Meet our team

Our Volunteers

Join a network of over 100 like-minded people helping to protect Radnorshire's wildlife and countryside.

Volunteer with us

Our Staff

Our dedicated team of staff are spread out over Radnorshire doing a mixture of home working and office working whilst trying to get out and about amongst nature too!

James Hitchcock (Chief Executive Officer)

RWT James Hitchcock

James is a purpose-driven leader, passionate about facilitating and driving positive change for nature and climate, working with people to create more space and more places for wildlife. 
James has a worked within the Wildlife Trust movement for nearly 20 years now, moving up to leadership across 4 Trusts.  His background is in nature reserve and land management.  James is most passionate about working at landscape scale, where systems thinking can be applied to create opportunities or solve problems for the benefit of nature, people and their wellbeing, health and the rural economy. 

James has a lifelong love of rivers, the uplands and the sense of deep time gained when walking through temperate rainforest. 

Away from work James can usually be found in the hills, walking or running, or swimming in cold waters.  Wherever.  He’s usually outdoors in the wild spaces of mid Wales. 

Reserves and Conservation Team

RWT Silvia Cojocaru

Silvia Cojocaru (Head of Conservation)

Silvia joined the RWT team as part of the HLF Exploring Gilfach project in 2018 before leading on the Black Grouse Recovery project in 2019, and then Stand for Nature Wales project in 2020. Silvia is passionate about wildlife and an excellent photographer, skills which she utilised in her work to engage with the local community. She's now looking forward to her new role, where she'll be guiding the management of RWT's amazing reserves.

Robert Hall

Robert Hall (Reserves Officer)

Robert has completed a master’s degree in conservation and land management at Bangor University. He also completed a placement as a full-time volunteer ranger for the National Trust South Devon coast and countryside team, which led onto a seasonal assistant ranger position. These roles included wildlife monitoring, visitor engagement and hosting events, site maintenance, and practical conservation, including leading a weekly volunteer team. He is excited to take on the position of Reserves Officer at RWT, and to explore some of the stunning locations the area has to offer!

Fiona Stone

Fiona Stone (Local Wildlife Sites Officer)

Fiona completed a post-graduate Diploma in Countryside Management in London and achieved a degree in Zoology from the University of Wales (Bangor). She has re-located turtle nests and tagged turtles in Greece, undertaken surveys/mapping/data input for Shropshire Wildlife Trust, and rescued stranded cetaceans with British Divers Marine Life Rescue. Other voluntary work included providing information for visitors, practical work, bird and cetacean surveys for RSPB. She has also undertaken invertebrate surveys, water table measurements and risk assessments for the National Trust in North Wales.  

She also radio-tracked hares for the Bristol University Mammal Research Unit and undertook bat surveys on organic farms for Oxford University. She worked for Radnorshire Wildlife Trust previously as Assistant Conservation Officer working on projects including meadows, lapwing, fritillaries and fairy shrimp. Powys voluntary work included pine marten, dormouse and red squirrel surveys, toad and newt surveys, bat surveys, and stoat trapping/ lesser horseshoe roost maintenance for VWT.  

She has also worked as Species Officer for NRW dealing with wildlife crime and advising householders with bat issues, as an ecological consultant radiotracking lesser horseshoes and carrying out cave counts, and as a lambing assistant. 

She is looking forward to working with RWT again, surveying existing wildlife sites and locating new ones. 

RWT Chloe Jackson

Chloe Jackson (Pentwyn Project Officer)

Chloe has moved onto the exciting new role of Pentwyn Project Officer for the Trust. She started working for RWT in April 2021, and really enjoyed both of her previous roles. She has an enthusiasm for wildlife and excellent engagement skills which she utilises to work with the local community in her new role.

Sarenta King

Sarenta King (Wye Adapt to Climate Change? Project Officer)

Sarenta has undertaken a master’s degree in marine biology at the University of Bangor and has an undergraduate degree in wildlife conservation with zoo biology. She also undertook a placement as a full-time research volunteer in the herpetology department at Bristol Zoo, which inspired her to undertake research on common frog genetics and conservation. Sarenta is passionate about wildlife and enjoys working with farmers and local communities. She’s now looking forward to her new role as a Wye Adapt to Climate Change? Project Officer for RWT and exploring more of Radnorshire’s stunning landscape.

Dan Westbury

Dan Westbury (Wilder Lugg Project Officer)

Coming from a role in consultant Ecology, Dan is our new Wilder Lugg project Officer and will be working with the local community to develop a vision for a sustainable future in the upper Lugg catchment. From a farming background, Dan is passionate about rural communities and conservation working together.

With a background in the arts, land-work, ecology and currently studying an MSc in Sustainability & Ecology at the Centre of Alternative Technology, Machynlleth - Dan hopes to put his diverse range of skills to use in this exciting new role. Passionate about Wales and its people and having spent time travelling and living overseas, Dan now looks forward to putting his efforts into the beautiful landscapes of mid Wales. 

Finance Team

Christine Sampson (Finance Manager)

A qualified accountant, Chrissy is skilled at presenting solutions, implementing new financial systems and leading teams through change.  Her career has seen her working at the Care Quality Commission and Water Regulator (OFWAT) before moving into the charity sector. 

Fundraising and Communications Team

Becca Oakley

Becca Oakley (Fundraising & Communications Manager)

Becca joined the team in May 2022. Having previously worked for Mid and North Powys Mind, she is ideally suited to raising funds and meeting RWT's objectives. 

Joe Carter

Joe Carter (Digital Fundraising & Communications Officer)

Joe has lived in Radnorshire all his life. Joe's passion for wildlife and IT skills make him suited to looking after the social media channels for RWT and supporting Becca in the digital aspect of fundraising. 

Stand for Nature Wales Team

yeo catrin sparrow

Catrin Sparrow (Youth Engagement Officer)

Catrin first started with Stand for Nature as a volunteer trainee last year, and has been developing her skills ever since. She has worked as part of the Green Connections project, written blogs for an organic farm, and spent the summer working as Gilfach warden. She is fluent in Welsh and loves teaching people about Welsh names for wildlife! Since the Stand for Nature project has been so valuable to her, she is especially excited to join the team and help make a difference for other young people.

Joe Carter

Joe Carter (Youth Engagement Officer)

Joe started as a Trainee with the Stand For Nature Wales project in Radnorshire. Since joining, he has developed the skills necessary that will ensure he'll succeed in this new role!

Data Management and Habitat Management Trainee

Beth Meopham (Data Management and Habitat Mapping Trainee)

Beth will mostly be focused on carrying out wildlife surveys and collecting baseline data at Pentwyn, as well as learning new skills such as mapping using a software called QGIS. While pursuing a master’s in animal behaviour, she discovered a passion for scientific research. This opened Beth's eyes to the possibility of working in conservation research as it allows her to combine her interest of scientific research with her love of wildlife and nature. Beth is excited to gain hands on experience of conservation work, develop her skills as a researcher, and learn more about species identification.

Lexie Morgan-Rogers

Lexie Morgan-Rogers (Nature's Recovery and Climate Change Trainee)

Lexie is currently competing a six-month work placement with the Trust alongside studying for her A-Levels. Growing up surrounded by the natural environment, Lexie has always shown a keen interest in developing her knowledge and understanding of the environment, and she wishes to continue experiencing wildlife and the opportunities it provides. 

Rachel Morris

Rachel Morris (Reserves Trainee)

Rachel has always had a passion for nature but during her time doing a college course in animal management she realised that she wants to help out the wildlife as much as possible. Growing up within the countryside she has always been outdoors doing whatever she can to help within the garden. She looks forward to learning new skills while working to help nature during the traineeship.

 

trainee jake mcarthur holding slow worm

Jake McArthur (Reserves Trainee)

Jake has always been enthusiastic about nature and being outside. He enjoys practical work and would like to gain news skills on habitat management and wildlife protection. 

 

Nextdoor Nature Team

Janet Barker

Janet Barker (Community Organising Officer)

Janet has been an Environmental Activist pretty much all her life and loves spending time in nature and the outdoors. She recently worked as a Support Worker and in Housing, and previously worked in Environmental and Outdoor Education.

Janice Vincett

Janice Vincett (Community Organising Officer)

Janice has a background in biological recording and surveying.  Her main interests are in bats, birds and bees and she is the Vice County Recorder for Bees and Wasps in Radnorshire and Breconshire. She enjoys working with communities, linking people and wildlife together.

Alicia Leow-Dyke (WTW Welsh Beaver Project Officer)

Alicia Leow-Dyke

Alicia has been the Wildlife Trusts Wales (WTW) Welsh Beaver Project Officer since 2016.  With over 10 years of experience working with beavers, Alicia is well placed at looking into the feasibility of re-introducing beavers to Wales.

Read more about the Welsh Beaver Project here.

Our Trustees

Our Trustees are a group of volunteers who hold the financial and legal responsibility for everything the Trust does.

Our Trustees