AGM 2025

Matthew has spent his career working for local charities and is deeply passionate about the impact they can have on the people, places, and environments they support.  

He has a background in marketing, communications, and fundraising, and has held several senior roles within charities, including at a local hospice and a regional provider of social care and housing for older people.  

Currently working as Director of Public Engagement for Devon Air Ambulance, Matthew is responsible for increasing awareness of the organisation’s mission and raising the essential funds to support it. He leads a team of approximately 90 staff across fundraising, retail, marketing and communications, and volunteering functions, supported by over 500 dedicated volunteers.  Matthew has served as a Trustee of Somerset Wildlife Trust since 2017, including two years as vice-chair. Outside of work, he can often be found toiling away in the garden or exploring Exmoor with his border terrier. 

Mark has been involved with Somerset Wildlife Trust since 2010, when he joined the Trust as a Development Officer working on the Somerset Levels. He has since moved into an academic role at the University of the West of England where he teaches, researches and attempts to practice conservation biology. 

Mark is involved in developing novel conservation monitoring techniques focused on extracting species’ DNA from the environment to understand the distribution and behaviour of elusive species ranging from eels to lemurs, he is also assisting the creation of a new protected area in Madagascar’s central highlands. He has previously been involved in a number of studies to understand the impact of changing environmental conditions and economic drivers on Somerset’s wildlife-rich habitats. 

Barnaby was born and brought up in Somerset and has been a keen naturalist all his life. He works in the energy sector, working on environmental and social issues and specialising in helping companies work with communities around their operations to support long-term community development goals. 

While much of his work has been overseas, he has volunteered and worked for several wildlife and sustainable development charities in the UK, including WWT and the RSPB. 

Charlie served as a senior British Army Officer for 40 years including multiple secondments with the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.  He still supports the British Army as a Reserve officer.  He runs a small farm in East Somerset, focusing on regenerative farming techniques and making space for nature.  

He brings extensive Wildlife Trust experience having completed 6 years with Wiltshire Wildlife Trust on their Board of Trustees: He chaired the Land Management Committee.  He is a member of the Somerset Local Nature Recovery Strategic Steering Group providing advice and comment on farming and farmer clusters. His interests are farmland birds and how to increase their numbers on agricultural land, conservation grazing to improve biodiversity, and supporting native cattle breeds.