About Us

I have been privileged to be Chair of Trustees since 2018, and a hands-on volunteer for much longer than that.  My career background is in NHS hospital management and planning, and for many years I was Director of Planning at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital.

Since leaving the NHS in 2006, I have been variously a freelance project manager, a primary school chair of governors, a trustee and chair of South West Ministry Training Course and a volunteer with Exeter YMCA.

From 2012 to 2025, I served as Director of Music at St David’s Church, Exeter.  Alongside that, I have written music for the church choir, Exeter Chamber Choir and community choir Ide Aloud – material ranging from the serious to the downright silly.

I joined Exeter Food Action in 2023, taking over as Treasurer from Jon Curtis.

My working career has been as an accountant in auditing and corporate tax. I joined a firm of Chartered Accountants in Kingston upon Thames in 1983, and am a manager in charge of audit and corporate tax for a firm of Chartered Accountants in Newton Abbot which I joined in 1999 when I moved down to Devon.

I have been Treasurer of both the parish church in Ide and Ide Community Village Shop for many years, and am also the independent examiner for Exeter Choral Society.

I am a church bellringer and enjoy hill walking, mountaineering and climbing at v diff standard.

I joined EFA as a trustee in March 2022. I am the Secretary for the charity. I have previously set up and run a social enterprise and regularly represent the Voluntary sector in my work with the NHS and Local Authorities.

In my professional life I work as a Public Health Specialist and Commissioner for Children’s Services. Food insecurity and access to food is a significant factor in widening inequalities in health outcomes, particularly for those on lower incomes and for families with younger children. These groups are also adversely affected by changes in our climate and widening economic inequality. For me EFA supports these groups in a practical and effective way, and I am proud to be able to support as a trustee.

Away from work I enjoy my lovely grown up daughters and doing bad DIY projects.

I’ve been volunteering for EFA since 2021, having retired from a career in the voluntary sector, including as CEO of a national charity. I’ve been a trustee for 2 others and served on the board of a social enterprise.

I volunteer for EFA because of the good work that we do, although it irks me that, in the 6th largest economy in the world (by GDP), the UK has more food banks than McDonald’s and so many people live with food insecurity.

When I’m not volunteering I’m often visiting my daughter in London, try my hand at painting and sculpture, and write a travel blog. I tried to master the guitar but, when the friend teaching me quipped that I had Van Gogh’s ear for music, I gave that one a miss.

Ian Joined Exeter Food Action as a Trustee in April 2025 having successfully helped run an Engineering Consultancy for 12 years.  He lives in Exeter and has three grown up children.  He brings business understanding and ethics to the Trustees and a good insight into environmental issues and waste management.  Having worked around Exeter for 40 years Ian has a great network of contacts in the property and business world and is never short of an idea – no matter how barmy!  When not in the warehouse or on a food collection Ian spends time with family,  in Church at Belmont Chapel, at an Ultimate Frisbee pitch watching children be energetic,  or enjoying the peace of the canal network on his narrowboat.     

I joined EFA more than 12 years ago when it was part of Devon and Cornwall Food Association. With others who have now retired work to see the evolution of EFA working together with FairShare, a partnership that has grown stronger over the years.

I work for Devon County Council in Highway Asset Management as Highway Asset Senior Officer. I have been working for DCC for over 36 years and soon looking forward toa happy retirement.

I am the Health and Safety lead for EFA, and recent helped in writing a resilience framework for EFA with the help of my fellow trustees. I have a MSc qualification in Safety and Risk Management and other Health and Safety qualifications. I will help EFA more when I retire and feel in gaps when required.

My hobbies outside work include DIY, swimming, gym workout, and walking, I hope to do more of these when I retire. I am a trustee of another charity Friends of Petra which supports a school in Zimbabwe. My biggest DIY achievement was recent conversion of our garage into a studio!

I am proud to be a trustee of Exeter Food Action. I am a mum of two amazing children. I am a master’s student of dietetics with the University of Plymouth and I am currently working in the brillliant Nutrition amd Dietetics team in Torbay hospital. I have recently stepped back from volunteering as a warehouse operative but continue to strive to reduce food waste thorough my role as a trustee. I am enthusiastic, creative and energetic, and I love a challenge, particularly when fundraising! I am happy to grab a cuppa and have a chat- so please do reach out!