People
Trustee
Bex Flintham
A lifelong wildlife conservationist and activist for social and environmental issues, Bex lives in Devon and works as an environmental educator for a wildlife charity, teaching children and young people and adults about the interdependence of humans with the natural world. Past jobs have included working for the National Trust, Wildlife Trusts, RSPB, The John Simonds Trust, and Five A Day Community Garden. Bex also leads community choirs and gives talks to gardening clubs about wildlife. Identifying as queer and non-binary (pronouns they or she), Bex sings with Exeter‘s LGBTQ choir Spectrum. To unwind after a hard day‘s work trying to save the planet, Bex goes wild swimming or walking on the coast or Dartmoor.
Trustee
Maia Thomas
A 22 year old award winning Equality Activist, EDI Consultant (Equality, Diversity & Inclusion), International Speaker, Social Media Consultant & Instagram Influencer. Maia has worked with over 70 schools across the South West on EDI, delivering assemblies/workshops and mentoring teachers. Throughout her consultancy role she has worked with Devon County Council, many business leaders and firms. One of her latest projects -Feed Our Community, delivered over 2500 free food packages to those in need within the first 6 weeks. Maia strives daily to make long lasting positive change in society. Her work has featured on CNN, BBC, ITV, Sky, The Morning Star and other platforms. Maia has been recognised by winning the Ron Todd award for Equality and featuring in the Mirrors Top 100 Inspirational Women 2021.
Trustee
Rob Masding
Born in Leicester sometime in the last century, Robert has lived and worked in many parts of England as well as spending some years working in Zambia, Holland and Saudi Arabia. Eventually settling in Devon in 2013 - firstly in Exmouth, where he was elected to Exmouth town Council on a Green party ticket, and now in Exeter. Robert's interests include photography, computing and generally involving himself in the community - such as being on the Cornerstone Housing Performance Panel and volunteering with the Queens Crescent Garden Forum. Robert has two children and is divorced.
Trustee
Phil Sleigh
Phil was born in South India, then from age 4 grew up in Devon. He worked in botanical research; as a psychiatric nurse; and on IT for the NHS until retiring in 2019. Throughout this time he has campaigned on various environmental, animal rights, and human justice issues. He is married with 2 daughters, and enjoys gardening, cycling, walking (especially on Dartmoor), and the excellent beers at The Bridge Inn in Topsham.
Trustee
Chris Wood
Chris is a software engineer wanting to ensure his five grandchildren have a habitable world to grow old in. Chris has marched with Rock against Racism in the 70s, hitchhiked around Europe, been a despatch rider, become a self taught computer programmer, been a Children’s Advocate, studied Philosophy and Psychology at Oxford and jumped out of perfectly fine aeroplanes. Chris’s software development company had offices in Surrey and California until the family moved to Devon at the turn of the millennium for a radical life change. Having come across the concept of Climate Emergency Centres in late 2020 Chris is determined to see one open in Exeter promoting community, justice, education and equality to help build a better world.