People

Ian Nicholson is an experienced IT professional having spent over 30 years in the UK financial and Public sectors. He brings in-depth experience working in highly competitive, cost-focused, political and rapidly-changing environments. Ian has developed and implemented corporate service strategies and delivered cost-effective solutions through process, people and systems innovation, meeting both customer and business needs. Ian has been on the board of the Trust since 2018 and chair since 2019. 

Jon Nicholls started his career in agriculture but as someone who doesn’t come from a farming background, found it difficult to earn a living from the land and changed his career to one in Finance. He has held several senior finance positions within Local Authority and in industry and brings to the Trust a range of skills which include: Marketing, HR, Strategy, logistics etc. He currently runs his own consultancy practice where he advises businesses on growth strategies and financial issues. Jon is also a volunteer mentor for several Universities and holds other Non-Executive positions with innovative business organisations and humanitarian groups.

For over 25 years Minni Jain has been working with communities to regenerate their landscapes and lives. As Operations Director of the Flow Partnership (www.theflowpartnership.org), she works on community-led management of floods and droughts using simple, low-cost traditional methods. She coordinates Waterways World– a practical water school of landscape regeneration skills and methods to achieve replenishment of the world’s water bank and has helped set up the One Pond Fund to enable communities worldwide to resource their water projects. Her skills are in partnership building at all levels and together, achieving shared community objectives.

Gabriel Kaye has been an administrator/manager to associations, schools and similar organisations for many years. She has built a wealth of expertise in these areas. Gabriel has also been a trainer and consultant in organisational structures, charity requirements, administration and management for Steiner Schools. She was born on a biodynamic farm and is a keen biodynamic gardener. Gabriel has worked for the Biodynamic Association in Certification and is now its Executive Director. A co-founder of the Biodynamic Land Trust, she has also held a number of executive roles for the organisation. Gabriel stepped down from the Board in November 2020 after serving three terms of three years as a director.

Amber Lawes-Johnson started her career co-running a 6-acre market garden farm with a therapeutic outreach service. Alongside her farming she completed two degrees a BA in Anthropology and an MA in Food and Development. Alongside her education Amber has undertaken various research-based consultancy work acquiring expertise across food supply chain issues. Her skills focus is in interdisciplinary research, policy evaluation, data synthesis, and knowledge exchange. Amber is undertaking a PhD focusing on advancing the provisioning of “public money for public goods” across England’s beef and sheep sectors.

Mari-Liis Nukis started farming Biodynamically after completing the BDAC apprenticeship in 2019. She has a keen interest in sustainable mixed farming with high animal welfare and is passionate about empowering young farmers and growers. Mari-Liis is currently working on a partnership project between a biodynamic CSA in Stroud and a refugee charity in Bristol, bridging the gap between inner city and rural communities through sustainable food.

Martin Neicho’s early career was based in the charity sector, where he managed numerous small enterprises offering opportunities to disadvantaged groups of people. Following this, Martin branched into the Farming sector in the late 90s and obtained a BSc in horticulture in 1999 and became a legal advisor to businesses in the agricultural/horticultural field. His breadth of experience in this sector has led to him co-authoring consultant manuals used by ADAS consultants along with producing reports on the storage of organic crops for the Ministry of Fisheries and Food (MAFF – now DEFRA).