Norfolk Rivers Trust

The team

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Abbie Read

Trustee

Senior Project Officer - Partnerships

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Abbie Read is our Senior Project Officer specialising in Catchment Partnerships. She has a background in aquatic ecology, conservation and research, as well as experience in environmental education.

Abbie is responsible for facilitating the North West Norfolk, North Norfolk and Wensum Catchment Partnerships. Her role involves bringing together organisations, communities and stakeholders to build relationships and support collaborative working. She works with partners to identify shared priorities and opportunities to improve the health of our rivers and wider catchments.

Abbie has a particular interest in fisheries ecology and how river restoration can support healthy, diverse and abundant fish populations.

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Engagement and Partnerships

Ali Robinson

Trustee

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Ali is a senior accountant with a strong commercial background, particularly in the renewable energy and recycling sectors. Over the years, Ali has provided in-house financial, company secretarial and administrative support to a range of organisations, leading teams to deliver practical, client-focused solutions. Her work has included developing systems and processes that improve operational performance and support long-term success. Outside of work, Ali is driven by a deep respect for the natural world and a commitment to environmental sustainability. This personal connection to nature underpins her professional focus and inspires her support for organisations working to protect the environment and promote sustainable practices.

Trustees & Non-Executive Directors

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Alison Smyth

Trustee

Senior Farm Adviser

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Alison Smyth is a Senior Farm Adviser. With a background in agri-environment schemes, sustainable farming systems and soil management. Alison works with farmers in the Upper Bure Catchment as part of the Riverlands project and supports our farm team with her knowledge and expertise of working with farmers for over 30 years. Alison has particular interest in improving soil health, organic farming systems and climate resilience.

Farm and Land Management

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Anthony Gagen

Trustee

Restoration and Catchment Delivery Manager

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Ant Gagen is our Restoration and Catchment Delivery Manager. With a background in ecology and conservation, Ant coordinates the projects in North Norfolk, assisting his team in delivering river restoration schemes and habitat improvements. He has a particular interest in treatment wetlands and detailed river design.

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Restoration and Catchments

Ben Steward

Trustee

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Ben qualified in Land Agency before working within a large national commercial property team. He subsequently worked as a market leader in the regeneration of brownfield land and later as managing partner in a local Commercial Agency. As a Trustee of NRT and Non-Exec Director of Rivers Ecology, Ben brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the team.

Trustees & Non-Executive Directors

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Cassie Chanin

Trustee

Senior Project Officer

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Cassie Chanin is our Senior Project Officer, currently on Mat Leave until November 2027.

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Restoration and Catchments

Charlotte Briggs

Trustee

Farm Adviser

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Charlotte began at NRT as an assistant in the team, drawn to work in agriculture instead of the four walls of a science lab! She is passionate about engaging with environment-positive changes in the agricultural sector that just make sense… for planet and farming businesses alike.

Cooperative learning and knowledge exchange is a hugely rewarding part of the job… we offer free site visits to farmers and landowners, to get to know risks and opportunities for our catchment’s farmers and offer support to access help in such changeable and challenging times for the sector.

With experience in public engagement, education and lab work, Charlotte has a BSc degree in Biological Sciences (including crop genetics and microbiology) and is BASIS-qualified.

Farm and Land Management

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Donna Dean

Trustee

Restoration and Catchment Development Manager

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Donna Dean is our Restoration and Catchment Development Manager, with a background in ecology, conservation, and outdoor and high school education. Donna works alongside and supports her colleagues in the river restoration team, carrying out restoration projects across Norfolk. She has a particular interest in the Eurasian otter, having studied their habitat and prey preferences on chalk streams with NRT and the UEA. She also holds a BTO bird ringing license and rings birds at a variety of sites.

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Restoration and Catchments

Dr Geoff Brighty

Trustee

Chairman

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Dr Geoff Brighty has been a trustee of Norfolk Rivers Trust since 2014, and was chair from 2022-2026. Geoff is a published research scientist and has had a career to Area Director level with the Environment Agency including operations, sustainable communities, and ecotoxicology, leading to investigations on endocrine disruption in UK’s fish populations. More recently, he was Technical Director at the UKs first plastic pollution charity, Plastic Oceans, and was special advisor to its film A Plastic Ocean. Following 9 years leading his sustainability consultancy, he is now Chief Sustainability Officer at advanced recycling company, Mura Technology.

A lifelong environmentalist having grown up in North Norfolk, Geoff now lives near Norwich, and in his spare time enjoys kayaking, bird watching and fishing on the Broads and Norfolk rivers.

Trustees & Non-Executive Directors

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Dr Jonah Tosney

Trustee

Head of Rivers and Catchments

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Dr Jonah Tosney is an ecologist and has been at Norfolk Rivers Trust since 2012. He works across all our projects and specialises in river restoration and wetland creation projects. Jonah is passionate about nature restoration and has a particular interest in what it takes to allow Norfolk's chalk-streams to thrive.

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Leadership

Dr Lara Hawkins

Trustee

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Dr Lara Hawkins joined NRT in 2026 as our Consultancy and Development Manager responsible for the commercial work Norfolk River Trust do under their commercial arm, Rivers Ecology. She has over 25 years experience in Environmental Consultancy. She enjoys working in multidisciplinary collaborative teams and believes that such teams offer the best opportunity to improving our rivers and streams for nature and communities.

Rivers Ecology

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Dr Richard Cooper

Trustee

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Richard is an Associate Professor in the School of Environmental Sciences at the University of East Anglia. He specialises in applied Catchment Science research and teaching. For 10 years (2011-2020) he worked on the Defra-funded River Wensum Demonstration Test Catchment project evaluating the extent to which on-farm mitigation measures could cost-effectively reduce the impacts of agricultural pollution on river ecology whilst maintaining food production capacity. His current research projects focus on Landscape Recovery, integrated constructed wetlands, beaver reintroduction, and ‘forever chemical’ pollution. Outside of UEA, Richard sits on the River Wensum and Broadland Catchment Partnerships and is a keen gardener and wildlife enthusiast.

Trustees & Non-Executive Directors

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Dr Sarah Taigel

Trustee

Data, Evidence and Research Manager

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Sarah is the Trust’s Data, Evidence and Research Manager, bringing nearly 30 years of experience as a physical geographer and geospatial specialist across multiple sectors. Sarah’s research at the UEA evaluated how GIS, AR, VR, digital hubs, and citizen science could be used to manage landscapes at a catchment scale, including developing apps for real-world applications. Sarah has a strong interest in lowland chalk river systems, nature-based solutions, and data collection methods. Her diverse expertise underpins her work in advancing the Trust’s evidence-based approach to environmental restoration.

Data and Evidence

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Ed Bramham-Jones

Trustee

Chief Executive Officer

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Ed has been our CEO since 2023. Ed started working at the trust in 2016 when he joined as a Farm Adviser after spending 12 years at Pensthorpe as a Warden and then Reserve Manager. With a background in land management, farming and species conservation, Ed oversees the day-to-day running of the Trust and Rivers Ecology, our consultancy arm. He has a particular interest in delivering catchment-scale change through working in partnership to improve our rare chalk streams and the wider environment.

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Leadership

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Elaine Pointer

Trustee

Senior Finance Officer

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Elaine is our Senior Finance Officer. With finance experience across a variety of areas, including working for a horse welfare charity, she has been brought on board to assist our Head of Finance with day-to-day processing as the workload increases.

Outside of work, Elaine enjoys time in her garden and with her family.

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Finance

Elle Claiborn

Trustee

Senior Citizen Science Officer

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Elle Claiborn is our Senior Citizen Science Officer and has a background in international development, water security, sociology, anthropology, and teaching. Elle trains and coordinates citizen scientists taking weekly water quality testing on the River Wensum and its tributaries. She also manages the data derived from this testing, ensuring it is robust, accessible to all and fit for use by decision makers. She sits on the Wensum Catchment Partnership water quality and management teams. Elle has a particular interest in how people and waterways affect one another, and how education and involvement can enhance both.

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Engagement and Partnerships

Erin Madden

Trustee

Project Officer - Engagement

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Erin is our Project Officer specialising in engagement. Her experience is in connecting people with nature and restoration across different parts of the UK. Erin organises and delivers guided walks, events, volunteering opportunities and coordinates partnerships.

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Engagement and Partnerships

Georgia Waye-Barker

Trustee

Comms and Media Manager

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Georgia Waye-Barker is our Comms and Media Manager. With a background in environmental science, research and communications, Georgia leads our communications and media work, shining a spotlight on the crucial work that NRT undertakes. This includes collaborating with media outlets and partners, crafting compelling written and visual content, and managing our website and social media channels. Georgia is particularly passionate about sharing the transformative benefits of restoring rivers for human society, from health and wellbeing to sustainable water management and learning potential.

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Communications and Media

Gill Watson

Trustee

Human Resources Adviser

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Gill is our HR Adviser, bringing experience from a range of industries and a genuine passion for making work better for people. With a background in Psychology, HR, and leadership development, she supports teams to grow, helps leaders build confidence, and contributes to creating workplaces that are supportive, effective, and people-focused.

Being part of an organisation dedicated to protecting and improving our rivers strongly aligns with Gill’s values, and she is proud to support the people behind this important work. Outside of work, Gill enjoys spending as much time as possible in nature - switching off, recharging, and staying connected to what matters most.

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Jack Riggall

Trustee

Senior Ecologist

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Jack is an Ecologist within the Rivers Ecology team. With a degree in ecology and wildlife conservation, he has a wide range of field ecology experience, especially with protected species and botany. Jack has achieved a Level 4 Field Identification Skills Certificate (FISC) and also has experience in teaching professional courses on otters and their relatives.

Rivers Ecology

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Kerry Foster

Trustee

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Kerry is an experienced leader, and has worked across the environmental, cultural and tourism sectors for over 25 years in both exec and non-exec roles. Her previous experience includes leadership roles at The British Museum, London Transport Museum, and the National Trust. Kerry has most recently been working as a consultant, supporting charitable and commercial organisations in the sector by providing them with interim senior leadership support, coaching, change management expertise, and leading strategic and project assignments. She has a passion for nature conservation.

Trustees & Non-Executive Directors

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Libby Pool

Trustee

Senior Ecologist

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Libby ACIEEM is an Ecologist within our Rivers Ecology team. She has a background in ecological consultancy and has expertise in protected species surveys, habitat assessment and Biodiversity Net Gain. At the Trust, Libby conducts botanical surveys and River Condition Assessments to provide a robust baseline for river restoration projects. She also has experience in water vole mitigation, holds a Great Crested Newt licence, and has achieved a Level 4 Field Identification Skills Certificate (FISC). Libby is particularly interested in floodplain meadows and how appropriate management can influence botanical diversity.

Rivers Ecology

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Marie-Anne Edwards

Trustee

Head of Finance

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Having run her own business for a number of years, Marie-Anne started working for Norfolk Rivers Trust over 10 years ago and is now Head of Finance, managing funds for all projects.

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Leadership

Finance

Nathalie Dagg

Trustee

Senior Project Officer

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Nathalie is our Senior Project Officer. With a background in flood and water management, as well as erosion protection and adaptation projects on the north Norfolk coastline. Nathalie works in the Stiffkey catchment, planning and delivering river restoration projects. She has a particular interest in treatment wetlands and supervision of project delivery works. Nathalie has qualifications in dumper driving, site management safety, electrofishing, brush cutting, and is working towards obtaining a water vole handling and mitigation licence.

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Restoration and Catchments

Polly Penn

Trustee

Head of Programmes

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Polly is our Head of Programmes and joined us in 2025, bringing a decade of experience from the South East Rivers Trust. There she held a variety of roles as the organisation grew, most recently leading community engagement through education, volunteering, and communications, while also shaping strategy, partnerships, and fundraising. At Norfolk Rivers Trust, Polly oversees our wide-ranging programme of work, builds strong partnerships, and secures funding to deliver our strategy for the future.

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Leadership

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Rebecca Banks

Trustee

Senior Project Officer

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Rebecca is our Senior Project Officer and has been with Norfolk Rivers Trust since 2017, co-ordinating and delivering a variety of river restoration, wetland creation projects, and surveys. Rebecca holds an MSc in Biodiversity, Conservation and Management, a BSc in Geography, and has a background in practical conservation, land management, and ecological surveys. She has a particular interest in floodplains and serves as a Floodplain Meadows Ambassador for the Floodplain Meadows Partnership.

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Restoration and Catchments

Rob Cooke

Trustee

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Rob has worked in the environmental sector for over 40 years in both policy implementation and operational roles, most recently as Director for Legislative Reform at Natural England, where he stood over advice to Government on Retained EU Law, and Regulatory reform in general. As a Director at Natural England for over 10 years, Rob has led teams providing expert advice in both the marine and terrestrial environments, including agricultural policy implementation, biodiversity and wider environmental legislation, site designation, landscape-scale delivery, and sustainable development issues.

Currently, in addition to his role as Trustee for Norfolk Rivers Trust, Rob is also a Trustee for the National Biodiversity Network, and was previously a Trustee for the Field Studies Council.

Trustees & Non-Executive Directors

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Sam Hurst

Trustee

Farming and Land Manager

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Sam is our Farming and Land Manager. With a background in water sensitive farm advice, environmental regulation, and catchment appraisal. Sam manages our team of farm advisers to deliver a range of projects with corporate partners that support sustainable food production, healthy soils, and clean and plentiful water. He has a particular interest in riparian land management, ‘regenerative farming’ practices, and historic maps. Sam is a FACTS qualified adviser and CIWEM member.

Farm and Land Management

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Sharon Reeves

Trustee

Senior Project Officer

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Sharon is a Senior Project Officer with a background in education and conservation. Sharon works to restore rivers, including the Wensum and has recently created catchment restoration delivery plans for both the Lark and Wissey rivers. Following a career change, Sharon is passionate about learning anything and everything to help restore clean, accessible rivers with an abundance of diverse wildlife.

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Restoration and Catchments

Steve Hendry

Trustee

Project Officer

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Steve is our Project Officer. With a background in architectural design, cabinet making and years of volunteering with local conservation groups. His current role includes designing, planning and delivering river restoration projects and water quality testing in North Norfolk. Steve is particularly interested in river restoration design and learning about how flood meadow plants can inform you of site conditions and past management.

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Restoration and Catchments

Tim Fisher

Trustee

Engagement and Partnerships Manager

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Tim is our Engagement and Partnerships Manager. With a background in landscape archaeology, practical coastal management, outdoor environmental education and primary school teaching. His degree in archaeology enabled him to pursue his interest in how landscapes change, and how humans interact with them. In his current role, he is fascinated by the relationship between river systems and human activity.

Tim co-ordinates our volunteers, planning and leading tasks that help the Trust deliver nature recovery projects across the county. Additionally, he manages our school and community engagement events throughout the year. He has a particular interest in linking communities with nearby nature recovery projects and the wider landscape. In his spare time, he loves to explore landscapes, rivers, estuaries and coastlines - enjoying being immersed in the diverse range of habitats they flow past.

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Engagement and Partnerships

Tom Deards

Trustee

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Tom is our chair, having served as a trustee since 2023. He also works as the Legal & Governance Director of the Canal & River Trust. This involves leading a legal team that covers a huge diversity of areas including environment and planning law, property law, public and charity law, specialist waterway law (navigation, boat licensing, riparian duties and rights etc.), as well as a governance team which coordinates the Board of Trustees, Council of Members and other stakeholder groups. Tom also oversees wider compliance and assurance in respect of data protection, safeguarding, sustainability, equality and diversity, health and safety and risk management.

Trustees & Non-Executive Directors

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Ursula Juta

Trustee

Senior Project Officer - Species

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Ursula is our Senior Project Officer specialising in species. With a background in ecology, conservation and outdoor education, she is a multi-skilled team member, coordinating river restoration projects, delivering stakeholder engagement sessions and undertaking protected species surveys and mitigation. Ursula holds Natural England white-clawed crayfish, great crested newt and beaver licences. She has a particular interest in restoration ecology and how keystone species can influence a whole food chain.

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Restoration and Catchments

Zac Battams

Trustee

Head of Operations

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Zac is our Head of Operations and leads the day-to-day running and organisation of the Trust. With a bias towards catchment water resource management and a passion for all things relating to fish, Zac believes holistic thinking is required to achieve the most ambitious positive outcomes for Norfolk’s rivers and that collaborative working is essential for making change at scale.

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Leadership

Our team

The team

Abbie Read

Trustee

Senior Project Officer - Partnerships

Ali Robinson

Trustee

Trustee

Alison Smyth

Trustee

Senior Farm Adviser

Anthony Gagen

Trustee

Restoration and Catchment Delivery Manager

Ben Steward

Trustee

Cassie Chanin

Trustee

Senior Project Officer

Charlotte Briggs

Trustee

Farm Adviser

Donna Dean

Trustee

Restoration and Catchment Development Manager

Dr Geoff Brighty

Trustee

Chairman

Dr Jonah Tosney

Trustee

Head of Rivers and Catchments

Dr Lara Hawkins

Trustee

Dr Richard Cooper

Trustee

Dr Sarah Taigel

Trustee

Data, Evidence and Research Manager

Ed Bramham-Jones

Trustee

Chief Executive Officer

Elaine Pointer

Trustee

Senior Finance Officer

Elle Claiborn

Trustee

Senior Citizen Science Officer

Erin Madden

Trustee

Project Officer - Engagement

Georgia Waye-Barker

Trustee

Comms and Media Manager

Gill Watson

Trustee

Human Resources Adviser

Jack Riggall

Trustee

Senior Ecologist

Kerry Foster

Trustee

Libby Pool

Trustee

Senior Ecologist

Marie-Anne Edwards

Trustee

Head of Finance

Nathalie Dagg

Trustee

Senior Project Officer

Polly Penn

Trustee

Head of Programmes

Rebecca Banks

Trustee

Senior Project Officer

Rob Cooke

Trustee

Sam Hurst

Trustee