Meet the Team
RACHEL BUTLER
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
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 East Mercia 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@eastmercia.org
GAIL TALTON
HEAD OF OPERATIONS
Gail joined East Mercia 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 has adapted Eels in the Classroom and developed interactive activities centred on invasive species, protected species and important river invertebrates.
Gail has over 17 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@eastmercia.org
PAIGE DONNELLY
HEAD OF PARTNERSHIPS
Paige joined the East Mercia 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@eastmercia.org
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 East Mercia 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@eastmercia.org
PATRICIA ANTUNES
WELLAND PROJECT MANAGER
Patricia joined the Trust in 2022 as the Project Manager for the Welland catchment, leading river restoration and habitat creation projects. Patricia trained as a biologist and ecologist and has focused on aquatic systems and water quality from the start, from working with freshwater invertebrates in Spain to assisting with international research projects in water treatment in Germany.
Patricia holds a PhD degree from Dublin City University, for which she conducted research on the impacts of livestock agriculture on nutrient and faecal pollution in agricultural catchments, with a focus on informing agri-environmental policy. She has also taught Biology and Chemistry both as a lecturer in undergraduate programmes and to primary school students as part of the STEAM – Science-in-a-Box programme in Ireland. She has volunteered with environmental conservation NGO over the years, having recently joined an organisation that owns and manages small bioreserves in her native Portugal.
For river restoration and wildlife habitat creation projects in the Welland catchment, contact patricia@eastmercia.org
KATIE FIELD
LAND MANAGEMENT ADVISOR
Katie, who joined the Trust in early 2022, is focused on the Welland catchment and farming focused activities. She has been developing and supporting the River Wardens scheme which connects people to their local river and allows them to monitor water quality and aquatic life. She is collaborating with landowners on natural flood management and developing ways to support farmers in managing productive land whilst protecting and enhancing their watercourses.
Katie has a longstanding commitment to nature conservation and farming, having worked as a Conservation Officer for the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust for 10 years whilst living and working on her small family farm. kfield@gwct.org.uk
For Welland catchment related activities, farm advising and natural flood management enquiries contact katie@eastmercia.org
