TRUSTEES AND STAFF
The Essex and Suffolk Rivers Trust is run by a board of Trustees, all of whom have a personal and professional interest in the rivers and surrounding land across the two counties.
Jane Burch - Chairman
Jane is a farmer’s daughter with a deep love of the countryside and environment. She has lived and worked in Suffolk for nearly forty years. Jane has recently retired from her role as Suffolk County Council’s Flood and Coastal Policy Manager with responsibility for working in partnership with many organisations and communities to deliver a range of innovative coastal, environmental and flood management projects; formulating the Council’s flood management policies and representing the Council at a national level in matters of coast and water management.
Previously Jane she was employed as environment/coastal advisor for the County Land and Business Association, has been a political agent and run an agricultural training group. Since retiring she has been appointed as a Trustee of the Essex & Suffolk Rivers Trust and a member of the Regional Flood & Coastal Committee, which ensures she continues to be involved in local and national water management policy and projects.
Sarah Morton - Treasurer
ACMA CGMA
Sarah is a Chartered Management Accountant with over 30 years financial management experience in local government. She is experienced in working with both financial and non-financial colleagues to act as a conduit for information between the operational business and the strategic decision makers.
Sarah is now focusing on her interest in sustainability and environment and is working for ProVeg as a programme analyst as well as a voluntary role in schools for Animal Aid.
Dr Alan Woods - Secretary
BSc (Hons) Rural Environment Studies, PhD Integrated Land-use Monitoring
Following an initial career in land and water policy with the RSPB and CLA, Alan now works with trade associations to enforce industry Codes. His wider experience embraces strategy, governance and stakeholder engagement.
Alan chaired the Environment Agency Anglian Region Environment Protection Advisory Committee from 2004-12, chaired the Welland Valley Partnership’s Resource Protection Group from 2011-14, and was Secretary of the Cam Valley Forum from 2020-22. He has just joined Anglian Water’s ‘Get River Positive’ Expert Advisory Panel.
Adrian Wood - Trustee
Adrian is an aquatic biologist by training and has worked in the Environment Agency since 2006. He lives with his family on the Tendring peninsula and loves the wild, untidy corners of East Anglia.
Anna Martin-Edwards - Trustee
BSc (Hons) in Environmental Science, PIEMA.
Anna is Operations and Development Director for Groundwork East heading up the Campaigns and Awareness, Sustainable Business Services and Landscape Architecture themes of work across the region. She is an experienced environmental scientist and operations director with circa. 17 years’ experience.
Anna has extensive experience of designing, developing and providing services to communities, schools and businesses – including many water related initiatives. Anna is an IEMA member at Practitioner level, Suffolk Inward Investment Ambassador, and board member for both Wild Anglia, and the Suffolk Sustainability Institute.
Tara Arnold - Trustee
BA (Hons) Geography, MSc Cities and Culture.
Tara is a charity leader with expertise in governance, fundraising and grant making. Her work is centred on creating collaborative partnerships that ensure philanthropic goals make the biggest impact.
Tara has held a wide range of fundraising and charity leadership roles, most recently as Interim Director for the Sweaty Betty Foundation. She is now a freelance grant making and fundraising consultant. She is also a non-executive Director for the charity Birthrights.
Henry Wilkes - Trustee
MRICS
Henry Wilkes is a Chartered Surveyor with 30 years’ experience of advising on international agribusiness and real estate projects at a senior level.
Henry is the founder of InvestAg LLP, an advisory firm for international agricultural and real estate investors, which provides consultancy, M&A and asset management services. Prior to this he was Director at Savills (L&P) Ltd. Henry is also a partner in his family’s farm in Essex, which is part of the Countryside Stewardship Scheme.
Chris Whitehouse – Trustee
Chris was born and brought up in Essex before studying Geography at the University of Cambridge. He has over 25 years’ experience working in professional services providing advice to central, regional and local government on the case for infrastructure, including the consideration of sustainability and social and environmental impacts.
Alongside his role as a technical specialist, he is responsible for the strategic and operational management of his international team. He is a CMI Chartered Manager and has an MBA from the Open University.
Tom Palmer - Trustee
BSc (Hons) Physical Geography, BSc (Hons) River and Coastal Engineering
Tom has over 16 years’ experience working within local authorities across the country undertaking activities ranging from engagement and enforcement to policy setting and scheme delivery. To date Tom has worked on projects that have increased flood resilience to hundreds of properties across the region.
He was previously project sponsor for the award winning £6m DEFRA-funded Catchment to Coast FCRIP project, which used new and innovative measures to reduce flood risk, reduce coastal erosion and improve drought tolerance at 16 sites across South Essex. In his current role Tom leads delivery of the capital programme at Essex County Council which uses innovative measures to improve resilience to flooding, drought and the wider impacts of climate change.
Tom has a passion for holistic water management, partnership working and identifying opportunities to deliver multiple benefits. With a young family who share his love of the outdoors, Tom intends to use his experience to help ensure the critical role of our rivers and streams are given the central focus required in such a water stressed region.
Simon Tiller - Trustee
Simon has worked in charity policy campaigning for more than 15 years. He has led successful campaigns securing change from government and companies on a range of issues from healthcare, to social security, education, energy and nature. He currently leads on policy campaigns for a large national charity, and is inspired by people coming together to make change happen. He lives in a village in north Essex and enjoys going for walks with his family.
Former Trustees and Vice Presidents
Essex and Suffolk Rivers Trust is also supported by Former Trustees Paul Roberts, Dave Dignum, Andrew Davies, Christopher McArthur, Archie Ruggles-Brise and Will Robinson
The Essex and Suffolk Rivers Trust employs a small but ever expanding team of staff. Come and meet them below...
Dr Helen Dangerfield - Director
MCIWEM C.WEM
Helen joined the Essex and Suffolk Rivers Trust as their Director in September 2022. Helen has over 20 years’ experience in the environmental field, working in academic, commercial and charity sectors. Most recently Helen was Assistant Director of Consultancy at the National Trust, leading conservation work across the East of England in natural and built heritage for 10 years. This included directing a large-scale river catchment project and working on the board of the National Trust’s Riverlands programme.
Previously Helen worked with a wide range of clients in her role as Director for London and South East Environment Group at RHDHV. In her early career she worked as one of the first geomorphologists in an engineering consulting firm promoting working with nature in river and coastal management. Throughout her academic and working life Helen has been focused on the restoration of wildlife and habitats. After being so inspired by early experiences in our rivers and on our seashores, Helen is also passionate about ensuring people and communities have access to nature.
Andy Went - Natural Rivers Manager
Andy has over 20 years’ experience in the environmental and ecological sectors. He started his career with the Environment Agency working at both technical and managerial levels. He spent a further 13 years in private consultancy. Andy’s focus at the Environment Agency was on Fisheries and Biodiversity where he held Officer, Project Officer and Team Leader positions. Prior to joining ESRT he was an Associate Director with AECOM (leading on aquatic ecology), and prior to that he was the Fisheries and Ecology Manager for a medium-sized consultancy. Andy has, in the past, been a regional council member for the Institute of Fisheries Management (IFM) and is currently a full Registered Member of the IFM.
Jess Duckenfield - Operations Support Officer
Jess has a BSc (Hons) in Wildlife Management and Conservation from the University of East Anglia and an MSc in Biodiversity, Wildlife and Ecosystem Health from the University of Edinburgh. Jess has over 10 years experience in administration and business support and improvement. She lives on the Essex-Suffolk border in 'Constable Country' and enjoys photographing wildlife in the local area. Jess joined ESRT for the opportunity to help protect and improve our rivers for both people and wildlife.
Luke Farnish - Project Support Officer
Luke joined the Essex and Suffolk Rivers Trust in 2024 to work on Catchment Improvement projects for the Rivers Blackwater and Pant, as well as to help develop the Essex Rivers Hub catchment partnership. He has a BSc in Ecology from the University of East Anglia completed in 2018 and returned there for an MSc in Applied Ecology and Conservation completed during the 2020 lockdowns. Luke grew up in Kent but has now lived in Suffolk for several years and has gained an appreciation for the challenges and opportunities rivers of East Anglia face. He has worked on most of the Trust's capital projects since January 2024 as well as helping to launch the Essex RiverWatch citizen science project.
_JPG.jpg)
Cat Wood - Volunteer and Community Involvement Officer
Cat joined the Trust as the Volunteer and Community Involvement Officer, with the aim of increasing outreach and delivering more community and corporate based activities. She hopes to get lots more people involved in learning about and restoring their local environments. Cat has always been interested in the environment, obtaining a BSc in Applied Geology from Plymouth University and an MSc in Climate Change from the University of East Anglia. Growing up near the Norfolk Broads, she has always enjoyed water environments and quickly developed a passion for understanding their formation and how we can maintain their natural beauty. As well as water activities, Cat also enjoys crafting and is a qualified snowboard instructor.
Emily Baldock - Blue Spaces Officer
Emily has a BSc in Marine Biology with Oceanography from the University of Southampton and numerous voluntary experiences in wildlife and conservation roles, including Seal Rescue Ireland and Wild Ideas. Her role at ESRT is split between supporting Sophie in the delivery of the Bluespaces programme and supporting project communications at ESRT. Emily joined the charity to be part of the active change required to improve river habitats and surrounding areas for the people that enjoy them and the wildlife that thrive there.
Dr Susannah Cass - Land and Water Officer
Susannah is an enthusiast of all things water and has joined ESRT working on Water Net Gain in the Colne catchment area. With an academic background in Natural Sciences (BA), Biodiversity (MSc) and Agroecology (PhD) from the University of Cambridge and Trinity College Dublin, alongside experience delivering youth and community development projects in the outdoors such as East Anglia Youth Rowing, Susannah is excited by the opportunities to engage catchment-scale efforts for river and water conservation.
Sophie Negus - Bluespaces Delivery Manager
Sophie has a BSc in Zoology from Anglia Ruskin University and has close to a decade of experience in the zoo industry. This included coordinating conservation projects throughout North Norfolk, wildlife rehabilitation and conservation, legislation, aquarium management and public education and outreach. Her role at the ESRT is split between the delivery of Essex & Suffolk Water's Bluespaces programme, which focuses on improving the access, quality and biodiversity of blue space, and leading the Inspire People part of the Trust's vision and strategy. Sophie grew up on the North Norfolk coast and has a strong love for all things water and wildlife.
Joshua Abbott - River Chelmer Projects Manager
Josh has worked in a variety of areas in the environmental sector for the last decade and volunteered for longer, advising regenerative and organic farming, greening commercial agriculture, consulting with civil engineering, steering landscape scale ecology and participating in species conservation. Josh has joined the ESRT as a Projects Manager focusing on the river Chelmer after working closely with the ESRT and land owners to develop other catchments in the region. He grew up in and currently lives in Suffolk, only leaving to study at Writtle University.