The Trustees are responsible for the overall governance of the Trust. The Board meets eight times a year, and many Trustees are also involved in other committees, advisory groups, liaising with staff and representing the Trust at events. There is a wide range of expertise on the Board.

 

Sam Ashton
Sam is a co-opted member of the Board since February 2008. As a retired clergyman he has had previous experience in rural parish groups, chairing committees, industrial and parochial conflict. He was a parish priest for 25 years, also a school governor. He enjoys working with volunteers.

Rosemary Athay
Rosemary is the Trust’s Honorary Secretary. As a retired solicitor her expertise is in the environmental and regulatory field of law. Her previous work included charitable law. Rosemary has a deep interest in the countryside.

Roger Beck (Chairman)
Roger is a retired Head of a school Biology Dept. He is a long-standing member of HNT and Chair of Ross branch since 1998. Roger became a Trustee in 1997, and is on the Conservation Advisory Group. His particular interests are ornithology and wildlife photography.

Kim Biddlecombe
Kim became a Trustee in 2004. He works full time as Casework Manager for Wales for the National Heritage Memorial Fund. As such he has considerable experience of funding requirements.

Marie Clarke
Marie is an Educational Consultant. She was formerly a Secondary Head Teacher. She has wide-ranging experience of managing large, complex organisations with large budgets. Marie currently undertakes training and consultancy work.

Tom Davies
Tom is a past Chairman of the Trust and was a founder member of HNT in 1962 and Assistant Treasurer for many years. Tom was senior partner in Kidsons Impey (now Baker Tilly) before his retirement. Tom has lived in Hereford since 1960, and his interests include fishing, ornithology, woodlands, gardens, and local history.

Christopher (Chris) Harris
Chris worked at the Trust on both the Growing Green Tourism and Nature Reserves Capital Works projects. He has considerable experience as a graphic designer and has been involved with many of the Trust’s publications. He is especially interested in working with the Trust’s Publicity and Marketing Group in publicising the Trust’s activities to the members and the public.

Michael (Mike) Pollitt
Michael is a retired banker and graduate economist. Michael has had experience of committee work, management structures and fund raising with the Round Table. With his wife he runs a small farm with interests of wildlife to the fore.

Les Smith
Les is the present Chair of Conservation Advisory Group. He has lived in Herefordshire for 12 years since his retirement as a water chemist and teacher of environmental science. His other interests are habitat creation and management planning (grassland, woodland and wildlife gardening).

Robert (Bob) Underhill
Bob joined Barclays Bank in 1963 and worked his way up to become Branch Manager of Leominster, Kington and Tenbury Wells. After re-organisation, he retired early in 1994 and then undertook Financial Consultancy work. In 1995, he joined the Trust as part time Finance Officer, subsequently becoming Finance Manager as it grew; retiring in December 2008. Bob’s wide ranging interests include geology, gardening, walking and bridge.

Betty Winser
Betty was Chairman of the Trust from 2002 to 2006. She has been a member for 23 years and a Trustee since 1994, being Vice-Chairman for 5 years. Betty is also involved in other committees and groups of the Trust. Betty started working with the nature reserves work parties when she moved to Hereford in 1985.

Richard Wise (Vice Chair)
Richard is a Professor of Clinical Microbiology. He has had considerable experience of government committees, chairing advisory and scientific bodies and House of Lords committees. Richard has been a member of the Trust since 1998. He has a particular interest in ecology and natural selection.

New Trustees

Judith Webb

Susannah Garland

Stan Gyford