The Growing Well Team

Mary began as a trustee for Growing Well and moved into the position of CEO in October 2018. She leads on the strategic and operational running of the charity. Mary’s background is in rural and food development. In 2018 she won a Churchill Fellowship to study international best practice in therapeutic farming.

Paul joined us in 2020 in a new role to maximise sustainable income from our organic growing enterprise. Paul is from New Orleans and has worked and studied in the US,  Canada and China. He has a Masters in sustainable agriculture and was previously Head Grower for a local two Michelin-starred restaurant.

James is co-founder of Growing Well and has been here since its beginnings in 2004. A skilled, organic horticulturalist who set up the six-acre Low Sizergh site we work on today, James works directly with our volunteers on the field, supporting their mental health recovery through horticultural activity.

Hazel heads up the training department at Growing Well and brings a wealth of horticultural and teaching and learning experience to our accredited City & Guilds courses. She works directly with our volunteers and members of the wider community to support them in achieving horticultural qualifications.

Having joined Growing Well as a core volunteer, Sarah was later recruited to lead and develop our new catering function. She supports volunteers to work in our purpose-built kitchen and create meals for everyone on site, and products for sale. Sarah has a military background and significant management experience.

Simon has worked at Growing Well for almost five years, having previously worked as a Grower for a local two Michelin-starred restaurant. He began his work here on a commercial salad project and his role has developed into a wider commercial growing one. He also runs the volunteer field activity one day per week.

Sharon manages all of the office requirements of the charity and also acts as Secretary to the Board of Trustees. Sharon is one of the first faces people will see at Growing Well and she supports volunteers throughout their journey here, on a practical and administrative level.

Fiona came to Growing Well as a core volunteer and later took on the role of fundraising for the charity, applying her previous grants and trusts fundraising management experience to the writing of compelling funding bids and donor stewardship work. Fiona’s role now extends to all aspects of fundraising

Richard leads on fundraising, communications and development. Before joining the Growing Well team in 2019, Richard was a journalist in Cumbria for 30 years, and Editor and Publishing Director of a portfolio of award-winning magazines and events, with a strong focus on food and drink.

Marion began as a non-core volunteer at Growing Well and joined the Board of Trustees in 2018, becoming Chair in 2019. She still takes a very “hands on” role at Growing Well, working closely with staff and volunteers on site. Marion is a medical doctor with training in psychiatry, having worked in the US and Malawi before becoming a consultant and clinical and governance lead for mental health at  Alder Hey hospital, Liverpool.

Sam has been a trustee at Growing Well for 5 years and was previously Chair of the organisation. She is the Global General Manager for an award-winning international training organisation that specialises in leadership development, employee engagement and team building. and team building.

Simon joined the board of trustees in 2018 and became Vice Chair in 2019. He has a wealth of food industry experience, including time as Business Development Manager for a national organic veg box scheme and retail management. He is a trained chef and now has his own catering business. He is a trained chef and now has his own catering business. He is a trained chef and now has his own catering business.

Fiona is Growing Well’s longest-serving board member and has been a trustee for almost 7 years. She is a qualified management accountant and supports Growing Well as Treasurer, also acting voluntarily as Finance Officer for the organisation. She was previously the Head of Finance and Business planning for a medical supplies manufacturing business. She was previously the Head of Finance and Business planning f