MEET THE TEAM
Board of Trustees
Nick Molnar
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-Founder & Chair-
Nick Molnar grew up in Birmingham and then spent 6 years in London as a, student, youth worker, and as a remedial teacher. He then “ escaped “ to the country and for the next 23 years lived in Camphill communities in the UK, Ireland and Scandinavia where he organised farms for those with special needs, using traditional methods including horse power and hand milking. Moving to Forres in 2000 he worked 11 years with Earthshare, growing vegetables for the organic box scheme. In retirement he is keen to help local food sustainability and environmental improvement.
Lin Batten
-Treasurer-
Lin Batten, born and bred in Amsterdam, has an extensive background in Food Security and local food systems analysis. She is also simply enthusiastic about vegetables, gardening, and growing.
She is currently a Ph.D researcher at the University of Strathclyde working on land financialisation in Scotland. She has experience in research, coordination, fundraising, program development and organisation, contents delivery, marketing and design, website management and events facilitation.
Mick Drury
-Health& Safety Officer-
Mick worked in countryside and woodland management roles for 20 years in various parts of England, mainly for local government. He moved to Forres in 2007 to join Trees for Life as Field Projects Co-ordinator, organising forest restoration projects in the Highlands. Working in the woods is where he feels most at home.
Kerry McInnes
-Secretary-
Born and bred in Moray, Kerry is a research fellow on the Just Transition Project with UHI Moray. Kerry is particularly passionate about everything local – the people, the places and the produce. She is a keen organic gardener and has a small herd of Tamworth pigs, a couple of goats, hens and ducks. Kerry has experience in research, hospitality, event management, project management and community engagement.
Olly Wilson
-Woodland worker-
Olly grew up on a working estate on the outskirts of Salisbury, Wiltshire. From a young age, he found his connection with the natural world and a passion for creating and making. He has spent his early adult life seasonably working across the UK, from carpentry in Northern Wales, to bushcraft instructing in Northamptonshire and reindeer rearing in the Cairngorms. Olly has now hung his hat in self-made tiny home just outside of Forres. His ambition in life, after an inspired reading of John Seymour’s self sufficiency guide, is to find a plot of land and care for it for the regeneration of nature and the community.
Support Team
George Paul
-Volunteer coordinator and woodworker-
Originally a teacher of geography and Environmental Studies and now retired, George lived in Forres for the last 15 years. He is involved in two other local conservation projects and has experience of a wide variety of practical work. He enjoys interacting with both adults and young people about the environment. George believes that being outdoors in nature brings us huge benefits but that we also have a responsibility to support the natural world.