Our People

Find out more about the people at The Green Estate Community Interest Company below.

Meet The Board

Our Board of Directors are responsible for ensuring The Green Estate meets its legal and constitutional responsibilities set out in the Companies Act 2006 and the organisation’s Memorandum and Articles of Association, its strategy and its business plan.

Find out more about our purpose here

Our Board are from a range of backgrounds and each person brings a unique and valuable set of expertise and ideas to the organisation. 

Chris Hurst (Chair of The Green Estate)

Finance Director, Manor and Castle Development Trust

Chris is a spreadsheet person and has stewarded the finances of The Green Estate since 2014  as a member of the board and has recently stepped into the Chair of the Board role.  He has worked in private practice as an auditor before Manor & Castle Development Trust as Finance Director.  Chris says The Green Estate is full of passionate people, which can’t fail to rub off on you.  

Roz Davies (Company Secretary)

CEO of The Green Estate and Co-Chair of the Yorkshire and Humber Climate Commission Adaptation and Resilience Panel

Roz is a leader with an MBA from the University of Sheffield with a personal commitment to collaborating to create a greener, fairer and healthier society. Her strengths lie in social entrepreneurship, partnership building and business strategy to develop and deliver innovative solutions for social and environmental challenges. She has led multiple award-winning organisations and has also worked in national policy influencing executive director roles for progressive think tank the New Economics Foundation and digital inclusion charity Good Things Foundation.

Ben Tongue

Digital Sustainability, NHS England and Climate Activist

This is the first time Ben has joined a Community Interest Company as a Director. He is an experienced digital professional and has a keen interest in a just transition, social and environmental sustainability and the Doughnut Economics approach. 

Ben is an agitator for positive change and has a passion for asking deep questions and story-telling. He has joined The Green Estate Board to learn more about engaging with and working alongside more disadvantaged communities in the context of the climate and ecological crisis.  

Emma Clarke

CEO of Weston Park Cancer Charity 

Emma has a deep connection to this area. She was brought up here, went to a local school, her parents worked here and she lived on City Road. This place and its people are really important to Emma. In addition to the personal commitment to The Green Estate, Emma is an experienced senior Charity leader with bags of energy and ideas for making a difference. 

Harry Bowell

Executive Director at the National Trust 

Harry brings vast experience of strategy development, management and governance in the not for profit green sector including property management, innovation and business development. As a national player in the sector he brings a great network. Although a long time Sheffield resident, much of his work has been outside of the city so he is keen to support The Green Estate as a social enterprise doing good work in Sheffield and beyond. 

Margaret Spencer

Keen naturalist with an interest in wildlife. 

Margaret has been a long time Director of The Green Estate Board, originally being seconded from the board of the Sheffield and Rotherham Wildlife Trust. Her background is in molecular biology research.   She is a keen naturalist, and convinced of the value of access to green spaces and wildlife in urban areas.. She feels strongly that The Green Estate model and approach should be shared widely. 

She provides support and positive encouragement to the team and tries to act as our ambassador across the city

Miranda Plowden

Landscaping, Housing and Regeneration 

Miranda has a passion for green spaces, regeneration and asset based community development. She has a background in landscaping, housing and regeneration including work on the River Don and with Community and Housing Association Anchor organisations. She is experienced in senior leadership and business development and governance. 

Raymond Kinsella

Head of Neighbourhoods at Great Places Housing Association

Raymond has lived and worked in the locality for some time and has a deep understanding of the history and challenges of the area. The Green Estate work is important and related to the work of the Great Places Housing Association which owns property on land on three sides of the Manor Lodge Site – a true neighbour with shared goals. Raymond has a masters degree in Urban Regeneration and is experienced in board governance and management and has considerable track record in neighbourhood regeneration and housing. 

Meet the Team

We are a dedicated team of circa 70 staff and 40 plus volunteers with a broad range of expertise and a shared purpose and set of values. Our organisation is split into three Directorates which relate directly to our strategy and key objectives:

  • Thriving Services who ensure we have a healthy and happy workforce and robust management systems.
  • Commercial Landscaping who generate income, influence and impact through commercial urban landscape products and services
  • Place Stewardship who deliver quality, impactful and sustainable stewardship of the Green Estate and wider Sheffield urban parks and green space for current and future generations

Our Senior Executive Team

Roz Davies, MBA. FRSA., CEO LinkedIn  Twitter  Instagram

Dan Cornwell, Director of Commercial Landscape LinkedIn

Ted Talbot, Director of Place  LinkedIn

Our Departments

Thriving Services 

Business Services: 

Lead: Sue Reaney, Head of Business Services

Purpose: Develop and deliver robust risk management and administration systems 

Finance: 

Lead: Samson Shikabonga, Head of Finance

Purpose: Develop and deliver fit for purpose financial and legal governance and accountability

Marketing and Fundraising: 

Lead: Andrea Nix, Head of Fundraising and Marketing 

Purpose: Develop and deliver effective marketing, communications, investment and fundraising activities

People Services: 

Lead: Martin Collins, Head of People Services 

Purpose: Develop and deliver an equitable, inclusive and resilient approach to HR and development, a healthy and collaborative culture and high quality customer experience 

Commercial Landscape

Landscaping Sales and Delivery

Lead: Helen McNally, Head of Commercial Landscaping

Purpose: Deliver and sell profitable and resilient  urban landscaping services 

Production

Lead: Lian Noriega-Waite, Senior Production Manager

Purpose: Produce profitable and resilient urban landscaping products 

Place Stewardship

Urban Green Places:

Lead: Sally Cuckney, Head of Urban Green Places

Purpose: Delivery of urban parks and green space landscape services and the Growing Communities programme in Sheffield 

Heritage and Hospitality

Lead: Kate Hughes, Head of Heritage and Hospitality

Purpose: Delivery of urban heritage and nature visitor experience and learning activities and our hospitality and Weddings offer.

Facilities and Fleet: 

Lead: Steve Cawthorne, Facilities and Fleet Manager

Purpose: Management of facilities and fleet