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Team

Matt Easter

Trent Rivers Trust CEO

As CEO, Matt is responsible for the strategic and operational management of the organisation. He reports directly to the Board of Trustees.

Ruth Needham

Head of Landscapes and Partnerships

Ruth is an aquatic ecologist specialising in ecology, wetlands, flood risk management and hydromorphology. Ruth develops and leads many high profile projects including SuDS schemes and the Trent Valley Way.

Dr Scott McKenzie

Head of Rivers and Nature-Based Solutions

Scott is an experienced ecologist, specialising in freshwater ecosystems and habitat restoration – with a particular interest in improving fish passage. In his role Scott develops catchment-scale projects that aim to improve biodiversity, water quality and provide a variety of ecosystem services.
Jon Lewis

Dr Jon Lewis

Data, Evidence and Project Manager

Jon looks after the Soar catchment partnership. He develops and leads on many Natural Flood Management and river restoration projects.

Helen Cauldwell

Finance Manager

Helen is responsible for the financial management of the charity, providing support to the CEO and Board of Trustees.
Partnership and Engagement Manager at Trent Rivers Trust | Trent Rivers Trust

Tom Aplin

Partnership and Engagement Manager

Tom supports the Trent Rivers Trust by building strong relationships with local people and key stakeholders across the Trent catchment. Tom helps to ensure communities know about the Trust’s work, providing communications and engagement support for the Trust’s many and varied projects
Alex Clark

Alex Clark

Catchment Restoration Project Manager

Alex has joined the Trust following work in the consultancy sector, working largely on public sector Flood Risk Analysis and reporting. Prior to this, he served a long period with the Severn Rivers Trust delivering a variety of catchment restoration and improvement projects. Outside of work, he enjoys walking, gardening and writing & playing music.

Emma Smail

Landscape Recovery  Manager

Emma manages river restoration and phosphate reduction projects in the Mease catchment; has experience in catchment advice (FACTS certified), agricultural research and ecological surveying.

Amy Taylor

Agriculture Technical Specialist

Amy works with farmers and landowners to provide catchment advice, with a focus on the River Mease. She has a background in geology and agriculture.

Nick Wilding

Senior Catchment Restoration Officer

Nick is an aquatic ecologist supporting Natural Flood Management (NFM) and river restoration projects across the catchment. He has a background in ecological monitoring and environmental modelling.

Vanessa Sumpmann

Communications Officer

Vanessa manages communication activities across the entire catchment. She has a background in Marketing and a degree in Environmental Leadership and Management. 

Mark Hudson

Senior Catchment Restoration Officer

Mark is a terrestrial ecologist and manages Natural Flood Management (NFM) and river restoration projects across the catchment. He has a background in protected species surveys, invasive non-native species and ecological clerk of works.

Emily Richardson

Environmental Project Officer

Emily is a project officer supporting a range of Natural Flood Management (NFM) and river restoration projects across the catchment. She has a background in environmental monitoring, geovisualisation and Geographic Information Systems (GIS).

Anton Cannell

Environmental Technical Officer

Anton is a Landscape Architect and provides technical support in the design and implementation of projects including, biodiversity enhancement, improving water quality, natural flood management, habitat creation and connectivity, river restoration and pollution reduction.

Tina Bardill

Agriculture Technical Specialist 

Tina provides environmental advice and support to farmers and landowners, focusing principally on the Dove and Derwent catchments. She also coordinates the Dove Catchment Partnership.
Dan Mills

Dan Mills

Environmental Project Officer

Dan is a project officer supporting a range of Natural Flood Management (NFM) and river restoration projects across the Trent catchment. He has a background and experience in hydrological processes and water quality.
Poppy-Ann Taylor

Poppy-Ann Taylor

Soar Engagement Officer

Poppy is a community engagement officer working on the River Soar catchment project to deliver Natural Flood Management (NFM) and community engagement. She has a strong background in wildlife conservation and ecology, oceanography and marine biology, and customer engagement.

Alan Graham

NBS Technical Specialist

Alan designs and manages a wide range of river restoration and enhancement projects across the Trent catchment. Alan specialises in the design and construction of Natural Flood Management (NFM) measures.

Dan Scott

Senior Environmental Project Officer

Dan works across the Trent catchment supporting the delivery of Natural Flood Management (NFM) and river restoration projects. He has a background in the management of water quality, lake carbon dynamics and environmental education.
Elise | Trent Rivers Trust

Elise Beatson

Catchment Partnership Officer


Elise provides administrative support for the Lower Trent and Erewash, Dove, and Soar Catchment Partnerships. They have a background in ecological consultancy and a degree in Wildlife Conservation.

Alison Thornhill

Community Engagement Officer

Alison is engaging with communities across the Trent catchment. She has a strong background in the management and interpretation of heritage, conservation projects and community engagement.

Josh Ballance

Tittesworth Farm Advisor

Josh provides environmental and agricultural advice to farmers and land owners situated within the Tittesworth and smaller Staffordshire catchments, working in partnership with Severn Trent to deliver improvements to water quality and farms in these areas.

Francesca Dore

Catchment Restoration Officer (Dover Beck)

With a background in Zoology, Francesca organises and undertakes a range of surveys to identify sites which would benefit from restoration projects, to liaise with landowners and assist in designing and implementing restoration works.

Lewis Coupland

Catchment Restoration Officer (Henmore Brook)

Lewis works to restore the brook to a more natural state by removing concrete structures and re-meandering artificially straightened sections as well as using nature-based solutions to reduce flooding downstream, improve water retention during the summer months and to improve and diversify the habitats and animals which frequent them.
Rosie Leeman

Rosie Leeman

Associate Events and Admin Co-ordinator

Rosie organises events for TRT, she produces the TRT newsletter and supports the TRT team by completing a variety of administrative tasks.
Louise Pymm

Louise Pymm

Associate Catchment Advisor

Louise works with farmers, landowners and stakeholders in the Cropston and Staunton Harold Reservoir catchments, protecting and improving the water environment on behalf of Severn Trent.
Adrian Rochford

Adrian Rochford

Associate Catchment Officer

Adrian works on the Porous Pots project funded by Severn Trent, undertaking porous pot and soil mineral nitrogen analysis to assess nitrogen leaching in agricultural fields in Rufford (Torne & Idle Catchment).
Callum Sheridan | Trent Rivers Trust

Callum Sheridan

Finance and Adminstration Executive Officer

Callum supports the administrative and finance side of the charity, aiding when needed for a wide variety of tasks across the whole team. He reports directly to the Finance Manager and assists other managers when required.

Joe Foster

Engagement Officer Stoke on Trent

Joe is our Engagement Officer in Stoke on Trent, where he supports communities in connecting to their river and will work on the completion of the Trent Valley Way

Beth Morgan

Accountant

Beth is an accountant and supporting the Finance Manager with the financial administration of the charity. 

Get Involved

Find out how you can work with the Trent Rivers Trust to protect your local rivers.