone] bid to HLF for £2.567 million. We have now been successful in this and with bids to SWRDA and Biffa for a further £1million . Also a large part of my time has been devoted to securing detailed planning permission- which proved more of a trial than anticipated.

With this in place, however the project now moves to another phase entirely-its implementation. My role will be focused on securing the outstanding funding, managing the design and construction process during the ‘hard hat’ phase and finalising the business and operational planning ready for the first of the residential training courses to begin at the Folly Farm Centre.

On a day to day basis my time tends to be split between the office, on site at Folly Farm and meetings around and about with consultants , funding partners and our various partners and advisors.

Sam Pullinger - Development Officer
I work as part of the Development Team and support the Trust with fundraising, publicity and membership.

I support fundraising efforts by co-ordinating larger bids to funding bodies such as the Heritage Lottery Fund and Landfill tax operators, which also involves adhering to their monitoring and claiming procedures. I assist members of staff by researching other funding sources such as charitable trusts, making applications where appropriate and monitoring progress.

Ensuring that the Trust makes the most of its publicity opportunities is a vital part of promoting the work that we do. This entails keeping in contact with key media representatives, organising publicity campaigns, issuing and monitoring the success of press releases.

I support membership efforts by being the link between the Trust and the professional fundraisers who recruit new members on our behalf. I also take part in promotional activities and ensure that information about the Trust is available at events. I have a role to play in a new initiative to develop and increase the Trust’s audience and thereby ensure that more people are involved in wildlife and natural heritage.

Angela Davies - Membership and Administration Officer
With the help of volunteers I run the membership database and help with reception and general administration when necessary.

As well as listing all members, the database holds a variety of lists of people for various members of staff, thus enabling me to provide labels and letters where necessary.

My job involves amending the database for new and ex members and changes of details; sending payment reminders and dealing with all payments, by cheque, standing order and direct debit and providing statistics.

Membership numbers have increased significantly because of external recruiters and as a result my workload has increased a great deal. Although the focus has changed as most new members pay by direct debit, once they are set up correctly, there is little more work concerned with them. The focus for me now is much more around creating statistical reports for Management as well as collating and sending out packs for new members and Watch.

Fiona McCarthy - Office Administrator
I have responsibility for running the reception office at The Old Police Station, which includes answering the telephone, dealing with post and requests for information.

I take bookings and do the administration for the Trust events and for schools bookings at Willsbridge and Folly Farm.

Administration of Bristol Bird Watch is another of my responsibilities. This involves updating the database of participants and sending out packs.

I also assist with personnel matters, such as recruitment and staff training and assist the finance officer with payment of invoices and expenses.

Finance Team

Rachel Watkins- Head of Finance
As Head of Finance I am responsible for all the financial activities of the Trust working closely with and supported by Pat Sandy, the Finance Officer. My responsibilities are varied from the preparation of the annual budget for the Trust with the Chief Executive, monitoring results against budget and reviewing forecasts to preparing year-end accounts for audit and submission to Companies House and the Charity Commission.

The finance team is currently in the process of updating systems and procedures within the Trust to streamline the flow of information between budget holders, the finance team and Trustees. My job requires me to liaise with the senior managers of each team in order to keep abreast of each teams financial progress and this gives me the opportunity to get involved in understanding the activities that my colleagues are engaged in.

An important role of the Head of Finance is to provide monthly management accounts and a finance report to the Trustees and I regularly attend Trustee Council meetings to keep Trustees up to date on the financial position of the Trust.

Pat Sandy - Finance Officer
My main duties involve the processing of all of Avon Wildlife Trust’s and SWWT’s financial activities and maintenance of up to date financial records using manual and computerised systems. I also monitor financial procedures of the trust and supervise petty cash system. I assist the trust’s accountants with the production of the half yearly and annual accounts.

In addition to my responsibilities as Finance Officer I provide support for the ITC functions of the trust; support volunteers and placements in resources section; help co-ordinate H & S activity within AWT; monitor the general housekeeping of OPS; support Development Team.

Biodiversity Team

Rachel Sharp - Head of Biodiversity
The remit of this team and my role is to develop biodiversity initiatives in the wider environment and to communicate this to partners, trust members and the general public. Our department is committed to implementing the Avon BAP with our internal and external partners through innovation and working closely with land managers.

With the reserves and education teams we will be working to achieve the Trusts long-term goal of creating heavens for wildlife. The Rebuilding Biodiversity initiatives are the key mechanism to achieving this. This will be looking at landscape scale projects to maximise potential for biodiversity whilst making them sustainable economic models. We will be building on our successes of the NSML Project and the teams extensive experience and knowledge. During 2006 we will be developing a training and consultancy capacity which will be promoted through the Trust and it's partners.

As manager of this team my main responsibilities are to:-

• Lead, develop and manage the biodiversity team
  
• Secure funding for the team
  
• Develop partnerships to implement Rebuilding Biodiversity Projects
  
• Contribute to the senior management team
  
• Ensure the Trust policies and finance procedures are followed

Craig Stenson - Biodiversity Projects Officer
The Biodiversity Projects Officer promotes and implements national and regional biodiversity objectives throughout the former county of Avon. This is achieved by successful partnership linking of local authorities, statutory conservation bodies and the private sector. Objectives are realised through the successful implementation of species and habitat projects such as those for neutral grassland, white-clawed crayfish, water vole, bats, dormouse and arable wildflower communities. The Biodiversity Project Officer offers management advice to farmers and land managers, including entry into agri-environment grant schemes. A significant role of the Biodiversity Project Officers for the next two years is as one of two Field Officers for the Batscapes Project. This entails ensuring landowners adopt favourable land management techniques for the benefit of horseshoe bats via grants such as the new Environment Stewardship Scheme.

James Field - North Somerset Levels and Moors Biodiversity Officer
The North Somerset Levels and Moors Project works to promote protect and enhance wildlife across the North Somerset Levels and Moors. The work of the Biodiversity Officer involves working with farmers and landowners to promote environmental management and assist with grant applications. Survey work is mainly focused on riparian mammals including otter and water vole. Last year an events programme was launched including wildlife courses and children’s activities.

Mary Wood - Biodiversity Advisory Officer
I check the local authority planning application lists and the Forestry Commission Woodland Grant Schemes lists each week and follow up any which may have adverse implications for wildlife. We are fortunate in this area to have an ecologist in each UA so we can be selective as to which applications we campaign on, mainly those affecting Sites of Nature Conservation Interest. Often we are able to alert the ecologists to potential problems at other sites, which they may not have been consulted on. Commenting on the UA draft Local Plans is also a vital part of the Trust’s work. An extension of my role is the provision of training to people whose work may impact on protected species; we have already delivered training to planning officers and there is great scope to develop this aspect.