future proof cumbria

We are the charity formerly known as Cumbria Action for Sustainability (CAfS)

  • about Futureproof Cumbria

We are the charity formerly known as Cumbria Action for Sustainability (CAfS)

At Futureproof Cumbria, our dedicated team are united by a shared passion for promoting sustainability and combating climate change in our beautiful region.

Management, Finance & Resources
development team
Homes team
Zero Carbon Cumbria Team
Marketing & Communications
Training team
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Karen Mitchell

Chief Executive Officer

Karen Mitchell

Karen joined us in December 2019 to take the helm and steer our vision going forward. She has an MSc in Natural Resource Management and has worked in the environmental sector for most of her career.

Having started out as a policy analyst for the Institute of European Environmental Policy, she worked in the public sector for a while. This included stints at Natural England and its precursor English Nature in various roles including agriculture policy, corporate governance, campaigning for marine conservation and stakeholder relationship management.

She then moved into charity management as Director of a charity promoting responsible tourism in the Lake District followed by some time in the far north of Scotland heading up fundraising and marketing for Trees for Life before returning to Cumbria.

Karen has developed and run courses on communication and campaigning for pro-environmental behaviour change and is a guest lecturer at the University of Surrey.

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Heather Dixon

Head of Finance & Operations (Interim)

Heather Dixon

Heather joined us interim head of finance and operations in January 2024. She’s an experienced Finance Director with a history of working in non-profit & private sector management, with senior leadership roles in both. She’s operated at both strategic and operational levels and don’t be fooled by the title FD. Alongside finance, her experience includes management of HR, IT, compliance, fundraising, estates, venue and delivery teams, working closely with colleagues and external advisors to deliver effective services.

Strategic engagement in the workplace has been as a key part of the executive team, working closely with Trustees and with other external stakeholders. This has been echoed in a voluntary capacity with extensive experience in a range of governance and leadership roles.

In what spare time she’s got Heather walks, eats, bakes (lots of cakes, generally tasty but maybe not pretty), obsessively watches Skandi Noir on Walter Presents, finds as may excuses as she can to spend time in Scotland, tries to identify flowers and birds (badly), obsessively recycles and turns off lights, pretends not to fuss about her adult children and so the list goes on…

Gemma McCall CAfS
Gemma McCall

Finance & Operations Manager

Gemma McCall

Gemma’s recently stepped in to the role of Finance and Operations Manager in our newly created Finance and Operations team. Her role is about making sure we do all things admin, finance, HR and compliance, and do them well. She works closely with her team and the wider organisation, to provide high quality support services. She also knows that we don’t always get things right, and when we don’t, she’s passionate about us learning and improving.

Gemma’s been an integral part of our support services since joining as Administrator and Finance Officer in 2017. She has a wealth of experience in finance and administration including working for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service in Scotland. She is a highly motivated individual and strives to provide positive and friendly support to the wider team.

Originally from Leicester, Gemma moved to Cumbria from Scotland in August 2017. She enjoys walks with her family and paddleboarding during the warmer months. She has a keen interest in wildlife and nature and enjoys being in the garden and M&S Jaffa cakes.

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Vibeke Aalmo

Finance & Operations Officer

Vibeke Aalmo

Vibeke took on the role of Operations and Finance Officer in August 2024, within the new Finance and Operations Support Team. She’s got previous experience with us in administration and co-ordination, supporting both central services and the energy team. In this role she’s a key link in the team, dealing with both the day to day and supporting the development of finance and operations, as well as identifying best practice solutions across teams and projects.

Before joining our team, most of Vibeke’s career was in Norwegian residential building companies covering client consultancy, accountancy, and IT support. From there her drive and enthusiasm for new challenges led to a shift towards utilising internal system, both with support and best practice, and as a software-tester.

Vibeke is Norwegian by birth and moved to the UK, and ultimately to Cumbria, to try out a new way of life closer to nature. Working with us is a perfect fit. She spends a lot of time in her garden enjoying and supporting its wildlife and is always trying to improve her vegetable patch. Her hobbies also include staying fit, and she can often be found walking in the Cumbrian fells

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Anna Templeton

People Support & Operations Officer

Anna Templeton

Anna joined the Finance and Operations team in 2025 as the People Support and Operations Officer. She first joined the Zero Carbon Cumbria team in 2022, where she provided administrative coordination across the partnership and developed a strong understanding of collaborative environmental work across the county.

She has a background in community and youth projects, including work with a small local charity, EdenVentures, supporting child-led outdoor camps and youth volunteering. Anna is motivated by work that connects people, place and purpose.  Outside of work, she is (very slowly) training as a medical herbalist and enjoys growing and using herbs to support wellbeing and deepen her connection with the natural world.

Development Team
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Caroline Turner

Development Manager

Caroline Turner

Caroline works tirelessly to increase our impact and ensure our long term financial viability by finding and developing new income streams through forging new partnerships with investors, clients and partners. She’s also a specialist in charity project management, with 18 years’ experience developing and delivering environmental sustainability projects.

Caroline was previously the climate change officer for South Lakeland District Council, and developed their carbon management programme, driving a 5% annual reduction in CO2 emissions and overseeing the council’s first renewable installation.

She is passionate about protecting our environment and is a founding director of Community Energy Cumbria, as well as a keen cyclist, runner and wanabee mountaineer.

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Beatrice Stanley

Fundraising Officer

Beatrice Stanley

Beatrice joined the development team in July 2022 having worked as a volunteer since the previous autumn, supporting that year’s Big Give appeal. In her role, she supports the development manager in increasing core funding and implements our fundraising campaigns.

She has a degree in English Literature with Creative Writing from UEA and has worked for various arts charities and organisations since graduation, including theatres, festivals and creative writing centres.

In her spare time, Beatrice is currently completing an MA in Creative Writing, but when she can escape from her desk, she enjoys walking in the Lake District fells or further afield.

Homes Team
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Neil Northman

Programme Manager | Home Energy and Communities

Neil Northman

Neil Northman is the Programme Manager for Home Energy and Community Projects at Futureproof Cumbria, bringing more than five years’ experience in project leadership, community engagement, and budget oversight. A passionate advocate for low carbon living, Neil works closely with staff, volunteers, and partners to design and deliver impactful initiatives that support individuals and communities across Cumbria.

Guided by Futureproof Cumbria’s vision to achieve a zero carbon Cumbria by 2037 or sooner, Neil ensures resources are used efficiently and transparently, with a focus on measurable outcomes and continuous improvement. They oversee multiple workstreams, from household retrofit programmes to our free home energy service, balancing day-to-day delivery with strategic partnership-building and funding opportunities.

A skilled team leader, Neil believes that nurturing talent is key to delivering innovative, high-quality services. They promote an inclusive, supportive work environment, encouraging professional growth and collective problem-solving. This people-centred approach underpins Futureproof Cumbria’s commitment to tackling the climate crisis while generating social, environmental, and economic benefits for all.

By aligning expertise in project management with a deep-rooted commitment to sustainability, Neil helps Futureproof Cumbria drive practical action on climate change—empowering communities to adopt lasting, positive behaviours that create a brighter future for Cumbria and beyond.

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Tina Holt

Project Manager | Retrofit

Tina Holt

Tina manages the Retrofit Advice Service, which supports home-owner focused whole house retrofit across Cumbria and the surrounding area.​

Since 2010 she has worked in a range of home energy related roles including editing the AECB’s CarbonLite Retrofit online course and their Retrofit Coordinator course. She holds a level 5 retrofit coordinator qualification and a specialist qualification in the energy efficiency of historic buildings.​

 

Tina also has hands-on experience of deep retrofit through coordinating the retrofit of one of the first homes in the UK to achieve the space heating target of EnerPHit (the Passive House retrofit standard) and has completed the step by step retrofit of her current home too.

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Julia Massey

Project Manager | Community Retrofit and Renewables

Julia Massey

Julia joined the team in November 2023, with 25 years’ experience gained across the public, private and charity sector in the field of inclusive and sustainable economic growth, skills, employment, education, and careers.

As Head of Service in two Yorkshire local authorities, she secured funding, co-designed and project managed numerous multi-agency services – including networks for female entrepreneurs in rural areas; Apprenticeship Recruitment, business diversification and grant schemes for SMEs; graduate retention, back to work and youth unemployment programmes; and the development of new vocational and careers education programmes for 14–19-year-olds.

With a keen interest in and commitment to the net zero agenda, and currently renovating and retrofitting an old cottage, Julia was looking to join an organisation that makes a difference to this agenda on the ground with local communities.
Outside of work, you will find her with a purple backpack fell walking, running, listening to music or on a yoga mat with her cat!

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Zoe Hebblethwaite

Retrofit Assessor & Innovation Manager

Zoe Hebblethwaite

Zoe joined the team in January 2024, leading the Business Decarbonisation team. She is a qualified architect, most recently working in low energy building design and retrofit with the team at 2030 architects.

Previously Zoe worked with RSHP in London, a multinational architecture firm, delivering masterplanning and large scale commercial and residential projects. In her role at 2030 architects Zoe worked with home & business owners to reduce their carbon footprint by designing buildings which have a positive social, and low environmental, impact.

She is grateful for the opportunity she recently had to bring her skills to a deep retrofit of her own home in Keswick. She is a keen fell runner and swimmer, and loves exploring the mountains and lakes.

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Phoebe Balcombe

Operations Manager | Free Home Energy Support

Phoebe Balcombe

Phoebe joined the team in August 2022, looking to continue helping those in need feel supported.

Having moved back to Cumbria to be closer to family and friends after studying philosophy in Nottingham, she previously worked as a retail manager in the charity sector helping meet fundraising aims and supporting volunteer development.

Phoebe enjoys going for walks and swims, going to concerts and exploring new places.

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Clare Taylor

Project Officer | Community Retrofit and Renewables

Clare Taylor

Clare has occupied many different roles in mostly the public and voluntary sector, and self employed, following a few years of fun travels abroad in her early twenties (chalet hosting in France and teaching English abroad on a Korean island!)

Following a Sociology degree (and in 2011 a Prince 2 Practitioner qualification) and an early interest in people and the places where they live, Clare spent several years working in the housing sector, which included advice to people affected by homelessness. Back in 2011-12 Clare led on a project designed to improve the safety of buildings occupied as temporary housing in London, and was later a member of a large scale software implementation and training project team for social care involving three London borough councils. Clare has also assisted in various service transformation projects and tasks, and loves working with people yet also enjoys a good excel spreadsheet!

Clare is delighted to be drawing on those past experiences in her role at Futureproof Cumbria Homes from the perspective of improving the health of both people and planet! Clare has a focus on solar PV, electric vehicles and is building her knowledge in other areas. 

Erin Annison

Project Officer | Free Home Energy Support

Erin Annison

Erin joined Futureproof Cumbria in July 2025 as a Project Officer for the Free Home Energy Support Team.

Erin has an interest in rural communities and environments, and how people connect to the outdoors, having previously studied Outdoor and Experiential Learning with the University of Cumbria, followed by a course on Island Studies with Orkney College. During this time, she’s worked with youth groups and community engagement projects, which she continues to do through volunteering with a conservation group that supports young people.

In her spare time, she enjoys walking her dog and spending time outdoors.

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Lindsay Dasey

Customer Services Administrator | Retrofit

Lindsay Dasey

Lindsay previously worked as an Account Manager and Business Development Manager for Recruitment and Training companies, and then worked with companies such as Centrica to help their IT departments communicate with the rest of the organisation.

After a career break of eight years, she then went on to work for the Building Engineering Services Association verifying quality standards and qualifications for the Competent Person Scheme.

Whilst living all over England for the past 30 years Lindsay returned to Cumbria six years ago with a husband and two daughters.

She loves pilates, sitting on top of a fell contemplating life and entertaining friends met along the way. She also enjoys a good book and visits the local cinema every week in the hope to try and keep it open.

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Sarah Munton

Customer Service Administrator | Free Home Energy Support

Sarah Munton

Sarah joined the team in January 2022. She provides admin support for project officers and is likely to be one of the first points of contact for customers before referring them on.

She moved to Cumbria in November 2021 to be closer to family and to embrace the outdoor life she loves. She has previously worked in legal services and for an Essex Hospice where she was part of the Corporate Services and Facilities team. Her responsibilities included maintaining external stakeholder relationships and supporting the team’s volunteers.

Away from the office you will find her on the fells, at the gym or on her yoga mat. A keen charity fundraiser she has participated in the London marathon, 3 peaks challenge and has even pulled a passenger plane in NYC.

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Mads Longden

Customer Services Administrator | Free Home Energy Support

Mads Longden

Mads joined us in February 2023, providing admin support to the team and helping customers who contact the service

Mads has worked in a number of organisations from large blue-chip companies to small family run businesses here in Cumbria. She has a marketing background but has wider experience of administration and office management.

Having lived in an old farmhouse to recently completing a self-build project, Mads is aware of the issues around energy efficiency and has been involved in making her own home more energy efficient and reducing her carbon footprint.

Mamosa Simmons
Mamosa Simmons

Customer Services Administrator | Free Home Energy Support

Mamosa Simmons

Mamosa Joined the team in September 2023 as a Customer Services Administrator. In her role, she offers administrative support to the team and assists customers who reach out to the service.

Originally from South Africa, Mamosa made the move to Cumbria in November 2019. She holds a LLM in International Human Rights from De Montfort University and has a wealth of experience in Immigration law in South Africa. Mamosa is also actively involved in charity work.
Outside of work, Mamosa enjoys going for walks with her family, cooking, gardening, and exploring different travel destinations.

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Robyn Johnson

Customer Services Administrator | Free Home Energy Support

Robyn Johnson

In her own time, Robyn is an enthusiastic runner, regularly taking part in 5k parkruns as well as having completed over 10 marathons since her first in October 2013 and more than one ultra marathon. She particularly enjoys road running and races where she can get up a little bit of speed but also takes pleasure in trail events and taking in the beautiful scenery.

Robyn loves to look after her friends’ miniature sausage dog, Ruby when she can. Ruby has been very helpful digging on the new allotment patch Robyn has recently acquired. She is pleased with the progress made in a short space of time: repairing the greenhouse, installing rainwater harvesting, attempting to grow a few vegetables in the greenhouse and preparing the rest of the plot for planting – but knows she has a lot to learn!

Zero Carbon Cumbria Project Team
Michael Robinson

Partnership Manager | Zero Carbon Cumbria

Michael Robinson

Michael has over 37 years experience of working in the public sector with a number of local authorities in Nottinghamshire. Having started out in Planning moving on to Economic Development, Tourism and Business Support, he has managed and led most council services over his career. Sustainability has always been a key aspect of this work through regeneration and renewal projects as well as improved efficiency in managing the delivery of services for the public. He has extensive experience of collaborative working through public-private-voluntary sector partnerships on behalf of local people and communities.

He is excited to be working with Futureproof Cumbria in the environmental charity sector in an area which he loves. He enjoys fell walking, cycling, badminton and gardening.

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John Forbes

Project Manager | Zero Carbon Cumbria

John Forbes

John has worked in the environmental sector for more than 20 years, giving advice and support to householders, community groups, businesses and other organisations on energy efficiency, renewables, water, waste and sustainable transport. Many of these activities have involved working in partnership with community groups, local government, environmental organisations and other stakeholders.

John was delighted to join the team at in late 2020. He is really impressed by the ambition, community involvement and strength of the Zero Carbon Cumbria partnership and is very much looking forward to working with the community and all the partners in the project.

Alongside his passion for the environment, John enjoys hill walking, cycling, music and woodworking.

Hazel Graham CAfS
Hazel Graham

Climate & Carbon Literacy Training Manager

Hazel Graham

Hazel oversees our Climate & Carbon Literacy programme, leading the education of a network of clients in the specifics of climate science and helping push them towards more sustainable lives and businesses.

She previously led our work to build the strategic partnerships and networks that will be instrumental in the drive towards a zero-carbon Cumbria. She co-chaired the Zero Carbon Cumbria Partnership, which she helped to form in 2019.

Hazel has wide knowledge of sustainability issues. She served as a housing association board member and environmental champion for six years, and holds an MSc in Environmental Sustainability.

Her past experience includes leading behaviour-change projects, developing energy-efficiency training programmes and working as a consultant to improve the financial viability of charities. She is also part of the local transition movement in Carlisle.

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Bex Stamper

Project Manager | Cumbria Emissions Reduction

Bex Stamper

Bex comes to us after almost 20 years working for Allerdale and then Cumberland Council within the sports, leisure and arts service area.

In that time she has worked within the community providing advice to sports clubs and administering grants, delivered on a number of externally funded programmes as well as having managed and supported a range of partnerships and managed the large scale leisure centre contracts.
Some of her most recent projects include the development of the Cultural Strategy for West Cumbria, the setting up of the Maryport Prom parkrun, and initiated the development of the successful Creative People and Places bid for West Cumbria.

She is very excited to join the ZCCP and support the sector groups in their ambitious plans for reducing emissions.

In her ‘spare’ time, Bex is a partner in a low-waste retail business, plays and coaches hockey for Wigton Hockey club and coaches junior County Hockey players.

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Laura Blake

Project Manager | Low Carbon Food

Laura Blake

Laura joined us in July 2024 as the low carbon food project manager. She has a degree in Nutrition and a master’s in Food Security. After her studies she went to work for the Centre for Alternative Technology on their Zero Carbon Britian project as a food and diets researcher. During this time, she worked on the Zero Carbon Britian: Rethinking the Future report, modelled what a healthy sustainable diet of the future might look like, developed a sustainable diet calculator named Laura’s Larder and authored the People, Plate and Planet report. She is passionate about exploring the connections between sustainability, food and health. It is a complex area but one with lots of exciting solutions and possibilities. When not working she likes to spend time with her family, craft, be in nature and look after her ever-growing collection of house plants!

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Helen Attewell

Cumbria Sustainability Network Coordinator

Helen Attewell

Helen joined the team in April 2021, bringing experience and skills honed over four decades in a variety of different voluntary sector and campaigning organisations.

Following a degree in natural sciences, Helen began her career as a science teacher. She has spent some time volunteering overseas in Bangladesh and in rural Lesotho, where she developed an awareness of how climate change will disproportionately impact the poorest and most vulnerable.

Helen has supported community groups, including networks of BAME and refugee organisations in the north east of England. She also provided infrastructure support as a Regional Development Officer for the National Lottery Community Fund. Most recently, she has led a criminal justice charity in the north east.

A recent offcomer from the other side of the Pennines, Helen is a keen walker and volunteer walk-leader and is inspired by the landscapes and wildlife of Cumbria.

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Jane Simpson

Events & Training Coordinator

Jane Simpson

Jane joined us in March 2024 as the Events and Training Coordinator for Zero Carbon Cumbria. She has worked in learning, development and training for most of her career.

She has worked across all sectors and with children, young people, graduates, adults and animals! Initially as Project Manager for a large London based blue chip company focussing on cultural change, then primary school teaching, and as a trainer using the outdoors as an experiential learning medium. More latterly her career moved to the public sector working as the Cumbrian Leadership and Management Advisor for Business Link then at XLVets as the People Development Manager.

Jane also works part time as a Lumber Jill. She loves the outdoors and in her spare time can be found in the lakes or on the mountains.

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Rosie Halsall

Administrator | Climate & Carbon Literacy Training

Rosie Halsall

Rosie joined us in January 2025 to support with the administration of our climate training programme. She enjoys working with Hazel and our trainers to get courses set up for different groups across Cumbria.

She has previously worked as a television researcher in Manchester, an equal pay paralegal in London and an English teacher in Hanoi, Vietnam. She moved to Kendal in 2024 to enjoy Cumbria’s great outdoors, and she loves running and walking in the fells. A keen walker, she has also developed a taste for walking old pilgrim routes in Europe! When she’s at home, she loves cooking, sewing, reading and watching films.

Felicity Scott

Administrator | Zero Carbon Cumbria Partnership

Felicity Scott

Felicity joined us in January 2026 as the Zero Carbon Cumbria Partnership Administrator. She has over a decade of experience supporting and delivering international partnerships across East Asia. Since returning to Cumbria in 2015, she has worked in partnership roles at Lancaster University and the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority.

Outside of work, Felicity is busy renovating her cottage and country garden. She enjoys exploring the Lakes and Dales, textile art and craft, independent cinema, and learning new Asian cooking techniques.

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Jo Gibbs

Climate & Carbon Literacy Administration & Project Officer

Jo Gibbs

Jo joined us in 2020 and currently supports the delivery of our Climate and Carbon Literacy training programme, having previously provided project support to the domestic energy team and the core admin team.

She has previously worked as a volunteer coordinator and has a background in the outdoor charity sector, specifically working on programmes supporting marginalised young people. Her roles have ranged from coordinating remote overseas expeditions to helping administer European Social Fund projects.

Having moved to Cumbria in 2017 to live closer to the fells, Jo enjoys walking, rock climbing, cycling and swimming. She also enjoys cooking (and eating) vegan food and has volunteered with Waste into Wellbeing in Kendal to reduce food waste in the community.

Marketing & Communications Team
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Helena Davies

Marketing Manager

Helena Davies

Helena joined the team in November 2022 from the Westmorland Family, a large Cumbrian business, which grew out of a family farm and now has sites countrywide. There she had a number of roles over an eleven-year period, starting as an in-house Graphic Designer responsible for day-to-day design, to becoming Marketing Manager and Senior Designer.

During that time, she was involved in large-scale projects from overseeing a re-brand, to producing visual story-telling and brand packaging. A passionate creative, Helena started out with a degree in Graphic Design before expanding her knowledge into the field of marketing through hands-on experience and a desire to learn.

She is highly motivated on personal and community driven levels by the urgency of the climate change issue we face and works hard to reduce her family’s carbon footprint.

Helena enjoys nothing more than being in nature, growing vegetables and practicing yoga.

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Georgina Stephenson

Senior Marketing Officer

Georgina Stephenson

Georgina returned to the organisation's ranks in November 2022, having previously been our marketing manager, and organised the Cumbria Green Build Festival. She has over 25 years’ experience in marketing and event management in a variety of sectors.

Georgina has renovated her traditional listed cottage using traditional and natural products – insulated limecrete and lime plaster, and sheep’s wool insulation. Water is heated by solar thermal tubes in the summer, and space and water by woodburning stoves in the winter. Rainwater is collected in large butts to water plants in the greenhouse, and she enjoys trying grow her own veg.

George also volunteers with Penrith Repair Café. She has a rescue dog who she trains using kind, positive reinforcement.

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Beth Driscoll

Design, Website & Digital Marketing Officer

Beth Driscoll

Beth joined the Marketing Team in May 2023, looking to use her creativity and design skills in a role with community engagement at its heart.

After studying History at university, Beth worked for Newcastle-based charities focused on green space management and cultural heritage before returning to Cumbria as Wordsworth Grasmere’s Digital Engagement Trainee. Since 2017 she has also worked on a small, mixed, regenerative farm near Ingleton, supporting the business’s diversification plans from 2020 onwards by helping with a bit of everything – from branding and website building to mucking out and lambing. She has also recently taken up a new role as head cheese taster…

In her spare time Beth enjoys fell walking, wild swimming, cooking and drawing (or lino printing if there’s space to make a bit more mess).

Martin Sleath
Martin Sleath

Climate Trainer

Martin Sleath

Martin is a Sustainability Adviser for the Lake District National Park Authority, leading on carbon accounting and delivering the authority’s net zero aspiration.

This includes leading projects in decarbonising buildings and transport as well as working on offsetting strategies. It also involves a great deal of partnership working with other local authorities and the Zero Carbon Cumbria Partnership.

He has also worked with us delivering LEAP and free home energy advice. His educational background is in ecology, geography and environmental policy, and has five years’ experience in environmental education teaching in field centres in Scotland and Cumbria.

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Emma Greenshaw

Climate Trainer

Emma Greenshaw

Emma has been one of our Climate and Carbon Literacy trainers since the launch of the programme in 2020.  She managed CAfS’ four-year Rebuilding Together programme funded by the National Lottery Community Fund to build the resilience of communities and organisations across Cumbria in response to the floods caused by Storm Desmond in 2015.

Emma has worked in the environmental sector throughout her career, qualifying as a Chartered Environmentalist with a background in environmental management and auditing UK wide.  She has lived and worked in Cumbria for 20 years, initially auditing the environmental performance of many of the small business in the county, and subsequently working with us on a number of community energy and climate change projects since 2015.   

Passionate about practical ways to improve our sustainability Emma founded The Fellside Flower Company, a flower farm near Appleby, and aims to raise people’s awareness of climate change through enjoying cut flowers.

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Gina Parker (Mullarkey)

Climate Trainer

Gina Parker Mullarkey

Gina is passionate about the outdoors and nature. Her journey in Outdoor Learning began nearly 30 years ago working as a ‘Teacher Naturalist’ at a Country Park. Gina’s work now focuses on Global Learning, the Outdoors and Philosophy for Children. In addition to being a trainer for Futureproof Cumbria, Gina is an accredited trainer for Learning through Landscapes, Dialogue Works and the Society for Philosophical Enquiry and Reflection in Education (SAPERE)

In Gina’s other work there is plenty of opportunities to focus on climate education, including a climate audit of school grounds and linked courses that she delivers, such as ‘Thinking with Nature’ where participants have generated and enquired in relation to questions such as ‘Is human life more important than nature?’ She is a member of many linked groups, including; ‘Cumbria People and Nature Network’ and Morecambe Bay Curriculum working groups. As a previous teacher one of the elements of her work that Gina is most proud of is the establishment and co-ordination of an Outdoor Learning Network for Primary and SEND schools from across Cumbria, Lancashire and Yorkshire, who meet on a termly basis.

Gina is excited to join Futureproof Cumbria as a trainer on their Global Literacy and Climate Fresk training and focus more personally and professionally on the climate emergency. She is keen to support and learn from others.

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Rebecca Stacey

Climate Trainer

Rebecca Stacey

Rebecca joined us as a trainer in August 2022 and is currently studying for an MSc in Zero Carbon Communities. She is active in local sustainability groups and passionate about education as a means of tackling climate change.

For twenty years Rebecca has worked as a teacher in primary schools across the country, passionate about school improvement, literacy and climate change education. In 2014 she led a local primary school and became the first headteacher in the country to achieve the United Nations Climate Change Teacher accreditation.

She has worked alongside the Cumbria County Council supporting schools, is a founding fellow of the Chartered College of Teachers, and mentored new teachers into the chartered teacher status.

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Tom Deacon

Climate Trainer

Tom Deacon

Tom’s work as a freelance facilitator involves climate science training, delivering transformational leadership programs, community tree planting, and working with climate activists and the wider public around ‘Active Hope’, processing eco-anxiety into empowered action.

He has worked as a field tutor leading geography and ecology fieldwork, an expedition leader engaging young climate activists in transformative experiences in wilderness areas of Scotland, and as a UK coordinator for behaviour change and sustainability in a large educational charity.
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Joe Rigby

Climate Trainer

Joe Rigby

As well as working as one of our Climate Trainers, Joe works part-time as a Sociologist at the University of Chester, and part-time for Natural England as a Catchment Management Advisor on a river restoration and species recovery project on the River Kent in South Cumbria.

His teaching and research background are in the areas of social policy, migration studies, and environmental sociology. His work with Natural England involves engaging with farmers and landowners to provide advice on how to tackle sources of diffuse pollution affecting water bodies, and to facilitate the take up of environmental land management schemes to enhance biodiversity and develop more resilient ecosystems in upland settings.  

Joe is passionate about both promoting climate awareness across Cumbria, and working with individuals, organisations and communities to help achieve a more sustainable future for all.

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Ursula Brendling

Climate Trainer

Ursula Brendling

Ursula has worked all over the world on environmental projects, especially enjoying the WWOOF scheme in New Zealand on organic farms and her time in Kakadu National Park in Australia assisting the Park Rangers.

She developed courses for a national training company on green management systems, and has worked with many national organisations including the National Trust, the Forestry Commission and the Northern Lighthouse Board.

Ursula has worked as a trainer and coach for over 25 years and is passionate about promoting positive outcomes for changing to a zero carbon Cumbria.

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