I am a cofounder of Transition Town Totnes and Transition Network, and author of ‘The Transition Handbook’, ‘The Transition Companion’, ‘The Power of Just Doing Stuff’, ’21 Stories of Transition’ and most recently, ‘From What Is to What If: unleashing the power of imagination to create the future we want’. I present the podcast series ‘From What If to What Next‘ which invites listeners to send in their “what if” questions and then explores how to make them a reality. In 2012, I was voted one of the Independent’s top 100 environmentalists and was on Nesta and the Observer’s list of Britain’s 50 New Radicals. I have appeared on BBC Radio 4’s Four Thought and A Good Read, in the French film phenomenon Demain and its sequel Apres Demain, and has spoken at TEDGlobal and three TEDx events. I speak and teach widely across Europe.

I’m an Ashoka Fellow, and hold a doctorate degree from the University of Plymouth and two honorary doctorates from the University of the West of England and the University of Namur. In 2020 I was a member of the Cambridge Sustainability Commission on Scaling Sustainable Behaviour Change. I’m a keen gardener, a founder of New Lion Brewery in Totnes, and have been a director of Totnes Community Development Society since its creation. Atmos Totnes is the most impactful and transformative project I’ve ever been part of, and I am committed to making sure it happens. In my spare time I make lino prints and I just was part of my first exhibition.

A resident of Totnes for the last 10 years, I moved here to manage Transition Town Totnes and now work for the New Economics Foundation as an Associate Fellow with a specialism in Local Economies. I advise on all aspects of community led economic development and specialise in urban and rural development which actively avoids gentrification whilst generating local wealth and opportunities. To this end my most recent work has been to undertake action research on High Streets and town and city centre decline and revival and to actively support groups across the country who are seeking to develop land, buildings and other assets to meet local needs.

An accountant by training, I have enjoyed roles both in practise at Deloitte and also in industry, working in various finance roles at Camelot, operators of The National Lottery, last working permanently for them in a Head of Finance role. These days I work as a part-time consultant for Camelot, working with the bid team for the fourth license. This flexible home-working arrangement has enabled me to move from Hertfordshire to Devon, a move which has surpassed all my expectations.

After 30 plus years in law enforcement both locally and nationally I retired, or I vaguely recall I did. I am presently working in the field of governance, compliance and fraud investigation in a private capacity. For the past ten years I have been able to connect more closely with my community in Totnes where I live and try to make contribution to our wonderful town.

I am a trained Adviser for the Citizens Advice South Hams, this has enabled me to better understand the real challenges that people in our community have to cope with, ranging from housing conditions and need, managing on low incomes, employment
issues and health matters especially living with disabilities.

I have also engaged with groups in our community addressing issues of the street and homeless persons and working towards better support and provision for our youth community. I have supported at our
Totnes Connection Hub providing advice and support through the food bank, in support clients who are homeless or ‘outside’ of the system. Also, in the past year I have been working with others to re-establish support for those affected by domestic abuse and violence in our community, we are now providing a range of help including one to one and group support.

I joined Totnes Community Development Society as a Member in 2016 as the Atmos referendum was taking shape. This event opened my mind to the concept of the community taking control of development for the benefit of the community. Seeking to facilitate provision of what a community really wants and the generation of income from such projects being kept in the community. I believe in ‘putting in’ and enjoyed joining other TCDS Members in the Golden Iris project (Elmhirst site) where we brought that building back into temporary use for the benefit of the town. I have a real connection to the Mansion
in Fore Street and want to see the planned project to bring it back into life for our community delivered. When recently invited to join the Directors of TCDS my acceptance was without hesitation as I feel we as a community need a society that is more than just business, society for me is about its people. Totnes is a rich cultural community and needs to bring into being spaces for our cultures to breathe.

A social entrepreneur with a passion for using good business to bring about more equality within communities. Having grown our first restaurant from park hut to a thriving community hub I am enjoying the challenge of building a model for what better looks like in hospitality. I believe that we are at a point in time where business can and should bear the responsibility for the drastic changes that are needed to our social framework.I am particularly interested in the ideas around self-organisation and businesses that operate without hierarchy.

I moved to Totnes with Ian and our three children in 2019 having regularly camped and ‘campervan’ed throughout Devon. I admired the work of TCDS from afar before I moved here and feel hugely privileged to be part of a community so active and engaged in social change.