My early fundraising career began with the stage production and management of shows with my friends when I was very young. I was struck even then by the imbalances of life and what we can do to help others.
I was both a Human and Physical Geographer at University, inspired by the impact of man on the environment. Alan Jenkins was an exceptional tutor and geographer of that time. His main concern, the relationship between man and nature and its impact on the planet. His insight awoke me to the gradual global conservation consciousness that was rising in the early 90s. Man had destroyed more of its habitat, wildlife and precious ecosystem than ever before. M dissertation "Destruction of the Amazon for the Fast Food Industry" took centre stage, and from that developed my passion for rainforest conservation. My disbelief of the non sensical deforestation in central America for the production of cheap beef and the throwaway packaging culture brought me to where I am today.
On leaving University, a chance meeting led me to my first job with the Rainforest Foundation, set up by musician Sting and his wife, film producer, actor and activist, Trudie Styler. They had visited the Brazilian rainforest and were struck by the level of disaster and deforestation. They became committed to working with the Kayapo Indians to ensure the rightful protection and legal demarcation of their homelands, now a national park. The later development of the Rainforest Fund, chaired by Dr F Sc. took the organisation in a different direction, giving a voice and the tools to indigenous groups to protect their homes from the encroachment of mineral extraction, timber and logging, palm oil, etc etc.
To this day I remain committed to the work of the Fund and its incredibly powerful and successful projects around the world in legal and conservation work with the local communities. My interest areas have broadened considerably since, with my work covering this early principle of injustice and the annilhation of nature, in whatever form that takes; endangered species, threatened habitat, the global ecosystem, poverty and disaster relief and the right for individuals to be heard.
My role is to support NGO’s in their pursuit of raising money for conservation projects worldwide.