Rachel has many years of practical conservation experience having started out her career as a ranger and spent many hours pulling Himalayan Balsam. Since then she has worked in volunteering and community roles and managed projects looking at public access and changing land management in the uplands to benefit nature, water, carbon, cultural heritage and local people.
Prior to her role with the Aire Rivers Trust, she worked for the National Trust at Malham Tarn and was involved with delivery of Phase 2 of the Leeds Flood Alleviation Scheme. Her real passion is working with different groups and individuals to understand their values and needs, so that we can work together on improving our rivers and give people a sense of ownership and pride over their local waterway.

Billy’s works to build and support the Aire Catchment Network (a group of organisations interested in improving the River Aire) by championing strategic priorities, building partnerships, and developing and seeking funding for projects

"I am overjoyed to be part of the Aire Rivers Trust and Aire Catchment Network, listening and appreciating all the challenges around the catchment, working with the network to improve our local waterways."

Nick manages our practical conservation programme and river restoration contractors. He has extensive experience designing and delivering woodland and natural flood management schemes. 

"I believe we are at a watershed moment for the environment. We all have a role to play in protecting and conserving the environment. I am keen to work with landowners to find profitable ways to support their farm businesses to care for our river."

Sam leads our citizen science volunteer programme and works on a variety of river restoration projects including along the River Worth. Being brought up on an upland small holding in South Craven, he has a strong connection to the river and communities of the upper Aire.

"Rivers have a key part in creating a landscape that delivers sustainable food production, recreation opportunities and ecosystem services like flood risk reduction. It's exciting to be part of that journey."

Gareth is our Practical Conservation Project Officer delivering a variety of Environmental works along the catchment. Gareth has a wide range of skills including, hedge laying, coppicing and drystone walling.

"Working with the Trust to improve the River Aire will be a fantastic opportunity to use and improve my skills, knowledge and experience. I look forward to supporting volunteers to improve their local river for the benefit of all!"

Olivia joins us as part of a National Lottery funded Groundwork's New to Nature internship, and will support the delivery of our practical conservation volunteering. Olivia is keen to learn new skills and help others enjoy their time volunteering with us.

"Rivers and riverside environments are essential features of any landscape, for wildlife and for people. I hope to support and work alongside volunteers to conserve and enhance the Aire and it's tributaries so that these natural assets can be enjoyed by communities and provide for wildlife for years to come".

Sharon is our Project Administrator. Sharon is always happy to help and is the person to talk to for volunteer expenses or booking on training courses.

"I am always happy to help, so please do not hesitate to get in touch. I love my job and it's great to be part of an organisation that helps the environment."

John is our ‘Better Becks’ project officer. His work involves addressing the health of the tributaries of the River Aire in around the Bradford area. This includes developing Natural Flood Management projects, farm advice, invasive species management and addressing barriers to fish passage. His previous roles have included outdoor education, community gardening and practical conservation contracting in the moorland, woodland and river environments.
“It’s wonderful to have the opportunity to work in a team that has a deep investment in the local area and with local communities. I look forward to the many opportunities that working with the trust will bring”

Wendy is a founder trustee of The Aire Rivers Trust and a former Chair of Bradford and Bingley Canoe Club. She is our Safeguarding lead.

She began canoeing on the Aire in 1974 and remembers signs along the river warning people of dangerously polluted water.

“The quality of our local water courses is a signal of how we value and care for our environment and the improving quality of the Aire is a success story to be proud of.
Recreational use of the river enables local people to value it and engage with its care. This means reducing pollution, managing the spread of invasive non-native species and restoring the river towards a natural state. In the past the Aire has been exploited at great cost to plant and animal life. Restoration of the river and its catchment is a win-win for people and nature.”

Geoff has spent almost the whole of his career, and ‘retirement’, working to improve the environment. Starting as a Pollution Prevention Officer on the River Aire, he worked for Yorkshire Water for 26 years. After he left, he couldn't stay away from the river and became a trustee in 2013.

Geoff is a passionate ‘connector’, bringing people together from across the Aire catchment and Yorkshire. He leads for the Trust on The Aire Catchment Network and is an Independent Member of the Regional Flood and Coastal Committee. He currently chairs the ‘Yorkshire Hub’, which brings together Catchment Hosts and Rivers Trusts from around Yorkshire.

Jerry is our Treasurer and Secretary. He was one of the founding members of the Trust in 2011. Jerry is an accountant who has worked primarily in/with Local Authorities, in the social housing sector with Housing Associations and as a consultant.

He is currently Chair of Mind the Gap – a theatre company for people with a learning disability.

One of our founding members and the Trust's Chairman for the first four years of its existence, Kevin is a keen advocate for the river. There are few people connected with it who haven't met Kevin. His passion and persistence over many years has been instrumental in transforming the river.

Following the major improvements to water quality, Kevin has continually highlighted the possibilities for the return of migratory fish to the Aire and has successfully prepared the way for this to happen.

Barney has been a Trustee since the start of ART (2011). He brings his research experience in his role as Emeritus Professor of Environmental Engineering at the University of Sheffield. A major theme of his research is about groundwater and contaminated land; more recently he has been working on a range of projects on urban rivers and their pollution. These have included: the risks of pollution from industrial estates, the effects of misconnections in sewer systems on river ecology, and the barriers to salmon passage on the river Don.

With his student Dave Chandler, he developed a cheap and effective way to monitor for misconnected drainage which was widely publicised, for example in the Guardian and on Buzzfeed, and is now being used in the beck.

Barney leads the Friends of Bradford’s Becks work. As well as regular litter picks in the spring when the vegetation is still short, there is an invasive species group. The group is currently working on renaturalising sections of the beck.

I’ve recently joined as a trustee for ART. I have over 10 years experience of working within the environmental sector, particularly within catchment management and freshwater pollution. My day job is at Natural England where I manage our freshwater programme on nature recovery across protected sites and input into government policy. I’m keen to bring these skills to ART and make a difference on the ground.

Alex is passionate about solving problems using nature based solutions that promote inclusiveness and access to nature.

David is a long standing Trustee with the Trust. As a local resident and member of Friends of Robert's Park he is keen to see the river on his doorstep thrive.

Mark brings a background in facilities management with almost 30 years’ experience of managing large complex projects. Passionate about nature and the environment, in particular rivers and oceans where he has done over 500 dives with iconic marine species and volunteer on beach cleans around the UK coastline. Mark lives by Harden Beck and also has an allotment on the intersection of Harden Beck and the River Aire and so has a vested interest in wanting to protect and preserve this vital life support system.
"It is vital that we preserve these life support systems and I am proud to be part of the Aire Rivers Trust and being able to have a direct and influencing impact on improving the river Aire, helping its wildlife flourish and reconnecting people back with their river."

Coming soon...