Thames21 has a core team of about 20 full time staff members, several committed delivery support staff and around 9000 public volunteers each year.
Meet the team behind the scenes:
Debbie Leach
Thames21 Chief Executive
Debbie joined Thames21 as Chief Executive in June 2005, bringing fifteen years’ experience in the voluntary sector. Her work with young people’s and educational charities lead to a growing interest in broader social inclusion and community development issues. Her previous career includes five years as Head of Fundraising and Marketing at Sports Leaders UK, a national charity engaging and developing 80,000 young people each year, and five years as the National Director of Fundraising for the Sea Cadet Association.
Debbie lives in Putney near the River Thames, and is a keen boater and sailor. “The great thing about rivers and canals is that they appeal to everyone, regardless of age, background or culture. It is fantastic to see the new friendships formed when people work side by side to improve their local waterway.”
Kathy Wilkinson
Administration and Personnel Manager
Kathy has been enjoying working with the staff at Thames21 since 2007. Most of Kathy’s career has been in the not-for-profit sector as she enjoys working for organisations that she feels are making a difference. Her other great passion is singing which she does every weekend at her local church and in her spare time in venues across London and beyond!
Chris Coode
Senior Programme Manager
Chris joined Thames21 in 2001 as its Education Officer, before becoming a Senior Programmes Manager in 2004. He is now responsible for Thames21’s work to involve communities with their local London river through a programme of river clean ups, community warden schemes, habitat improvement projects and education work. Before joining Thames21, Chris worked as the Education Coordinator at the London Aquarium. He also has previous experience working as a warden on marine wildlife reserves along the coast of Dorset and Cornwall. He is one of the world great rockpoolers.
Theo Thomas
Senior Programme Manager
Theo joined Thames21 in 2002 and manages the following projects: Love the Lea Campaign, River Lea Catchment. Big Waterways Clean Up 2012. Canals Liaison, Brent Waterways. South Hillingdon Waterways. East London Project. Catch21- London’s Angling Development Project. Inclusive Volunteering Project. Before working for Thames21, Theo was a news journalist for the BBC in the East Midlands.
Joanne Bradley
River Shuttle Riverkeeper
Joanne used to work as a cycling instructor in the borough so knows all the best short cuts to the river! Joanne studied Geography at the University of Reading and has always had a keen interest in the environment and outdoor activities. In her spare time Joanne enjoys swimming, cycling and running and has recently tried her hand at triathlons…one day she would like to swim the channel! She also enjoys playing the guitar and trips to the Lake District!
Emily Braham
Marketing and Communications Officer
Emily joined the Thames21 team after working as a journalist and volunteering for environmental charities. She spent her childhood in a ferny, suburban part of Melbourne and is still adjusting to London’s weather and speedier pace. She enjoys travelling, writing and learning about the natural world, and is currently studying sustainability science part-time.
Billy Coburn
Hillingdon Project Officer
Billy studied Environmental Biology at the University of Reading, which along with regular volunteering for Groundwork, helped cement his passion for the environment. Billy grew up in Hillingdon and went to Uxbridge High School. His other interests include playing guitar, badminton and ultimate frisbee.
Luke Damerum
Non-tidal Thames Project Officer
Luke first joined Thames21 as a volunteer and soon became a familiar and committed presence at events before coming a volunteer Riverkeeper. In 2010 he joined the team to coordinate the non-tidal Thames and the Bromley Borough River Cray projects. He has a degree in Marine and Fresh Water Biology and just for fun, is now undertaking another in chemistry. He has a keen interest in the natural world, and aims to share his enthusiasm for it and help reconnect people to the environment.
Vicky D’Souza
Lea Valley/Brent Coordinator
Vicky joined Thames21 in 2008 after working for a number of years for the Lea Rivers Trust as their Waterway Citizens Officer around the Lower Lea Valley. Vicky has previously worked for the Wildlife Trust and Spelthorne Farm. She has studied Environmental Studies at the University of Hertfordshire. Vicky enjoys travelling and has a strong interest in wildlife. She previously volunteered at Camley Street Natural Park where she ran the Park’s Kid’s Club.
Grant Fear
Catch21 Coordinator
Grant has been working for Thames21 for 10 years. He began by working on the Paddington arm canal, clearing litter using a state of the art work boat called Taranchewer. He then supervised a towpath cleansing contract in London and set up a summer angling club for the local youth club, this is how Catch21 was born. Since 2005, Grant has worked on the Catch21 London angling project delivering angling events all over London. His hobbies include training and hunting birds of prey, angling, rugby, swimming and cross country running. Grant has 3 dogs, 1 bird and 2 ferrets, that all live with him aboard his narrow boat on the Grand Union canal.
Aimee Felus
Project Manager
Aimee works on projects along the Lea Valley, taking care of the River Lea as well as tributaries higher up like the Salmons and Pymmes Brook. Aimee is developing the Love the Lea campaign, giving voice to the countless people in London who care about the poor state of their rivers. Aimee is never far from mud even when not at work, as she enjoys riding her horse and walking her crazy Labrador.
Ben Fenton
Big Waterways Clean Up 2012 Campaign Coordinator
Ben is heading up the Big Waterways Clean Up 2012, an exciting campaign to enhance London’s waterways for the Olympics and beyond. He has worked on a wide range of projects since joining Thames21 in 2008. Prior to this Ben studied Environmental Science at Leeds University and spent time working as a freelance photographer and an outdoor pursuits instructor. In his spare time he enjoys climbing mountains and jumping in lakes.
Alice Hall
River Programmes Coordinator
Alice coordinates the river clean-up and enhancement activities of our regional officers, manages Thames21’s Education Engagement Project and organises practical river events with our corporate partners. She studied Environmental Science at the University of Southampton and has previously worked for the River Restoration Center and the Environment Agency. In her spare time Alice enjoys country walks and wildlife photography.
Michael Heath
River Cray Riverkeeper
Michael has lived in the Bexley, near to the River Cray for 18 years. He first became involved with the river as a founder member of the Friends of Foots Cray Meadows. Michael recently joined the Thames21 team, and sees his role as an exciting new challenge. Michael is a retired police officer whose other interests include photography, travel and cooking.
Julia Makin
Training Officer
It’s Julia’s job to develop and deliver training that will help more and more people get actively involved in helping London’s waterways. Having worked previously for the RSPB, Julia has developed an interest in nature and birdlife in particular, though would only rate herself a ‘bad birdwatcher’! She likes people, walking, talking and the way light catches a landscape at different times of day.
Simon Reddecliffe
Contractor
Simon started volunteering with Thames21 in March 2010, he subsequently became Thames21’s ‘Volunteer of the Year 2010’ and was awarded a Vodafone World of Difference Award in March 2011 to work for Thames21 for two months. Following this, Simon worked for Thames21 on a contractual basis before taking over the Ecominds project for volunteers with a history of mental health problems. In his spare time Simon is interested in history and enjoys swimming, watching sport, sketching and inventing new flavours of hot drinks.
Judith Ressler
West London River Programmes Coordinator
Judith runs clean-ups, nature walks and vegetation management days in the area between Battersea Bridge and Richmond locks, with a focus on the London boroughs of Ealing, Brent and Hounslow, where she runs events especially designed for people with learning difficulties or disabilities. Judith’s motto is: “Volunteering is for everybody!” In her spare time she loves to go camping and foraging for wild food. In the past Judith has worked as an environmental educator at Hampstead Heath and the London Wetland Centre in Barnes and as a biologist she knows a lot about the local wildlife.
Victor Richardson
River Programmes Coordinator, South-East London
Vic began his working career as an apprentice welder with a boat building company on the River Thames, developing an expert knowledge of the river. He worked for ten years in the construction industry before going to university to study Bsc Environmental Management and Human Geography. Utilising his hands on working experience and his university studies, Vic now delivers enhancement projects for Thames21. ‘The projects are quite varied and often challenging; some are community led and all involve volunteers, which I find fascinating.’
Adrian Spalding
Fundraising Officer
Adrian is always looking for nifty ways of securing donations. Before entering the world of fundraising many years ago, he worked as a press photographer. He still picks up his trusty camera at weekends capturing the countryside views whilst out walking, a pastime which has taken him across England, and along the many towpaths and river walks in London, which he can now maintain is just part of his job!
Isabel Galleymore
Big Waterways Clean Up 2012 Intern
Coming from two literature degrees, Isabel has found Thames21’s hands-on attitude a refreshing opportunity for positive thought and change. As Isabel is interested in writing ecopoetry, her experience so far at Thames21 has provided a practical source for inspiration.
Andrea Penarete
Marketing and Communications Intern
Andrea is currently studying business and management, while undertaking a Marketing and Communication Internship at Thames21. The internship has inspired her to use her career in benefit of the environment and communities, contributing to the wellbeing of people and future generations. In her spare time, she enjoys photography, painting and swimming as well as traveling, learning new languages and interacting with different cultures.
