How we are governed

It is with great sadness that we report the death of our Chair, Tim Woodward. The Trustees had previously appointed Robyn Llewellyn as Deputy Chair and Robyn has therefore taken on the role of Chair. 

Remembering Tim Woodward

Tim was a regional surveyor for the Country Land & Business Association (CLA) providing advice to CLA members across nine counties on a wide variety of land management matters. A RICS-qualified rural surveyor with an MSc in Advanced Farm Management, Tim has practised as a land agent in various parts of the UK for over 35 years. 

One of Tim’s previous roles involved leading a team of professional land management advisers for National Trust properties in the region, including sites maintained for nature conservation such as Orford Ness, Blakeney Point, Northey Island and Hatfield Forest. He had a keen interest in the countryside and in environmental matters generally and, having lived near Bradfield Woods and Bull's Wood for 13 years, Tim knew both reserves very well.

After a 30-year career at the National Lottery Heritage Fund culminating as Area Director for England, Midlands & East, Robyn retired in 2025. Robyn brings extensive leadership experience and throughout her career she worked closely with a wide range of communities, partners and stakeholders.   Robyn is also a Board member of Saffron Housing Association, where she Chairs the Audit and Risk Committee.  Previously, Robyn was Board member of Orwell Housing and Care. 

Robyn has lived in Suffolk and been a member of Suffolk Wildlife Trust for 35 years.  She understands how important nature and landscape is to the story of the county and how much it means to its people and the communities in which they live.  Robyn enjoys spending time in her garden and allotment, both of which are managed to be nature friendly.

Miranda has been involved in conservation management for over 25 years, working for Essex & Suffolk Water to enhance the biodiversity value of their landholding. She spent most of her childhood holidays in east Suffolk with family and moved here 10 years ago with her husband and horse (since joined by a dog!).

She feels privileged to live in such a beautiful part of the world and hopes to continue to use her experience to support Suffolk Wildlife Trust in their critical work safeguarding Suffolk’s wildlife and countryside.

Sharon has enjoyed a long career in teaching and senior leadership roles in further and higher education, and policy and funding roles nationally with the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the Department for Education.  She has been a Trustee of Suffolk Wildlife Trust since 2023 and chairs the Health & Safety and Safeguarding Committee.   Sharon brings experience of Charity governance through her previous roles as Chair of the Food Museum in Stowmarket, and Chair of Governance with Suffolk Family Carers.

Born in Suffolk, Sharon has lived in East Anglia all her life and is passionate about protecting the natural environment and inspiring more people to care about wildlife. With her partner, she manages her garden with and for wildlife and is actively involved in village environment initiatives.

Since 1981 Joan has run a diverse farming business at Alder Carr Farm, in partnership with her husband and family. The farm has always left space for nature with 10 acres of woodland, including a nature trail for the public, river frontage and a regular programme of tree planting and management.   Joan is a member of the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group and has participated in the Countryside Stewardship Scheme, welcoming hundreds of children on school visits to discover how food is produced.

Joan has a keen interest in wildlife and conservation and how farming can co-exist with the natural world. She has been involved as a Council Member of the Suffolk Naturalists' Society having acted as Secretary, Chairman and currently Treasurer. With a Zoology degree and a Teaching Certificate Joan has also taught Rural Science and Biology at Secondary level and understands the need to engage children with wildlife at the earliest age to build a lifelong appreciation.

I started my association with SWT in 1985 as a habitat surveyor. Since then I have helped my local group committee, been a co-ordinator of magazine deliveries, a trustee (before children), now a volunteer conservation adviser and swift adviser and chair of Suffolk Bat Group. As a professional ecologist I can provide strategic advice and support to the Trust on the significant challenges facing Suffolk including infrastructure and planning. I understand the current pressures on the natural environment and hope to provide clear guidance on balancing resources - people as well as money - to deal effectively with these issues.

Calum is a chartered accountant and a former partner of Deloitte LLP. He is currently non-executive director and audit committee chair of a number of public companies in the financial services sector and is the chairman of trustees of the Tarbat Historic Trust, a museum situated in the North of Scotland. He has been a member of Suffolk Wildlife Trust for over thirty years and assists his wife who runs a small farm dedicated to nature situated in Dunwich Forest near RSPB Minsmere and Dingle Marsh. The farm includes a range of habitats including, acid grassland, alder carr, riverbanks and woodland supporting a wide range of wildlife and has benefitted over many years from advice provided by the Suffolk Wildlife Trust and the RSPB. He has also recently taken up bee keeping. He hopes that his experience in finance combined with knowledge gained from running the farm as a nature reserve will assist the Trust meet its objectives in the coming years.

Patrick has recently started as Life Sciences Division Editor at the Public Library of Science. Prior to that, he was the Chief Editor of Nature Ecology & Evolution (since 2016) and a senior editor at Nature (since 2005), working with academics and conservation professionals globally to publish high impact research and opinion, as well as writing editorials and other journal content.  He has lectured in the Nature Masterclass programme to train researchers in publishing and was a member of Springer Nature’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion strategy committee. Patrick has a DPhil, University of Oxford (2002) for research on the genetic basis of evolutionary diversification in bacteria and an MA in Natural Sciences, University of Cambridge (1998). He lives in Earl Soham and is Chair of Governors of Earl Soham Community Primary School.