How we're run

Our Trustees

Our Trustees are all volunteers, elected at our Annual General Meeting, who oversee the strategic direction of Radnorshire Wildlife Trust.  They meet on a bi-monthly basis to discuss any issues arising and to ensure the finances are managed properly.  The RWT Director attends these meetings and the staff are often consulted.

Sue Holden (Chair)

Sue Holden

Sue joined the board in May 2023 and is Chair Designate until the AGM. Sue has been in the nature conservation sector since the early 1990s. After nine years at the National Trust, Sue was CEO of the Woodland Trust for almost nine years. She also worked for Earthwatch, the Chilterns AONB and DEFRA. She has been trustee of a number of charities and has been on the Boards of a National Park and an AONB. Sue has a small farm in the Brecon Beacons where she and her husband are making improvements to help nature. These include restoring some ancient woodland and creation new woodland. They are also reinstating hedgerows and shelter belts to help lesser horseshoe bats because the farm is in between three maternity roosts of European significance.

Bill Stow (Hon. Treasurer)

Bill retired as a Senior Civil Servant at the end of 2011.  He was on the Management Board of Defra (Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) for 9 years and before that he was the UK's Deputy Ambassador to the EU.

Bill was Chair of Radnorshire Wildlife Trust from 2011 to 2015 and Vice-Chair from 2016-20.

Bill completed walking the 870 miles of the Wales Coast Path in June 2019.  It took him 8 years in all seasons and weathers!

Edmund Hayward (Hon. Secretary)

Edmund Hayward

Edmund is Bursar to a monastery, administering that charity’s financial, property and commercial affairs.  He has qualifications in tax and accountancy and previously was a self-employed taxation and business adviser, primarily doing sub-contract work for accountants and solicitors. 

Edmund has been Honorary Secretary of Radnorshire Wildlife Trust since 1991.

Rosie Wood

Rosie has been a Trustee for Radnorshire Wildlife Trust for 2 years and has a background as a conservationist, and worked as a senior civil servant at Natural England. She's a strong campaigner, and also acts as Chair for the Badger Trust. 

Chris Ledbury

RWT Chair Chris Ledbury

Chris was on the Senior Management Team of the Brecon Beacons National Park for many years before leaving to set up his own countryside management consultancy. 

In 2005 he became the Consultancy Manager for Radnorshire Wildlife Services, retiring in 2012.  Chris became the Vice-Chair of Radnorshire Wildlife Trust in 2014 and was Chair from 2016-2020.

Chris is the Radnorshire (VC43) butterfly recorder and a member of the Powys Local Access Forum.

Gafyn Blakeway

Gafyn is a rural practice chartered surveyor and land agent.

Jen Newman

Jen Newman

Jen is originally from Dorset and first began her career volunteering with her local Wildlife Trust, which is where it all began. She fell in love with Radnorshire during family holidays as a child and moved to the area in 2016.

During her career she has worked as a Countryside Ranger on the South West Coast Path National Trail, as a Tree Surgeon for a County Council, a Lecturer in an Agricultural college, and as an Area Ranger in North Dorset, where she managed Nature Reserves and Rights of Way. Jen currently works in the Elan Valley, managing a team of Rangers on the 72 square mile estate.

Jen currently lives in Rhayader and remains a regular volunteer with RWT on their many reserves.

Alice Tite

Alice moved to Radnorshire with her family in 2008 to set up an organic market garden, between Knighton and Presteigne.

They have always 'grown with nature', improving the soil through green manures, increasing the biodiversity with hedge planting and a pond, and growing cottage garden style flowers to attract insects and to sell alongside their organic produce, first on market stalls then in their shop in Knighton.

Encouraged by their neighbours who were members of Radnorshire Wildlife Trust, Alice became involved with the RWT in various ways; from having help with identifying flowers in their fields, to taking part in moth surveys and visiting RWT reserves.

 

 

Richard Thomas

Richard has built a career in access management for statutory agencies, working for Natural England and latterly Natural Resources Wales.  
He also runs a small mixed farm, near Painscastle, grazing traditional Dexter cattle and growing ancient grains.  
Richard also co-owns a small events company, providing green energy solutions to festivals such as Green Man.  
 

Barn Owl

Jon Hawkins - Surrey Hills Photography

About Us

Governance

How we're run

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

Our Trustees bring a wide range of knowledge, expertise and experience to the charity and are responsible for approving our strategic plans, annual budget and Annual Report & Accounts. 

Trustees are appointed from our membership base at the Annual General Meeting of the Radnorshire Wildlife Trust each September.