We are the charity formerly known as Cumbria Action for Sustainability (CAfS)
We are the charity formerly known as Cumbria Action for Sustainability (CAfS)
Patron
Mike Berners-Lee consults, thinks, writes and researches on sustainability and responses to 21st century challenges. He’s the founder of Small World Consulting, an associate company of Lancaster University that works with organisations from tech giants to supermarkets. Small World is a leader in the field of carbon metrics and their use. He is a professor at Lancaster University where his research includes sustainable food systems and carbon metrics.
Mike is the author of four books on climate change and sustainability:
* How Bad Are Bananas? The Carbon Footprint Of Everything
* The Burning Question
* There Is No Planet B: A Handbook for the Make or Break years
* A Climate of Truth (2025)
Chair
Tracey is an architect with over 30 years experience and developed an interest in natural materials and sustainable architecture in the 1990’s. She is a passionate advocate for low-energy and nature-friendly buildings that make the best use of traditional and modern building methods.
Having trained and worked in London and run her own practice, Tracey moved to Cumbria in 2011 and embarked upon the self-build, deep retrofit of an off-grid, traditional Cumbrian farmhouse that had been unoccupied for almost 50 years. In 2014 she joined a local architects’ practice where she worked for almost 10 years, strongly promoting its commitment to sustainable architecture. Having qualified as a certified passivhaus designer, Tracey is currently working as a consultant in sustainability and carbon emission reduction in buildings at Transport for London.
Prior to becoming a trustee in 2019, Tracey worked with Futureproof Cumbria on many occasions, hosting home visits and giving talks as part of the Greenbuild Festival. More recently she has been a member of the Zero Carbon Cumbria Building Sector Group devising action plans to achieve zero emissions by 2037. She is also Co-chair of Cumberland Society of Architects, a local branch of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).
When not working on her own house, Tracey loves walking on the fells with her two border collies and cooking up a storm using on site solar and windmill power.
Secretary
Tim is a retired IT solutions architect and brings a range of technical consultancy and programme management skills. He’s keen to promote greater take-up of community energy solutions in Cumbria, having recently installed solar panels on his own house. He has always been fascinated by Earth sciences and completed an Open University degree in Environmental Studies, which reinforced his interest in low-carbon energy technologies and in mitigating climate change
He has set up a water quality testing citizen science programme in Ambleside, using weekly river tests, publicly-available flow data and satellite images to analyse results and publish reports.
He is a member of the British Computer Society and a chartered engineer. He moved in 2018 to Ambleside from West Yorkshire and enjoys cycling, mountain walking and orienteering in his spare time, as well as being a volunteer walk leader.
Tim joined Futureproof Cumbria as a trustee in December 2021. Previously Head of Group North for the Field Studies Council, he retired after building resilience in a competitive marketplace against the post pandemic landscape.
Tim spent his childhood near an oil refinery and that shaped his desire to ‘escape’ and spend his working life in applied geography. This encompassed construction, planning and education in the private, public and charity sectors. In the early part of his career, he was a planning analyst for ARAMCO, but decided to leave the corporate world and to ‘make a difference’ working with young people.
His favourite quote comes from Confucius ‘If you think in terms of a year, plant a seed; if in terms of ten years, plant trees; if in terms of 100 years, teach the people’.
By background, Tim is geographer and a former Chair of the Royal Geographical Society’s NW region. He moved to Cumbria in 2004 and he is a former Threlkeld parish councillor.
Tim says what attracted him to Futureproof Cumbria was the opportunity to share his skills and experience with a like minded committed team to help have a positive impact towards building a sustainable economy whilst protecting our biodiversity.
Joanna joined Futureproof Cumbria as a Trustee in October 2024. She brings insight from her other role as Programmes Co-ordinator for 361 Energy, a community energy organisation based in Devon, where she juggles front-line support with strategic planning, financial management, providing insight on fuel poverty issues and the challenges of funding retrofit for homes.
In her previous role in BT, 20 years of managing customer experience and process improvements instilled a strong understanding of scaling operations and the importance of making customer journeys easy. Earlier roles with the Audit Commission and CBI also refined her skills in policy communication and government engagement.
A previous a professional fundraiser, school governor, and Chair of Governors, and based in Cumbria since 2021, Joanna is committed to Futureproof Cumbria’s mission and looking forward to the opportunity to support a fair transition to net zero in her adopted community.
Kirsten is a Chartered Management Accountant with 25 years of experience in decision support, commercial, governance and analytical roles in both industry and public sector.
In running her own consultancy, Kirsten seeks to drive a focus on sustainability when helping clients to explore strategic options, develop robust investment cases and practical benefits realisation plans, to maximise value to people, planet and local communities for every pound spent.
Originally from a tenant farming background, Kirsten has a keen interest in reconnecting people with land and nature, land use and real food, particularly in supporting the next generation, and is actively involved in a couple of local, micro-projects.
Having lived in West Cumbria for 17 years, Kirsten loves to spend time with her family and friends in and around the lakes, walking, running and being in nature. Through the role of a Futureproof Cumbria Trustee, she hopes to have a more direct impact on, and understanding of, the local drive for sustainability both professionally and personally.
Harrison is undertaking his second sabbatical year as an elected political representative at Lancaster University Students Union. He is serving his third term on the Union’s Board of Trustees and his second term on the Board of Directors of its commercial subsidiary companies.
Harrison is 2 years into reading LLB (Hons) Law with Politics and will be using the final year of his Undergraduate Degree to focus on environmental law and policy, before going on to study a Master’s Degree in a similar field. In July of 2024, he was appointed as a Governor of Lancaster University.
During his time as Lancaster’s political lead for Climate and Sustainability, Harrison found a strong passion for political ecology and aspires to use his passion to protect the planet as an Environmental Solicitor and Climate Advocate.
Away from his career, he is an avid sportsman and is the Vice-Captain of Lancaster’s Lacrosse Club.
Patrin brings experience in strategy, research for decision-makers, communication, convening, grantmaking, partnering, and organizational leadership and management, gained over two decades working with philanthropies, charities, and mission-driven consultancies. She has worked on a wide range of issues that need all of us to act, including early childhood development, urban health, air pollution and climate change, and responsible business. She now runs a solo consultancy supporting foundations and charities in their work on equity, system change, and sharing ideas to change hearts, minds, policies, and practices.
Patrin moved to Cumbria in 2021 to be near family, after many years in London, The Hague, Bangkok (where her parents live), and various US cities. She is a volunteer with Anti Racist Cumbria and loves books, museums, singing and eating with friends, and gentle runs in the trails around Ambleside, especially accompanied by her young son.
Charlie is an MSc student studying Environmental Policy and Management at the University of Bristol with a research focus on agri-environmental schemes and changes to land use. He is passionate about how we best manage land in a way that sequesters carbon, improves biodiversity and supports rural communities.
Prior to returning to his studies, Charlie spent two years in Australia working in agriculture and landscape restoration after a brief stint in business consultancy in London. He loves seeking out diverse perspectives on land management and studying the innovative ways we can adapt and mitigate the challenges facing us in a warming world.
Charlie grew up in a farming family in Kings Meaburn, just outside Penrith. Alongside conservation and agriculture, he has an interest in the use of traditional building materials, particularly lime, in retrofitting old stone-walled properties to make them more energy efficient. He is also a keen dry-stone waller and hiker.
Martyn enjoys encouraging conversation about sustainability and responsible business as well as bringing together stakeholders to tackle challenges.
Passionate about social impact where Martyn often gets involved in employer sponsored projects with local schools and colleges mentoring the students in applying their environmental & sustainability knowledge to a specific challenge.
Vicky is a PhD researcher in social and developmental psychology at Lancaster University. She is particularly interested in investigating prejudice towards social norm challenging groups, e.g., vegan and vegetarian children. Her current research examines children’s understanding of food production and diet-related prejudice.
She also has an interest in seeking ways in which to empower children and young people to mitigate the worst effects of the climate and ecological crises and is an active environmental campaigner.
Vicky has lived in Cumbria all her life and would like to see climate change education and greater provision of sustainable catering being provided in Cumbrian schools.
When she’s not campaigning or researching, Vicky loves plant-based baking (and eating!), and getting out in the beautiful local countryside with her family.
Together, we are committed to empowering individuals and communities in Cumbria to adopt sustainable practices, conserve natural resources, and create a more resilient future for all.
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