CLIMATE ACTION LEEDS - Key Persons
Andy has lived in Leeds since 1989 when he moved here to be an art student at Leeds Polytechnic. Since then Andy has been learning about and practising an eco-design approach called permaculture, and he runs the Permaculture Association - the national charity - from Hollybush Conservation Centre in Kirkstall. In this project, Andy is bringing his design and sustainability skills, and is creating a City Hub where we can all work together to make a better Leeds.
He loves gardening on his allotment, walking in the hills, and camping with family and friends.
Job Titles:
- Coach and Community Worker
Asher is a youth coach and community worker living in Chapeltown, Leeds. He is engaged as a community developer for the Little London community hub. He became an activist and social change maker whilst studying for his degree then masters in Peace and Development at Leeds Beckett.
Beth (beff/they) is the Development Worker for the Beeston community hub (Our Future Beeston). They have a background in green building, large scale carbon reduction projects and sustainable horticulture.
Beth is a keen gardener, and loves anything creative...they are currently walking the Leeds and Liverpool canal (in stages) and working toward their diploma in Permaculture design.
Job Titles:
- Project Worker and Administration Officer for Voluntary Action Leeds
Connor is a project worker and administration officer for Voluntary Action Leeds, providing programme-wide admin support for Climate Action Leeds, as well as providing some support with comms tasks.
Job Titles:
- Project Administrator for the Climate Action Leeds Community Hubs
Debbie Purdon (she/her) is the Project Administrator for the Climate Action Leeds Community Hubs team. She manages the day to day admin and finance tasks for the team, and helps with general comms, including social media.
She is a keen runner and has more recently got into hiking. She loves art, theatre, music (especially live gigs), and listening to podcasts. She has an active interest in politics and the environment. She is also a devoted mental health ambassador and mother.
Emilie is an ecological economist who is working as part of the Climate Action Leeds programme with project partner Leeds Tidal to deliver a just transition within the ‘work and economy' sector.
When she is not at work Emilie enjoys all sorts of baking experiments and living-room-based dancing sessions!
James (he/him) is the Our Future Beeston Hub Worker. Originally from Kent, he has a background in International Relations and specialised in climate change in small island states. Fairly new to Leeds, he heard about the Climate Action Project and really wanted to get involved to help achieve the ambitious targets in the city.
Away from work James loves all things cricket, exploring new places, trying new foods and a nice cold beer!
Jenni (she/her) is Communication and Engagement Lead within the City Movement Building team, working to join up and amplify all the wonderful work that goes on within the Climate Action Leeds family. She is also a core member of the Leeds Doughnut team, using Kate Raworth's innovative framework to bring people and planet to the heart of decision-making in the city.
Jenni has worked variously as a government policy adviser, restaurant reviewer and creative writing teacher in a range of community settings. When not at Climate Action Leeds, Jenni chairs the Board of her local community centre and champions civic participation and democratic reform at every opportunity. She also enjoys yoga, reading, writing, dancing and hanging around by water looking for frogs.
John is the Hub Worker for 'Eco-Friendly Garforth', supporting volunteers in spreading awareness about the need for, and the benefits of, acting on climate change locally.
Having taught PE and then Special Needs for over 30 years it was time for a change. So when not at work, he can now be found enjoying family time, especially entertaining his grandson, or looking for some 'new' outdoor sport to have a go at.
Joy (she/her) works for Together for Peace as a development worker for Garforth and Armley community hubs, supporting groups to come together and organise their own climate action.
Lucy is the marketing and events lead for People Powered Homes (PPH). She also works for Zero Carbon Yorkshire supporting local climate groups around Yorkshire. Lucy is the housing transition partner lead for the Climate Action Leeds project looking at issues including insulation, retrofit and home energy.
Lucy is also a professional mermaid and runs her own arts company; Yorkshire Life Aquatic CIC.
Mary (she/her) is a partner at CAG Consultants and part of the Learning and Evaluation team. As an evaluation specialist working on climate issues, she supports Rhona on CAL's learning and evaluation dashboard and helps to collect, analyse and present evidence about the difference that CAL is making.
Mary has Scottish roots and loves music, reading and hill walking. She is trying to get fit for an upcoming walk along part of the West Highland Way this spring.
Job Titles:
- Climate Action Seacroft Hub Worker
Natalie is the Climate Action Seacroft Hub Worker, so she supports the steering committee to make their community climate-based dreams come true! She is also studying for a PhD in Theatre and Environmental Justice with the Institute of Social Justice at York St John University.
Paul Chatterton is a writer, researcher and campaigner, and is currently Professor of Urban Futures in the School of Geography at the University of Leeds. Paul is resident of low impact housing co-operative Lilac and previously has supported Leeds Community Homes, Kirkstall Valley Development Trust, the Common Place and Oblong Resource Centre, and is currently an active member of Our Future Leeds. His books include Do It Yourself, Low Impact Living and Unlocking Sustainable Cities, and How to save a City, a guide for emergency action is out late 2022.
Pete has worked at Hyde Park Source since 2013, growing into a leadership role and helping to keep all the plates spinning!
Phil (He/Him) is the development worker for the Alwoodley Hub Area, working as part of the community hubs team. He is passionate about connecting conversations in Alwoodley which will support local people to be part of a group of folks interested in creating community focused responses to the climate emergency.
Phil is originally from Belfast. Northern Ireland and has lived in Leeds for 13 years, coming here after completing University at Sheffield Hallam University, which he initially chose to go to because of his love of the outdoors and the proximity of Sheffield to the peak district. .
Rhona (she/her) is a partner at CAG Consultants, leading the work of the Learning and Evaluation team. She specialises in climate change research and whole place approaches to low carbon development. Rhona works closely with Mary on ongoing design and implementation of programme wide learning and evaluation of Climate Action Leeds.
Rhona loves fellwalking with her rescue dog and pizza parties in the garden (when allowed!) using her home-made wood fired pizza oven.
Job Titles:
- Project Co - Ordinator at Voluntary Action Leeds
Sarah Bradley-Adam (she/her) is Project Co-ordinator at Voluntary Action Leeds. She works with all partners and with the Lottery to support the project at a strategic level, supporting communication across partners and externally. She is part of the comms and volunteering working groups.
Simon (he/him) helps keep the project on track, from organising meetings, managing recruitment, dealing with HR and finances, and supporting communications. Alongside this admin and logistics role here at Climate Action Leeds, he also works for Leeds Climate Commission through the University of Leeds, in a communications and engagement role.
When he is not working, Simon can be found playing football, tending to his vegetable patch, recording podcasts, organising campaigns, watching Leeds United or moshing at gigs.
Stella (she/her) contributes to strategic advice and support for the City Movement Building team part of Climate Action Leeds, as well as assisting Strategic Lead Paul Chatterton with his academic teaching and research duties at the University of Leeds to enable his role with Climate Action Leeds.
She loves camping, running, foraging, films, and eating (not necessarily in that order!)
Steve is the CEO of People Powered Homes, the Housing Transition Partner in CAL (PPH is the hub for Community Led Housing in the West + South Yorkshire region). He supports Lucy Meredith in the CAL work.
Steve is into climbing, running with the dog, judo and chess, but not all at the same time.
Sue Hoey works freelance in several guises, including community development & consultation, project evaluation & hosting group processes. Within Climate Action Leeds she works as part of the Together for Peace team & has responsibility for supporting the development of Climate Action Seacroft.
She feels most alive when playing netball or swimming in the sea & enjoys getting out in the woods most days to walk her cocker spaniel.