Who Are We?
There are dozens of volunteers who help to run and organise Wotton Area CAN.
Here you can find a little more information on some of our core team members .
I'm a retired GP and mother of two adult children. I've lived with in Wotton for close to 30 years and really love our beautiful area and the close community spirit that was so evident to me from the first moment I set foot in the town.
I feel passionate and positive about positively connecting with others to help preserve our wonderful
environment.
I've been an active member of the Wotton Area Climate and Nature Group since it first evolved in 2019 and am privileged to hold the roles of trustee and secretary.
Tina
I moved to Wotton in 2015 after discovering it through my partner, who grew up here. I'm passionate about nature and deeply appreciate our streams, chalk grasslands, woodlands, and the wildlife-rich scrub areas. I want to protect these spaces from pollution and development so future generations can enjoy them.
To do this, I believe we all need to make small changes in our daily lives.
I'm a designer, specialising in making websites more accessible and user-friendly. I love working with different people to make everyday tasks easier and enjoy collaborating to improve things that matter to them.
Sam
Catherine
Catherine is a Green Councillor on Stroud District Council, representing Wotton, North Nibley and Stinchcombe. She’s lived locally for many years and enjoys walking along the Cotswold edge with her family and dog. She’s been part of Wotton Area CAN since it was set up and loves tree planting and getting involved in other climate and nature projects which benefit the local area.
Bel
I have lived in Wotton with my husband Mark and two children since 2000. My working life was in the environmental land use sector working with landowners to deliver benefits beyond food production such as more habitats for wildlife, improved water quality and natural flood management solutions. I am now retired and enjoying using my career skills on various Wotton wildlife projects. I also spend time walking and cycling the local countryside with my husband and our dog.
I am an ecologist and ecological contractor that found my way to Wotton from Dorset via a 13 year stint in Bristol. My partner Rosie and I moved here in January and have just become parents for the first time.
I am deeply interested in the topics of ecological restoration, anthropogenic climate change, enjoy a range of outdoor activities and occassionaly play a bit of music with friends.
Luke
I have lived close to Wotton-under-Edge for over 30 years and, being an Engineer, I have a keen interest in home energy and micro-generation, including home insulation and retrofit. I believe that we should be warming our homes using renewable energy, keeping the heat in our homes and not heating the planet!
I officially joined WACAN in 2023 but, prior to this, I have enjoyed a number of hedge and tree planting events organised by the group.
Mike
David
I have lived in Hillesley for thirty years and know the area well. I dislike large supermarkets and treat Wotton as my local shopping centre.
I joined Wotton Area CAN in 2022, bringing a passion for nature, dislike of single-use plastic and my experience with greener alternatives to the private car.
However, my main physical involvement so far has been in the tree nursery and hedge planting
(I bring on seedling trees at home too). I am particularly concerned about the loss of wildlife habitat and pollution in rivers and I support improvements in farming practices that help to preserve wildlife and combat pollution.
Kath
My main passion lies in the land use and habitat areas of WACAN’s work.
I am often to be found planting trees, working on the tree nursery or helping with children’s activities.
I am a trustee of Rory’s Well www.roryswell.org , a local charity supporting subsistence farmers in Sierra Leone. My responsibilities with the charity include agroforestry and regenerative farming.
I also help with Wotton Wildlife Watch, which involves families in wildlife and conservation linked activities, and volunteer at The Keepers community hub in Wotton.
My background is in health care, I am a retired GP and keep bees locally with my husband Neil.
Join our core volunteer team and make a BIG impact
Are you keen to do something really positive with your spare time? Why not have an informal chat with one of our core team volunteers, we're always looking for people to join us! Our core group meets monthly to plan events, projects and guest speaker opportunities. We're super supportive of each other (we've forged amazing new friendships through our work). We'd really value your input, whether you can spare a couple of hours a month, or more, we'd love to hear from you.