Meet the team

Elizabeth provides strategic and operational leadership for Eden Rivers Trust in her role as CEO.

A keen cyclist, Elizabeth enjoys tracing the Eden tributaries from Penrith up to their source. For a more sedate experience she loves the metal seat in the centre of Kirkoswald village where she can listen to the murmuring of Raven Beck and watch wagtails, dippers and riverfly revelling in the summer sunshine.

Michael co-ordinates the different conservation strands of the Trust: Monitoring, River Restoration, Natural Flood Management and tackling diffuse pollution. He also works with our community engagement team on the crucial task of ensuring that this conservation work is better understood by everyone within the Eden catchment.

He joins us from Bumblebee Conservation Trust where he was working on Species on the Edge, a project to save the Great Yellow Bumblebee in the Outer Hebrides and North Coast of Scotland. Previously Michael had spent 12 years at the Wildlife Trusts in County Durham and Yorkshire where he managed a suite of urban river restoration projects and Pennine-fringe nature reserves including the iconic Hannah’s Meadow Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

Michael is a riparian mammal expert and has previously run water vole recovery projects in the North East of England.

Julie is responsible for delivering the Trust’s Community Engagement Programme (‘Connect’), including the final stages of the Heritage Lottery-funded Cherish Eden project.

There is no greater pleasure for Julie than a lazy summer time picnic by the river, or spotting red squirrels at Rutter Force, accompanied by the sound of rushing water.

Claire is responsible for all the financial and accounting processes at the Trust, including the preparing of annual budgets and long-term financial planning.

When away from the office she loves spending time watching nature on the Eden at Wetheral, skimming stones with her family or taking in the varied delights of the Monks & Mysteries walk.

Lev is responsible for the development and delivery of the Trust’s programme of river restoration as part of the Cumbria River Restoration Strategy.

Lev enjoys cycling and walking all over the Eden catchment while keeping an eye on the water and wildlife. He takes a particular pleasure in the hills around Mungrisedale and Bowscale where springs erupting from the hillside flow into the River Caldew.

Dave has returned to Eden Rivers Trust as our Conservation Officer – Habitat and Species Management, working with the rest of the Conservation Team to undertake surveys, monitoring and more to understand the state of Eden’s habitats.

As part of the conservation team, Jenny manages Natural Flood Management (NFM) and river habitat improvement projects.

Jenny loves exploring the catchment on her road bike, whether it’s toiling up the challenging uphills or freewheeling downhill: for her it’s one of the best ways to experience the ever-changing views of the meandering rivers and rolling valleys.

Andy divides his time between the River Petteril Facilitation Fund Farmer Group and the United Utilities River Petteril Project. He assists farmers in the River Petteril catchment with the sourcing of vital funding to help reduce agricultural pollution and sedimentation.

He’s never happier than when out on the the fells and mountains around Ullswater. In his words: ‘It has it all!’

Megan works closely with farmers and landowners in the Trust’s Facilitation Fund sub-catchment areas to promote water-friendly farming and help with the sourcing of vital funding to help reduce agricultural pollution and sedimentation, improve water quality and riparian habitats.

Inspired by her upbringing on a small Derbyshire sheep farm, Megan studied ecology, undertaking a BSc in Environmental Conservation at Writtle College in 2005. She enjoyed the science of plants and soil so much that she completed an MSc in Countryside Management at Manchester Metropolitan University.

Megan’s career has taken her to South America, Cambodia and (the not quite so exotic) Bangor, but she is looking forward to getting her teeth into this role that combines her agricultural knowledge and expertise with her passion for conservation.

Tania develops and delivers the Trust’s learning programme, helping the next generation discover the amazing natural and cultural heritage of the Eden catchment.

Since moving to Cumbria from the south west, Tania’s started to discover many of the amazing places in the catchment for wild swimming (albeit only when the water’s warm enough!) She can’t get enough of the spectacular view of Ullswater from Place Fell and also loves the stretch of the Eden along Coombe Wood, Armathwaite.

Sam manages all of the strategic and tactical marketing and communications for the trust, raising awareness far and wide of the fantastic work done by the team, our volunteers, and partners to improve and protect Eden’s rivers.

From digital to TV, radio and press, Sam is the first port of call for a quick quote, articles, design work, film editing and a comprehensive marketing plan!

She adores the untamed wildness of Mallerstang and the river Eden as it rushes over Hell Gill waterfall.

From exploring the river through creative workshops to walks by the river for health, Jenni works with community partners who are delivering exciting projects that bring the river to life for local residents and families.

Kim is often the first person you’ll talk to. She undertakes a wide variety of administrative and financial tasks for the Trust, be it processing invoices, assisting with the admin for the Trust’s many activities or answering the phones.

When not in the office she loves to get hands-on in the river, helping with the Trust’s wildlife surveys or revelling in the ever-changing views from the shores of Ullswater.