Ian is a Lead Facilitator for the Our Bright Future Project. He also has a background in Adventurous Activities and Youth Work, with experience in setting up Swansea Youth Service’s Venture Pursuits Team. Working overseas in the Middle East he combined Adventurous Activities, Youth Work, Leadership and Personal Development programmes. Additionally Ian has a keen interest in entrepreneurship and runs his own business.

Adam is a Lead Facilitator, working with groups on and off the building site. With many years’ experience working with adults and young people, he believes passionately in using nature and sustainable building as a tool to bring out the best in people. Adam has travelled around, working with organisations in Guatemala, Romania and Greece and has now settled in Wales’ exotic clime to work with the Down to Earth team. He lives in Gower with his wife and Labrador, Skylar.

Becca is one of our lead facilitators and joined the gang in 2022, with experience in leading educational activities outdoors. Having worked in the outdoor industry for a number of years, and as a Geography teacher in a secondary school more recently, Becca has developed a passion for educating and involving young people in the natural environment and providing meaningful, positive experiences in the outdoors. When not in work, Becca can usually be found running, cycling or swimming around the beautiful Gower Peninsula and beyond, or walking the dog!

Sam is one of our Lead Facilitators and joined the team in 2021. Sam comes from an educational background and has worked in local primary schools as a Teaching assistant and as a Caretaker. Sam also has qualifications as an Architectural Technician and has a BA in interior design, a HNC in Building Studies and is a whizz on AutoCad! If you can’t find Sam on one of our beautiful sites showing our fantastic participants how to create something awesome then he’s probably surfing with his 2 little ‘dudettes’, drawing something super cool or being a dad taxi!

Penny is a support worker and joined the team at the beginning of 2025. With a training, development and management background and being a life-long learner, she is focussed on supporting others to grow, expanding their skills and tying new experiences. When not in work, Penny enjoys being active in the outdoors walking, gardening and spending time with her husband and three sons.

Oliver joined the Down to Earth project in 2025 with education experience, working with a variety of different people. Oliver is a people person who loves to teach, especially when people don’t initially believe in themselves and get to see the rewards and benefits of their hard work. You can find him bouldering or walking his dog in his spare time.

This is Joe! Support worker at Down To Earth. Performance, creation and self-expression is at the forefront of his ethos gained through a study of music and art. Joe cherishes the time worked in Bishopston Comprehensive as an STF TA where he spent time working with some amazing children with additional learning needs. Through growing up in Gower, exploration and freedom has moulded a love and appreciation for the great outdoors and a desire to ensure its protection for years to come.

Kate is a great group worker, queen of the D2E organic garden, and Evaluation & Monitoring Administrator for the People & Places project. As well as ensuring we have a good supply of yummy fruit and vegetables, she also bakes fantastic cakes!

“After spending several years at Down to Earth with a split role in architectural design and construction-based support work, Tasha has now decided to focus on architecture and designs many of the sustainable building projects we are involved in. She likes bringing Down to Earth’s groups into the design process as well as including them in the construction activity.
A recently qualified Architect, she’s glad to be out of the world of study, and into the world of putting theory into practice.
Tasha is part of a community supported agriculture group, growing much of her own food and is in the middle of converting a Luton van (almost as old as she is) into a home.”

Lisa is our amazing accounts & team administrator. With a background in accounts and event planning, Lisa brings together a variety of skills to help support the fantastically talented team at Down to Earth. Lisa lives in Mumbles with her husband, two little boys and their ancient dog. She enjoys running and was training for her first triathlon this year… She is also busy completing a degree in Education Studies in her spare time

Kath works in a support role as Administrative Assistant, based at the Murton site. She previously worked as a freelance translator, editing a range of documentation from PhD papers to corporate website content. She enjoys long walks on the beach and in the countryside, and spending quality time with family.

Laura is our Administrator for the Active Inclusion Fund project, “Build me Up”. Laura moved to Swansea to study Zoology at University and loved having the beaches and Brecon Beacons on the doorstep so never left… She really enjoys hiking and being outdoors and loves exploring new places with her rescue dog Billy, particularly climbing mountains!

Finance Manager

Seb is our Project Manager for our Fit for the Future, ENRAW Project (Enabling Natural Resource and Wellbeing.) Having completed his postgraduate certificate in Sustainable Construction, Seb also project manages our major construction contracts. He has a keen interest in adventurous activities and coordinates our Adventure Activities Licence while also being a fully qualified Youth Worker. Seb’s passion is being outdoors and on adventures, but is equally happy sat in one of our beautifully constructed offices planning the next build project!

Finance Manager

As our People & Development Manager, Melissa has over 12 years’ experience in human resources, people operations, and talent development experience, spanning across many different industries but there has always been a common theme and that is to help support people and contribute to making amazing places to work. Melissa has a true passion for people and leading their development through influencing change, coaching and mentorship style leadership. Living in Swansea, Melissa loves travel, creative writing, paddleboarding, volleyball and walking her dog around the beautiful spots within South Wales.

Hassan is a Data Scientist and KTP Research Associate at Cardiff University, working with Down to Earth on developing a digital impact calculation toolkit for people, natural, and built environments. With a background in Software Development, AI, and data analytics, he is passionate about using technology to drive positive change. Hassan has worked on diverse research projects including use of technology in healthcare, agriculture, environment, etc. When not crunching data, he enjoys exploring new places, spending time with friends, or simply enjoying some peaceful alone time.

Chris is the Project Manager for our Active Inclusion Fund project ‘Build Me Up’. He is also involved as a Development Officer and brings a wide range of experience in outdoor learning and well-being to help us develop new products, partnerships and plans. He brings his experience in training and education to provide our Internal Quality Assurance (Agored Cymru) role and helps to develop a great range of accredited courses for our participants. Chris is an enthusiastic musician playing guitar and bass in a local band.

Jen is a founding Director of Down to Earth Project and combines her passions for therapeutic development and natural building in her work at D2E. Jen is our main consultant in traditional and natural building projects and is fully trained as a Gestalt Psychotherapist (UKCP registered).

Mark is a founding Director of Down to Earth Project and Down to Earth Construction as well as being the Managing Director for both social enterprises. Passionate about equality and bringing out the best in people, his background is in working with ‘hard to reach’ groups and practical approaches to sustainability education. Mark’s Masters (MA) thesis explored how tackling inequality and sustainability go hand in hand and this formed the basis of Down to Earth. In October 2020, Mark was awarded an MBE for Services to Young People and Environment. In September 2021, Mark was appointed onto the board of Natural Resources Wales as a Non-Executive Director. Mark has been happily living off-grid in a wooden house for over 16 years and has two lovely daughters.

Omar is a Non-Executive Director at Down to Earth Project. He brings a background in strategy, innovation and design to the Down to Earth board. He has spent his career helping organisations in the public, private and third sectors to rethink how they work – from supporting the government to test-and-learn new approaches to policy and service design, to leading programmes that improve family support, health, housing and education.

Omar began his career in design and innovation at Procter & Gamble before moving into social impact roles at organisations like Macmillan Cancer Support. He is currently part of Nesta, the UK’s innovation agency for social good, where he leads on programmes to create a fairer start for children and families.

Having grown up in Swansea, Omar is passionate about supporting community-rooted organisations in Wales to thrive and believes in the power of human-centred design to drive system change. Omar now lives in Mumbles with his wife, little boy and dog (Juno).

David is a Non-Executive Director of Down to Earth and an Environmentalist specialising in the restoration of rivers and the creation of new wetland habitats throughout the UK. He has a passion for rivers, local food and real ale.

Maggie is a Leadership Development and Training specialist with over 40 years’ experience in both the UK and Africa. As well as working within and for many multi-national organisations, she was Programme Director at the Graduate Institute of Management and Technology at Henley College (in Africa, working on the design and delivery of leadership and management development programmes for mining, construction and banking firms throughout Africa.

Andrew is a Non-Executive Director of Down to Earth Construction and specialises in business development and sustainability consultancy. He has led the EMEA sustainability consultancies at the world’s three largest property advisory firms. His passions are decarbonisation, social justice and welsh rugby."

Lauren is the Director of Place, Portfolio and Partnerships at Velindre University NHS Trust. Lauren joined the Trust in 2019 as Director of Corporate Governance and Chief of Staff. The Trust provides cancer, blood and transplant services nationally.

Prior to this, Lauren’s career was in banking and finance industry, where she most recently led departments to design and deliver innovative risk and governance solutions to industry-wide challenges. Lauren has also led teams to support turnaround of companies, led on retail customer strategy initiatives and was Chief of Staff to the Chief Risk Officer.

Lauren read Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Oxford University, where she won the Lynda Grier Prize for Economics.

She loves a challenge and in recent years has climbed Kilimanjaro and completed five half-marathons in five days along the Great Wall of China.
Lauren has two little girls. Outside of work, she most of all enjoys spending time with them – with any additional on reading, running and adventures.

Gareth is a Non-Executive Director at Down to Earth Construction with a degree in Industrial Design and over 28 years of product design experience, encompassing both in-house & consultancy roles. He’s been a designer for Welsh office furniture brand Orangebox for over 20 years, and more recently became their Head of Sustainability, where his remit is to guide the business through significant decarbonisation over the next decade. Gareth is a passionate advocate for environmentally led design and the Circular Economy, and is spare time is mostly spent outdoors, birdwatching, cycling on his road bike, or growing fruit & veg.

Ceri is a Non-Executive Director at Down to Earth Construction and a Director at award winning architectural practice AHMM Architects, with whom she has worked for over 25years. Born in Anglesey and now living/working in Bristol she is passionate about improving the quality of our built environment whilst protecting our natural world. When not at work she loves to spend time out on road bike, up a mountain or braving our chilly UK seas!

Anna is a Non-Executive Director of Down to Earth Project and Treasury Manager at Valleys to Coast Housing Ltd in Bridgend and fully qualified CCAB accountant. Her background is housing sector, where she has worked for the last 28 years and specialises in development scheme appraisal.
She lives near Swansea with her husband and 2 hairy ugly babies (dogs), Mollie & Winnie.

Simon McWhirter is a NED for Down to Earth Construction and the UK Green Building Council’s Deputy Chief Executive and Director of External Affairs, where he leads the policy and political work, as well as overseeing the corporate communications with members, media and the wider industry. He also has oversight of UKGBC’s portfolio of place-based projects and devolved activity, including heading up UKGBC Scotland - and leads on work around international impact. Aligned to all this, Simon sits on a variety of fora including the UK government’s Green Construction Board’s Steering Group, the Scottish Government’s Green Heat Finance Task Force, and the West Midlands Combined Authority’s Future Homes Taskforce. He also sits as a Director on the UK’s National Retrofit Hub and Scotland's Built Environment, Smarter Transformation.

Simon brings over 25 years’ experience in communications, business development, industry and policy & advocacy to UKGBC, having held a wide range of roles spanning across the construction, finance and not-for-profit sectors. He joined UKGBC from the Active Building Centre, where he was Head of Engagement. Previous roles include seven years as Sales Director at the innovative housebuilder HAB Housing, and five years at global conservation charity WWF, where he drove their work on the sustainable homes agenda – during this time he sat on the UK government's 2016 Zero Carbon Task Force and Wales’ Low and Zero Carbon Hub. Prior to joining WWF, Simon enjoyed a diverse career, with roles in the finance sector as an international tax consultant, as well as spending several years as a tabloid newspaper reporter. He is currently a NED for the Welsh-based sustainable construction and skills social enterprise, Down to Earth, and for a mental health-focussed events organisation Peloton Running. Simon has Masters degrees in Law from Oxford University and International Economic and Business Law from Kyushu University, Japan.