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MEET THE TEAM

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  1. Emma Johnson Chair

  2. Geoffrey  Potts Treasurer

  3. Roe Baker 

  4. Mark James Thurston  

  5. Pax Nindi  FRSA

  6. Councillor Nabeela Ali

  7. Sharinita Ismail

We  have lost  Professor Seirian Sumner as a trustee whose international work and trusteeships at the royal entomological society are too demanding. She will always be a great advisor on anything to do with wasps. Also Noam Leshem after a very good stint as a trustee. We are now are  looking for a couple more dynamic, committed, and high achieving applicants, to help us to create an urban biodiversity Noah's Ark in Newcastle upon Tyne and elsewhere. These roles require fundraising, community building, on and offline networking, and active participation in projects, as well as governance.

To apply contact paul.miskin@sa4tp.co.uk

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Producer Panel members advisors.

·        Frank Wilson MBA founder of SIRF

·        Stella Hall Director of The Festival of Thrift 

Science Panel member

·        Paul Heatherington Buglife

The executive at present comprises Paul Miskin Secretary with a lot of help from​

Maysie Sharp  on the horticultural side and many wonderful artists and volunteers.

THE BOARD

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EMMA JOHNSON
         CHAIR

elected 16th August 2023

Emma lives in Summerhill Newcastle upon Tyne with her partner and their two children and is a keen environmentalist. She is a keen supporter of Planet Action Street Arts Aims and outcomes. 

Education MSc in International Business and an MBA in Business Administration

 

She has been involved in environmental issues in international economic development and fair-trade, working overseas in Guatemala, then in the EU, project managing global and regional corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability projects. and co-devising and implementing  a global campaign called 'The Responsible Purchasing Initiative' - for global businesses and governments to implement UN sustainability goals in trade.

 

She gained cross-industry work experience in business development and marketing, in USA, UAE, Luxembourg, Germany working with CEOs and C-Suite Managers helping the leadership team implement and refine launches and new lines of service. In addition to this, producing large-scale global, in-person events and exciting online engagements.  

 

Her present employment is chief of staff for the international agency for the prevention of Blindness.

Mark James Thurston

Education
BSc (Hons) Combined Sciences, Open University
Diploma in Earth Sciences, Open University
PGCE (Maths and Numeracy), Teesside University

Director  Newcastle & North Tyneside Local Improvement Finance Trust
Company Ltd, Facilities & Client Relationship Manager  Newcastle City Council
Manager of Newcastle Libraries Private Finance Initiative contracts as well as Newcastle Council’s Public-Private Partnership contracts. Oversees a network of 13 buildings hosting a range of partners with the public library service.

 

2019 and 2022  helped manage small public green spaces in Newcastle,  11 historic graveyards and  a Historic England funded project in two graveyards. Gained national and local funding tor biodiversity around library buildings.
2022 working on the City Council’s decarbonisation project, replacing gas boilers with PV panels and heat pumps.

Studies included   Engineering, Geology and Ecology. Dissertations  on investigated control of turbochargers in Formula 1 engines, and  air pollution on lichen in churchyards.
· I’m a member of Monkton Local History Group, an area of South Tyneside with several listed buildings. Currently studying historic building restoration with the Landmark Trust 
· I’ve recently formed Friends of the Slaggie, a group for local residents to enjoy and protect a precious green space on the site of an old slag
heap created by Jarrow ironworks.

ROE BAKER

Education BA Hons in Creative and Performing Arts and a Diploma in public realm landscaping, Permaculture and Sustainable Land Use.

 

Roe works for Cumbria Action for Sustainability, the leading climate change charity in Cumbria, including delivery on a Heritage Landscape Partnership Scheme led by the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and supporting low carbon delivery across the scheme, working with partners, including the Farmer Network piloting an calculating whole farm carbon and  a reduction in  greenhouse emissions on farms - carbon, nitrous oxide and methane reducing the impact of climate change and improving soil health and long-term productivity. Also planting trees and mixed hedgerow to improve carbon sequestration and biodiversity.

She manages a community buildings grant fund  which supports communities retrofit their community buildings for energy efficiency.

She sits on Eden District Council’s “Greening Eden” grant panel which supports businesses in Eden reduce their Scope 1, 2 and 3 carbon emissions.

In other work she supports geographical communities map their area solar PV potential and support residents and small businesses to engage in low carbon transition, to calculate carbon footprints and to take practical action to reduce emissions.

She has nineteen years experience in leading low carbon, natural environment and built heritage sustainability projects – from small seed local grassroots initiatives to countywide project management in urban and rural settings.

she is experienced in strategic development and engagement with communities, organisations, educators, small business, farmers and landowners.

she is a pro- active and community minded individual with an ethical and inclusive approach to the development of land, enterprise and social sustainability that can bring experience of community garden and farm management and public green space protection and enhancement.

In her spare time she set up and manages Repair Café’s. and at home is working to bring a derelict allotment plot into a productive space for food growing and biodiversity.

NOAM LESHEM
ex board member

Dr Noam Leshem

Associate Professor in Political and Cultural Geography

 His research addresses concerns of violent conflict, social change and environmental degradation in the Middle East and South America. Leshem’s work extends beyond academia, forging collaborations with cultural institutions and reaching audiences through visual storytelling and immersive technology

PAX NINDI

Artist - Strategist -  Consultant -  Musician - Photographer -  Filmmaker. He is the founder and Chief Executive of Global Carnivalz Ltd. He wrote the Arts Council Carnival Arts Strategy. He Was National Carnival Advisor for Arts Council of England, South Africa Arts, Sports and Culture, Arts Council of Wales and Ireland.  As a Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts and an international carnival consultant, Pax is a keen advocate for the carnival art form and lectures at conferences around the world. He has been instrumental in creating opportunities and studentships for diverse artists. His recent work includes developing use of recycled materials for carnival and helping create  carnival opportunities.

GEOFFRY POTTS

Honorary Entrepreneurial Fellow in Durham University Business School. TREASURER

With over 25 years lending experience with a leading Bank, escaped whilst it was still a reputable profession. Geoff joined ‘The Small Business Centre’ at Durham University Business School to pursue his interest in developing innovative approaches to financing growth in the SME sector.
Senior Tutor and Director of Banking, Business Adviser, and SME Programmes at Durham University Business School (1994–2005) co-developed and directed a number of training and development programmes for Bankers, Personal Business Advisers and SME’s which were delivered nationally and internationally. On retiring from the University in 2005, co-founded Durham Enterprise Associates Limited now trading as DEAL Group (www.deal-group.com) an enterprise consultancy specialising in supporting individuals and organisations that stimulate businesses to grow, develop and change.

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PROFESSOR SEIRIAN SUMNER
ex board member

Professor Seirian Sumner Professor of behavioural ecology at  UCL 

Seirian Sumner - Wikipedia

Giver of this years `Insect Superheroes` lecture at the Curtis Auditorium on destigmatising Wasps. 

A international scientific expert and biodiversity publicist Why I matter | New Internationalist. See Endless Forms: The Secret World of Wasps: Amazon.co.uk: Sumner, Seirian: 9780008394479: Books

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Councillor Nabeela Ali
  • Lived in the Summerhill area for more than 6 years and in Newcastle for the last 12

  • Councillor in the Monument ward and have been involved in several community-led projects to bring a positive change in people’s lives.

  • Chairperson of  AMAN-PROJECT,  a community led project since 2015 working for equality, diversity and inclusion.

  • Worked as a Northeast Bureau chief and a community reporter in Newcastle in a a bilingual newspaper.

  • Elected BAME officer and on the panel of  executive committee of Newcastle Central and west CLP of Labour party.

  • During the peak pandemic organised a local group with local residents supported by local councillors to help people who were elderly and  in isolation to help them with food , medicines, shopping, posting and with other personal needs.

  •  Running a litter picking campaign to keep our neighbourhood clean and to create awareness among the local community about environment.

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Statement​

I truly admire the way ABCD24 is playing a key role in carrying out different activities to keep our planet safe and it is open to everyone to take part in festival, workshops, seminars, planting flowerbeds to promote bio diversity and many more events to promote bio diversity.

 I value transparency, open communication and collaborative decision making. I believe that these principles are crucial for fostering a productive and inclusive  committee.

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Sharinita Ismail

Marketing and Communications Campaign Specialist

Results-driven professional with 15+ years of experience in overseeing strategic communications and marketing programmes to maximise corporate reputation and commercial opportunities. Excel at realising excellent results through managing full lifecycle of campaigns, driving PR efforts, and cultivating lucrative partnerships to enhance brand awareness. Adept at stimulating brand identities through the delivery of cutting-edge communication plans and dynamic collateral while ensuring strict compliance with organisational values.

Resourceful business leader with active involvement in shaping long-range vision and aligning people and department to create long-term shareholder value. Ability to adapt in rapidly changing environment by building relationships, thinking outside the box, demonstrating flexibility, and innovative mind-set.

Core Competencies

  • Strategic Communications & Media Planning

  • Global Brand Visibility & Awareness

  • Campaigns Development & Execution

  • International and Local Media Coverage

  • Copywriting, Editing, and Publishing

  • Strategic Relations & Business Alliances

  • Social Media Channels & Strategies

  • Process Redesign / Change Management

  • Market Trends & Emerging Technologies

  • Cross-functional Team Leadership

10 Ravensworth Terrace Newcastle Upon Tyne NE46AU

07711656759

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