Meet The Team

Ben Christie is driven by the deeply held belief in the possibility of a more equitable, sustainable and harmonious world. He works to support NGOs and ethical businesses develop and achieve their goals. With a career spanning events, media and business development.Ben has been fortunate enough to gain experience of many different countries, environments and partnerships at first hand.

Ellen Kittredge has a bachelor's degree in Environmental Studies from Oberlin College. She has been an advocate for human health and appropriate land stewardship since her early twenties, when she worked for the Centre for Food Safety, a non-profit focused on sustainable agriculture solutions to the world’s ecological crises. In her late twenties, she trained in nutritional counselling and has been in private practice since 2008 as a health and wellness coach, where she teaches clients about the relationship between human health and the health of the environment. She has a separate, though related passion, of connecting people directly to the land through nature-based connection practices sourced from her extensive study with living holders of indigenous land-based wisdom traditions from around the world.

Ffion Thomas is an agroecological researcher and environmental practitioner specialising in sustainable approaches to managing ash dieback. She completed her PhD at the Centre for Agroecology, Water and Resilience at Coventry University, where her research focused on the role of soil health and microbial biodiversity in influencing tree resilience, including the use of organic soil amendments such as biochar. Alongside her academic research, Ffion has been actively involved in environmental governance and community initiatives, including roles with the Ashdown Forest Board and as co-founder of Friends of the River Medway, reflecting her commitment to practical, community-led ecological restoration and conservation. She is also one of the co-founders and leads of our citizen science stream: Project Ripple Effect.

J Julia is the founder of Sacred Waters of Sussex, a county based volunteer community that works to gently clear, clean and restore ancient water sites. It also reintroduces local communities to the natural water treasures in their midst and to the ancient spiritual Practices of the Wealdlands, which offers deeper personal pathways of connection to the living body of our planet. She is a Water Seer, Oracle, public speaker, teacher and Keeper of the inherited teachings of her lineage, The Deepen Way and Serves to build effective bridges of communication across all Realms of Being. She believes, most passionately, that not only are All capable to participate in the Guardianship of this dear world, but that each and every human Being has a unique and vital Gift within them to bring forward and into this greater Work.

Jimena Paratcha is an active Community Leader and Transformative Events Producer. As Founder of Action for Brazil's Children Trust with 22 project partners in 5 major cities of Brazil, Jimena guided the NGO to become a founding partner of Street Child United, a global platform voicing the rights of young people at risk around the world. After 20 years working in the social justice sector, Jimena turned towards the emerging environmental crisis, campaigning for Ecocide Law alongside Polly Higgins and becoming a Trustee of TreeSisters. Jimena's love and gratitude to the land, trees and waters have encouraged her to continue raising awareness and funds whilst building networks to encourage positive change.

Monika is a regenerative design practitioner and facilitator who engages diverse communities in collective re-imagining of what the future of a healthy Medway catchment and bioregion could look like.

For over 20 years, she has designed, facilitated and managed participatory learning & strategic innovation programmes, helping people and teams develop systemic insights often inspired by natural patterns & principles.

She loves swimming in the sea and going on long walks along the Medway or in the Ashdown Forest with her dog.

Paul Powlesland is a civil barrister, environmental activist and storyteller who is shaking up what it means to be a lawyer in a time of environmental crisis. After practising as a barrister in London for a decade, Paul realised the urgent need to create greater respect and protection for the natural environment within our legal system. He therefore founded Lawyers for Nature to represent the natural world and all who are seeking to defend it. He writes and speaks on legal rights for the natural world, as well as representing the natural world (including trees and rivers) in the courts as best he can within the current legal framework. He has a natural affinity for water, lives on a boat and has founded a community project to restore a river in East London.

Sarah Jane Butler is a writer, swimmer and slow wanderer who has lived in the Medway catchment almost all her life: the river has been part of her story since she was a year old. She co-founded Project Ripple Effect, FoRM’s citizen science partnership, because she was so worried about the health of the river. As well as helping run the project she volunteers, getting in the water with her test kit alongside a dedicated community of local people who love the river too, and she often represents Ripple to the outside world, sharing how precarious the river’s health is, and demanding much better care. Sarah’s current writing project is a non-fiction book about people and rivers through time, to be published by Duckworth in 2027.

Rachel Millward is a British politician and environmental advocate serving as Deputy Leader of the Green Party of England and Walessince September 2025, alongside Mothin Ali. She has represented Hartfield on Wealden District Council since 2021 and has been co-leader of the council since 2023. Her work has included campaigning for stronger environmental protections, supporting nature recovery initiatives, and encouraging more responsible land and water management practices. Rachel is especially committed to safeguarding rivers and wetlands, recognising their vital role in supporting wildlife, reducing flood risk, and enhancing community wellbeing.

Remi is a Transformational Coach, Strategic Mentor, Leadership Consultant, Systemic Practitioner, Motivational Speaker, co-founder director of Medicine Festival and founder of Isumataq Retreats.She is dedicated to female empowerment and leadership, human potential, transformation, and systemic work and their potential impact on business. Remi’s Mentoring and Strategic practice supports female leaders of all ages to wisely and strategically navigate rising in their industries and their personal lives, empowering them to align with their truth and purpose, so they can lead from within; knowing that it takes a significant amount of vision, courage, self-enquiry and perseverance to admit where we are in life and move forward to where we want to be. She is passionate about ceremony, music and ritual as a means towards development and integrates all of these aspects when she holds deep dive leadership retreats. Nature has been a profound teacher for Remi, she has a particular bond with the waters, the flow of which she also incorporates into her life.Remi works with C-Suite Leaders, influencers, trailblazers and change makers across a range of sectors such as Finance, Fashion, Technology, TV and Law. She rose to the top of her profession, leading the Equity Capital Markets Syndicate Desk at Goldman Sachs, then MD and Global Head of Equity Syndicate at Renaissance when she was 33 years old. Voted Top 100 Women in European Finance, Financial News City's 100 Rising Stars and selected for the BBC’s BAME Expert Voices.

Tristram Stuart is the author of two internationally published books on food and the environment. He is the founder of Feedback Global, an environmental campaign organisation that seeks to regenerate nature through the transformation of our food systems. He is also the founder and director of Toast Ale, an award-winning craft beer company that turns surplus fresh bread into ale. He continues to be heavily involved in fighting food waste, serving as a Champion 12.3 for the UN Sustainable Development Goal of halving food waste and reducing food loss globally by 2030. In 2011 his efforts won him the international environmental award, The Sophie Prize, a testament to his deep commitment to restoring the earth’s natural balance. As co-owner of Windyridge Estate on the Ashdown Forest and of the Old Lodge Nature Reserve, he has been a firsthand witness in the decline of river health in the area.

Zofia Page is the Executive Director of Friends of the River Medway, having been involved since its inception as Project Manager and Coordinator. With a BA in History from Bristol University, where she explored humanity’s relationship with nature, Zofia became committed to fostering closer connections between people and the natural world; an ethos she brings to her work with FORM. She earned an MSc in Sustainable Food and Natural Resources from CAT, gaining practical insights into river ecology and pioneering approaches to water quality, including the use of composting toilets - a solution she continues to champion. In addition to her work with FORM, Zofia supports farmers and growers at The Nest, helping them share their stories and advocating for their essential role in stewarding land and water.