Current Directors and Staff
Our team compromises a wide range of skills, attributes, and commitments. We believe we represent a good cross section of age and gender of the community in the Derbyshire Dales.
Interim Chair: Dave Locke
Interim Treasurer: Brian Hebron
Company Secretary: Brian Hebron
Biographies
Andy Douglass Andy has a BSc (Engineering) and MBA. He worked as an engineer within the steel industry in Sheffield for around 45 years and then as a consultant working on steel industry-related issues. Now retired, he is a Parish Councillor and a trustee of a local sports association. Having spent much of his working life improving energy efficiency and environmental compliance in an extremely energy-intensive industry, Andy is now interested in helping others to reduce their carbon footprint.
Brian Hebron Brian worked in hospital pharmacy including the teaching of clinical pharmacy. Since retiring he has supported several local charities. He helped set up, and remains treasurer of, the local Third Age Trust [U3A] and Bridge Club. He helped start and register a charity, the local Community Land Trust, and has previously been a Trustee and Director of Wirksworth Heritage Centre.
Emma Leaman Emma has recently relocated from Birmingham to Derbyshire after retiring from her career in education. She most recently worked as a secondary school Headteacher following her time as Assistant Director for Education at Birmingham Local Authority. She is keen to keep learning whilst using her knowledge and skills to make a contribution locally. Emma is now excited to have the time to devote to things that matter most to her: collaborating to create more sustainable ways of generating and using our energy through community energy projects hits the spot!
Dave Locke Dave has a BSc in Engineering and has worked in a wide variety of industries as an Industrial Hydraulics Consultant. He is now using solar panels, a heat pump and an electric vehicle, as a back up battery, to reduce his energy bills to very low levels.
Jonny Norton Jonny holds an MSc in Environmental Leadership and Management from the University of Nottingham and an undergraduate degree in Physical Geography from Liverpool University – providing a deep understanding into natural systems, and how they are impacted by human interference and action. Since his university education, Jonny has gained a breadth of interdisciplinary skills along themes such as systems thinking, systems mapping, community organising, regional and sectoral transformation, evaluation, communication, innovation, and approaches to sustainable development and education. He is keen to build his portfolio of tools in order to aid systems change and stands to be a representative for younger generations.
Hardy Sidhu A postgraduate in marine sciences and technology innovation, with considerable international experience in various marine sectors including renewable energy, oil & gas, telecommunications, site investigations, civil engineering, defence and systems R&D. His management experience includes start-ups, operations, business development, commercial management and technical consultancy. Through his experiences, Hardy has developed a strong belief in energy self-sufficiency at the community level.
Elspeth Wadsworth Elspeth spent the first few years of her career in the petroleum industry but retrained in 2014 in marketing where she still works today. Splitting her time between life coaching and marketing & recruitment for Change Agents UK, Elspeth is passionate about supporting people and protecting the environment.
Lucy Bird Lucy works part-time as a paid staff member, supporting DDCE and the Derbyshire Community Energy Hub. She has an MSc in Sustainability & Adaptation to climate change. She has worked with the YHA on their sustainability strategy, with Change Agents UK, leading on sustainability education programmes, and as Environmental Sustainability Manager for Rambert Dance Company. She co-founded and ran a community food-growing project (Incredible Edible) and has volunteered for varied community & environmental projects.