Alan Griggs Agricultural Chaplain Expand Alan has been at RAD since July 2015, taking over from Graham Hinds who had been in post for over 10 years. Alan says, "As an Agricultural Chaplain I provide support to farmers and the wider agricultural community. It's a privilege supporting others, offering a listening ear when life doesn't always go to plan and things get tough. I find working at RAD extremely satisfying and rewarding and you never know what's coming next." He's got a varied background with time spent working as a flooring contractor and at Heathrow Airport as well as working for over 10 years with the Derbyshire Probation Service. Alan completed his BSc in Third World Development in 2004 and was ordained in the Church of England in 2015 after studying for three years at St John's College in Nottingham. In his younger years he also spent time living in Israel, working on a fish farm on a Kibbutz and studying Hebrew. Alan brings his own character, skills and experience to the role and has been the driving force behind the growth of the project. He moved to Derbyshire after marring Louise, a farmers daughter, in 2001. He, like many of the RAD team, loves family walks (with his Jack Russell Dexter) around Derbyshire and beyond. He has developed an understanding of the dedication and hard work that is involved in farming as well as the wider agricultural industry. If you would like to contact Alan about the Agricultural Chaplaincy project, call him on his mobile 07710 088972 or the main office number (although Alan is normally out and about you will be able to leave a message for him) on 01629 592970 or email [email protected].
Becky Newton Wheels to Work Project Assistant Expand Becky joined RAD in September 2018 as Wheels to Work Project Assistant and is enjoying being part of the team and supporting people to access training, education and employment opportunities. Born in Cambridgeshire Becky was brought up in a Fenland Farming community before moving to the bright lights of London to complete her degree in English and American Studies. She spent 8 months as a residential volunteer supporting homeless people in a therapeutic farming community just outside Edinburgh when she finished her degree and loved every second, even the 4am sheep checks during lambing season! After some adventures in Italy and Sussex Becky followed her heart and moved to Scotland’s capital in 2003 where she supported adults with learning disabilities with independent living skills. Becky returned to England and settled in Derbyshire 12 years ago where she lives with her husband, son and ‘Nell Cat’. Becky loves spending time in nature, gardening and seeing her favourite bands. In additional to working at RAD, she is studying for a Diploma in Physiology and Anatomy, don’t ask why! If you would like to contact Becky, email [email protected] or call 01629 592976 / 07454 230757.
Beverley Parker - CEO Chief Executive Officer and tenant farmer. Expand Bev was appointed to the post of CEO of RAD in April 2017. She is a keen advocate of rural issues, having grown up in a South Derbyshire village with very few services even then. Nowadays the village has no shop, no doctors’ surgery and a very occasional bus service. She grew up surrounded by the countryside, did casual work at the local potato farm and kept a scruffy pony in a farmer's field sandwiched between the A38 trunk road and the main railway line between Derby and Birmingham. In her career she has worked in various local authorities, mainly in culture and tourism, organising large scale outdoor events, managing a museum and country park, promoting conferences in a large seaside resort and working for a regional arts board as a senior manager. She worked for the Audit Commission for 9 years but in 2011, following sweeping political changes, the Audit Commission was demised and redundancy followed. She then spent nearly 3 years teaching at a residential school for girls with severe emotional and behavioural difficulties (a good grounding for being CEO at RAD!). She has been a school governor for many years at a local primary school. Bev joined RAD in March 2014 as Policy and Partnerships Manager for Financial Action and Advice Derbyshire. She lives in Staffordshire, a stone’s throw from the Derbyshire border. With her partner Ian she farms around 70 acres with around another 30 acres of grazing land on an annual basis. They have around 200 Jacob sheep and 4 Longhorn beef cattle and they produce hay and haylage mainly for the equestrian market. She has two horses, a Jack Russell terrier and a few chickens which lay eggs for friends and family – including RAD staff. To contact Bev: Office 01629 592971, Mobile: 07738 983 656, email: [email protected]
Claire Symonds Suicide Awareness Project Officer Expand Claire joined RAD in October 2016, project managing the Suicide Awareness Training. She works with the Public Health Team at Derbyshire County Council to organise and deliver the free training sessions throughout Derbyshire. She began her career working in finance and project management and after retraining a few years ago she moved towards the area of Health & Social Care - although her financial training still comes in very handy! Claire enjoys getting out and about in the great outdoors to exercise and she also enjoys all things musical, particularly playing in a brass band and dancing. Her love of travelling has taken her around the world, driving across America getting her kicks on Route 66 as well as a trip on the Orient Express! To contact Claire, email her on [email protected] or phone 01629 592970.
Emily Brailsford Chaplain to Young Farmers and Project Assistant Expand Emily started at RAD on 1st August 2018 as Chaplain for young farmers, working with Alan Griggs to support young farmers and the wider agricultural community across Derbyshire. She also provides admin support for the project and for the Village Halls Advisory Service. She lives near Matlock and is a married mum of three children aged 16, 10 and 8 so certainly has her hands full. Emily says "I seem to have followed a roundabout route to essentially come back to where I started. I am the granddaughter of a farmer and spent my youth herding cattle on my horse. I then became a beauty therapist, then worked in a bank, trained as a Teaching Assistant and have now returned to the world of farming. "My church life has also gone full circle. I attended Sunday School as a child but avoided church when a night out with my friends was more interesting. I came back to the church after the birth of my first child and last year was licensed as a Lay Reader in the Church of England. On the rare occasions I get any time to myself I like to spend it reading or doing embroidery. "It's great to be involved in other parts of RAD work too, I'm learning so much!" If you would like to contact Emily, call her on her mobile 07594 088858 or the main office number (Emily is part-time and normally out and about, but you will be able to leave a message for her) on 01629 592970 or email [email protected].
Emma Simpson Oil Buying Scheme Project Officer, Administrator and Marketing Officer Expand Emma joined RAD in June 2006, but then left at the end of 2011 for a two and a half year break in Guernsey, coming back in September 2014. She runs the oil buying scheme and is also RAD Administrator, responsible for marketing and communications, membership and looking after the Board amongst other things. Her experience comes from a number of different areas. Horses and skiing have had an impact on her career path. She is a qualified riding instructor and has worked in England, Spain, America and Australia with horses. She has also had 4 seasons working as a Resorts Manager for a ski company in Italy. Now more grounded in Derbyshire with a son and a labrador you are more likely to see her walking in the Derbyshire Dales. If you have a general enquiry about RAD's work, or would like to speak to her about the oil buying scheme or LPG call her on 01629 592970 or email [email protected].
Helena Stubbs Village Halls and Community Buildings Adviser Expand Helena joined RAD in September 2002 as a Rural Officer. Before joining RAD Helena had been working as a research consultant studying the impacts of Foot and Mouth in the Voluntary Sector in South Derbyshire, the social needs of older people in a number of rural Derbyshire villages and the evaluation of sheltered housing and day care services. She feels privileged to help make a difference to people's lives throughout her time so far at RAD working with communities, supporting shops, post offices and pubs and for the last 8 years helping with community buildings. Helena says, "travelling around such a beautiful county and meeting such interesting people all with a common goal of trying to improve their local communities really makes my job special. Work is never boring and each village hall I work with presents me with its own unique issues which need investigating." Helena has lived all her life in Derbyshire's farming community. She is part of a large bustling family with two grown up children, a beautiful granddaughter and 19 nephews and nieces so there's always a family gathering to keep her busy. If you would like to contact Helena, email [email protected] or phone 01629 592973.
Joanne Peck Project Coordinator Expand Joanne Peck joined RAD in August 2018 as a Project Assistant. She has worked on the Wheels to Work project and is now assisting Jacqui Bell with the Policy & Partnerships work and Claire Symonds with Suicide Awareness Training. Jo is also supporting other projects, such as the village halls conference. Jo was born in King’s Lynn, Norfolk but her family moved to Derby when she was 8. She returned to Norfolk to get her degree in Environmental Sciences at the University of East Anglia. Jo has lived in Scotland and Cambridgeshire, but returned to Derbyshire with her family in 2007. Jo worked for many years as a Special Educational Needs Teaching Assistant and then moved to employment with the Derbyshire Libraries as a Library Assistant and then Manager of the Matlock branch. As well as a busy life as a working mum, over the years Jo has also found the time to fit in some volunteering. She has helped with a local after-school club, holiday club and associated residential trips. She is still a volunteer for delivering Storytime and children’s events at Matlock and Wirksworth library. When not working Jo enjoys reading, baking, gardening, yoga, badminton and walking Pudding, her rather lively Cockapoo. Jo said: "I am looking forward to supporting the work of RAD and am so excited about the opportunity to help make a difference to rural communities in Derbyshire." If you would like to contact Jo, email [email protected] or call 01629 592978 /07738 107072
Joe Dugdale Rural Officer and Neighbourhood Development Planning Officer Expand Joe joined RAD in 1999 after leaving a lecturing role in Further Education and from the start (he says) it was a dream job. "I was being paid to support volunteers all over Derbyshire. Being a Rural Officer is never boring - I've dealt with all manner of things from helping to relocate a donkey sanctuary to mammoth ESF applications; the common thread is that almost everyone I'm likely to meet is trying to do something for their group or the wider community." Joe developed a specialism in Community Planning early on. His experience lecturing in sociology and research meant he could easily get to grips with the theory and he has had plenty of practice with Parish Plans, Community Appraisals and all the forerunners of the current Neighbourhood Development Plans. When not working for RAD, Joe spends a lot of time walking with his dog Callan in the Derbyshire hills and further afield. He's director of the Serpentine Community Farm CIC in Buxton, which provides horticultural experience to a broad range of volunteers. He was also a founding Director of Buxton Town Team CIC, similar to working at RAD! Joe likes to cook, nearly as much as he likes to eat apparently. He's very healthy and as a fish eating vegetarian is always eating wholesome food in the office. To contact Joe, email him [email protected] or call 01629 592974 or 07743 850127.
Laura Mitchell Wheels to Work Project Manager Expand Laura joined RAD in September 2016 working on the Wheels to Work project. Laura says, "I love meeting the clients and seeing how their careers and education opportunities develop once they have access to their own transport and seeing the knock-on effect that this has on their confidence." Before working at RAD Laura spent 9 year working in the tourism industry in Finnish Lapland (yes, she has met Father Christmas), before returning “home” to Derbyshire. When she's not at work she loves spending time with her two boys, which usually includes hanging out at the skate park trying not to have a heart attack! To contact Laura email [email protected] or call 01629 592975 or 07588 848664.
Sally Salisbury Finance Manager Expand Sally has been working at RAD since 2001, starting in an admin support role for Peak Rural Welfare Rights before moving into accounts. In 2001 rural communities were coping with the devastating effects of the Foot & Mouth outbreak, a very difficult time indeed for livestock farmers throughout Derbyshire. The former coal mining areas in the north eastern area of Derbyshire were also a priority. There have been many changes at RAD since Sally started, ranging from the Village Agents scheme to current day projects helping with transport, oil buying, financial capability and wellbeing as well as working within communities supporting their village halls and neighbourhood plans. Sally says, "It's a really interesting charity to work for and it's rewarding that indirectly I am helping to support the frontline workers." Sally is Derbyshire born and bred, living in the same village she was born in - Hognaston. However, she also loves Cornwall and visits at least twice a year and is one day hoping to move there. She has had an interesting working career working mostly in and around Ashbourne with a building company producing handmade bricks and tiles, an estate agents, advertising agency and Agricultural Training Board. She qualified as a professional photographer when her daughter was very young and has also taken her accountancy qualifications. Sally is an avid (passionate?) follower of the Levellers and Ferocious Dog, regularly going to music festivals and gigs, usually with her daughter in tow. She is a long time dog lover with two Golden Retrievers and was secretary of the local dog training club for many years (so her dogs are obviously very well trained!). When she's not walking her dogs she likes to spend time in the garden. To contact Sally email her at [email protected] or telephone 01629 592972.