Meet Our Team
The Lincolnshire Rivers Trust (LRT) became a registered charity in 2013 (no: 1157922).
RACHEL BUTLER
TRUST MANAGER
Rachel is responsible for the day-to-day management and strategic direction of the Lincolnshire Rivers Trust. She is directly responsible for developing funding bids, designing, and delivering a communications strategy and advancing partnership activities. Rachel’s has 25 years’ experience managing multi-disciplinary teams, not-for-profit organisations and donor funded programmes in the UK and internationally. She spent two decades in the forest sector designing and leading projects focused on resource and supply chain management, stakeholder engagement, market research and capacity building.
Rachel has travelled extensively to some of the most vulnerable parts of the world and brings a wealth of experience and contacts to the Lincolnshire Rivers Trust. She is an experienced fundraiser and has successfully secured funds from U.N. bodies, European Commission, governments, foundations, and trusts. Rachel holds an MSc from Wye College, University of London in Rural Resources and Environmental Policy.
For trust matters, press and communications, partnership and fundraising enquires contact rachel.butler@lincsrivers.org.uk
GAIL TALTON
WITHAM PROJECT MANAGER
Gail joined Lincolnshire Rivers Trust in 2018 and is the principal lead in designing and managing conservation projects focused on the Witham restoring and creating new habitats. Gail leads the community engagement programmes managing volunteers and working with local groups delivering environmental education programmes inspiring school children and adults to understand the river environment. She designed Eels in the Classroom and interactive activities centred on invasive species, protected species and important river invertebrates.
Gail has over 15 years’ experience leading conservation projects and volunteering for charities including the Wildlife Trusts and the RSPB. Gail is an experienced project manager and has worked with a range of stakeholders. She holds a degree in Conservation Biology (Animal Behaviour) from the University of Lincoln.
For Upper Witham habitat restoration and enhancement, natural flood management enquiries along with community engagement and volunteer opportunities contact gail.talton@lincsrivers.org.uk
FIONA SCOTT
SENIOR ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER
Fiona leads on technical aspects of project delivery and is directly responsible for developing the Lincolnshire Rivers Trust water quality programme, initiating new partnerships with landowners and local businesses. Fiona worked for the Lincolnshire-based drainage authorities as an environmental technician before joining Lincolnshire Rivers Trust in November 2021.
Fiona has extensive knowledge of aquatic species, semi-aquatic and land-based mammals (particularly water voles), farmland birds (particularly birds of prey) and invasive species. She has nine years’ experience of GIS and data management and is a member of MCIEEM. Fiona graduated with an MSc in Biodiversity and Conservation from the University of Leeds.
For habitat restoration and enhancement on the Lower Witham and for protected species, water quality and GIS enquiries contact fiona.scott@lincsrivers.org.uk
PAIGE DONNELLY
RESILIENT RIVERS OFFICER
Paige joined the Lincolnshire Rivers Trust in March 2021 and is responsible for the projects focused on restoring and enhancing the Limestone Becks of the Witham, and leads the Invasive Species programmes with a primary focus on eradicating Floating Pennywort and Himalayan Balsam. Paige is qualified to conduct MoRPh field surveys and River Type desk studies, recording data using the River Condition Assessment (RCA) information system, and interpreting RCA Indicators and Scores for baseline and post-intervention BM 2.0 River Metric.
Paige has extensive fieldwork and volunteering experience in a variety of subject areas, from monitoring population dynamics with innovative wildlife monitoring techniques in Australia, to practical conservation work, public and volunteer engagement and ecological surveying. Paige volunteers for a range of conservation bodies, including the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust, RSPB, and Riverfly Partnership. Paige graduated from Nottingham Trent University with a master’s research degree in Endangered Species Recovery and Conservation in 2017
For habitat restoration and enhancement enquiries on the Limestone Becks, chalk streams and for further information on invasive species contact paige.donnelly@lincsrivers.org.uk
SUE TURNER
ADMINISTRATION & FINANCE OFFICER
Sue joined the team in July 2018 and is responsible for the day-to-day office operations directly supporting the technical team. Sue is a chartered librarian by profession and has worked in a wide range of administration and project management roles within the Civil Service.
Prior to moving to the Lincolnshire Rivers Trust, Sue was a senior administrator at the Bishop Grosseteste University in Lincoln. Sue graduated from Leeds Polytechnic.Initially working as a chartered librarian after graduating from Leeds Polytechnic.
For Witham Valley Partnership, financial and administrative enquiries contact sue.turner@lincsrivers.org.uk
Trustees
DR LAUREN VICKERS
NON-EXECUTIVE CHAIR
After graduating from the University of Hull in 2007 with a 2:1 (Honours) in BSc Aquatic Zoology, Lauren furthered her knowlege by accepting a PhD in Fisheries Science at Hull International Fisheries Institute with a project funded by the Environment Agency (EA). Her thesis focused on the feeding ecology of 0+ fishes, particularly roach, bream and perch, working on rivers in Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire.
She then worked as an Environmental Monitoring Officer for the EA in Anglian Northern area, regularly writing reports on the state of fish populations within Lincolnshire rivers and carrying out routine fish and macrophyte surveys. Lauren now works as a Senior Aquatic Ecologist as AECOM, advising on anything relating to the freshwater environment.
DR JON BOLLAND
DIRECTOR/TRUSTEE
Born in Boston, Jon grew up fishing Lincolnshire rivers and drains with family, friends or in competitions. His love and enthusiasm for rivers and fish led him to studying freshwater fisheries at The University of Hull, where he now works full time, investigating the conservation and rehabilitation of UK rivers and fish populations.
Being a Trustee of the Lincolnshire Rivers Trust provides Jon with the opportunity to give something back to the rivers where it all began, so that future generations can enjoy them as he once did.
ROSS MARSHALL
DIRECTOR/TRUSTEE
Dr Ross Marshall has worked in the power and water industry for many years leading teams involved in EIA, SEA, catchment management and corporate governance. Until recently he was an Executive Director within the Environment Agency with responsibility for the production and corporate governance of all the Agency’s EIA & SEA activities relating to its Flood Risk Management, Water Management and River Basin Management Plans. Ross has close associations with several UK Universities either as a Visiting Professor, lecturer or student mentor and has a strong interest in environmental leadership, strategic decision-making, climate change adaptation and the application of eco-system services in the protection of water systems.
He is the owner of Leading Green, a strategy consultancy helping organisations align their sustainability strategy with business strategy, to ensure the design, delivery and operation of sustainable infrastructure and assets
ANDREW MORRISS
DIRECTOR/TRUSTEE
Andrew moved to Lincolnshire more than 30 years ago and has enjoyed the privilege of living in a county where farming, rivers and hills provide a welcome contrast to his career managing international manufacturing companies. He is still active in education and local government.
Andrew brings experience of project management, engineering, finance and governance to the Lincolnshire Rivers Trust through his role as a Trustee. He welcomes the opportunity to contribute to maintaining and enhancing the rivers and waterways of Lincolnshire which are so important to the natural world and the wider community.
MARY HATFIELD
DIRECTOR/TRUSTEE
Mary has spent most of her career within the food and drinks industries, in management and financial accounting roles. In these jobs she has enjoyed the privilege of having access to all areas of the business and hence has obtained a broad perspective of all the different departments and how they operate.
Mary has lived on the borders of Lincolnshire for most of her life and enjoys the outdoor life, being a beekeeper, keen gardener and walker. She is interested in nature and biodiversity and feels that she would like to do her bit to help out with the environment.