Alex de Winton has been involved in the charity sector for over 15 years.  She is on the board of two charity trusts both of whose aim is to support marginalised children and young people to achieve their full potential.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, FOOD FOUNDATION

Anna joined the Food Foundation as its first Executive Director at the beginning of June 2015 after 5 years at the Department for International Development (|DFID). The Food Foundation is an independent organisation that tackles the growing challenges facing the UK’s food system through the interests of the UK public. During 2019-21 she also served as Chief Independent Adviser to Henry Dimbleby – author of the National Food Strategy.   At DFID Anna led the policy team on nutrition and supported the delivery of the UK’s global commitments to tackle undernutrition.

Before joining DFID Anna worked for a number of international organisations including Save the Children and UNICEF supporting programmes in a wide range of contexts in Africa and South Asia.   Anna has also worked for the UK Department of Health. In 2014 she was awarded an OBE for her work to address the global burden of undernutrition.  She did an MSc in Human Nutrition at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in 1994.

CEO, Best Beginnings

Best Beginnings is a national charity giving every child the best start in life through bite-sized health information delivered through the award-winning Baby Biddy App.

Clare is a practising Occupational Therapist specialising in neurology and mental health. She has held operational roles in the NHS in acute services, including women’s health, mental health and commissioning.

She also worked nationally for the healthcare regulator Monitor on national mental health policy as well as leading a national improvement model co-produced with mental health trusts and those who use services and their families and carers.

She lives in London with her husband and two children, holds an MBA from Henley Business School and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and a Leadership Fellow at St, George’s House, Windsor Castle.

Public Health Nutritionist

A Public Health Nutritionist (AfN) and Manager of the Award-Winning Community Food Hub ‘Nourish Hub’, Ffion is passionate about improving the environment and lives of individuals. As member of the UKHarvest team who are on a mission to prevent food waste and food insecurity by enriching and educating our communities, Ffion is passionate about social justice works to protect our environment and ensure universal access to nutritious, affordable, and culturally-appropriate food for all.

CHIEF EXECUTIVE, soil association

Helen farms in a family partnership on a mostly tenanted organic farm in Wiltshire with dairy, beef, pigs, cereals, agroforestry and small scale horticulture. Her products are sold through the Helen Browning’s Organic brand in retailers as well as through her hotel and restaurant/pub on the farm.

Her book ‘PIG; tales from an organic farm’, written with her partner Tim Finney, tells more about the trials and tribulations of their farming and food life.

She has been Chief Executive of the Soil Association since 2011, after a long involvement with the charity in a variety of exec and non-exec roles. Prior to rejoining the Soil Association, Helen was Director of External Affairs for the National Trust.

She is currently a Commissioner and trustee of the Food Farming and Countryside Commission and has had a number of roles in agri-politics over the years, including the Government’s Policy Commission on the Future of Farming and Food (‘the Curry Commission’), chaired the England Animal Health and Welfare Implementation Group and the Food Ethics Council. Helen was awarded an OBE in 1998 for her services to organic farming

Chair of the Trustee Board,  Buttle UK

FOUNDER, WInston’s wish

Julie is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist who has worked in both Oncology and Palliative Care settings. She is the founder of the national child bereavement charity Winston’s Wish and author of You Will Be Okay.

For the past 15 years Julie has worked with the Preston Associates as a Partner and Executive coach https://www.theprestonassociates.com/who-we-are/julie-stokes-obe/. Last year she designed a new Executive Reset – health and performance in conjunction with the Goodwood Gut Health Team https://www.goodwood.com/visit-eat-stay/health-wellbeing/wellness-retreats/executive-retreat/

CEO, Sustainable Food Trust

Patrick Holden is the founder and CEO of the Sustainable Food Trust, whose mission is to work internationally to accelerate the transition towards more sustainable food and farming systems.

Between 1995 and 2010, he was Director of the Soil Association, the UK organic advocacy and certification organisation, where he played a leading role in developing the organic standards and market.

He currently leads a task force on measuring land use sustainability for the Sustainable Markets Initiative (SMI), established by the then Prince of Wales in 2020.

Patrick trained in Biodynamic farming at Emerson College and has farmed for over 50 years on a 300-acre mixed organic dairy holding, now the longest established organic dairy farm in Wales, producing a raw milk cheddar from the milk of 85 Ayrshire cows.

He received a CBE for services to organic farming in 2005 and is Patron of the UK Bio-dynamic Agriculture Association. He became an Ashoka fellow in 2016 and was awarded an honorary doctorate for his international work in sustainable agriculture by the University of Wales Trinity St David in 2022.