Meet Our Core Team
Our work calls for a team that is diverse in terms of its knowledge, skills, experiences, attitudes, specialisms and connections. It means we have more people than some might expect, but this is because all but one of the team (Tim) are part-timers, job-sharing roles and working elsewhere for the rest of the week. This gives the Trust a huge amount of flexibility and agility to ensure we can always deploy the right skillset to the task in hand.
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Read on, and get in touch!
Nicola Sawford
Chief Executive
Hello, with a background supporting start-up organisations with a strong focus on customer engagement, I’m here to help take Stori Brymbo to the next level.
I’ve jumped straight into the land and legal deals, so we can get the long-awaited permission to start across the line and start developing the the Heritage Area.
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You can reach me at nicola.sawford@brymboheritage.co.uk
Tom Hughes
Volunteering & Participation
Great to meet you! I’m Tom!
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As a former volunteer at the Trust while completing my PhD research on the Fossil Forest, I am delighted to have this opportunity to support our current volunteers and welcome new people to grow our groups.
I want to spread my passion for the site to all our amazing volunteers so they can have the same opportunities and experiences that I have had to learn and grow as a person and meet amazing people along the way.
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I'm on email at tom.hughes@brymboheritage.co.uk
Gareth Venn
Play
Hey, I’m Gareth, a play worker and forest schools deliverer, and after volunteering with the trust for many years I joined them as an employee in 2017.
I’m part of the team who put on facilitated and open access play across the community, and I’m working to expand this. I also lead the trust’s work on Forest Schools, and so currently run weekly sessions with class groups at St Mary’s School.
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Email me via
Dr Tim Astrop
Natural history
Hi, I joined BHT in 2018 to lead the fossil forest project. I’m a paleontologist, with years of experience across the world, and I work with an amazing team of volunteers and students, partner organisations and the public to bring our local natural history to life.
You’ll find me in Moss Valley, in Ty Pawb, in schools, in colleges, on youtube, and foraging amongst the trees!
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I'm on
Leon Bowen
Events
Hiya – I’m Leon, one of the activities coordinators who is now focussing on Roots To Shoots, where you’ll find me helping communities to plan and run events, build community art into their thinking, and looking at how our network of local paths, cycleways and bridleways can be linked through their shared natural and industrial heritage.
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I’m also the main person behind Brymbo Rocks…which WILL be back soon! Oh, and I’m a keen photographer – so watch out!
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Email me via
Victoria Davies
Administration Officer
Hi, I’m Vicky and I joined BHT in 2018 to provide admin support to the trust. I get involved in the events and look after our equipment and resources. I’m an enthusiastic amateur when it comes to both our natural and industrial heritage, and its fab being part of such an exciting project.
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For several years now you will also find me helping Gareth run play and forest school sessions. I love getting out and exploring our surrounding community spaces while running these sessions with Gareth.
Gary Jones
Self Build
Hi, I'm Gary self-build coordinator for Stori Brymbo.
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You'll find me somewhere on site normally on a Tuesday helping Colin, Andrew and Bernard with practical work. I also get involved with site prep for the events we hold and help with any physical improvements to spaces or tasks out and about as part of our Roots to Shoots scheme of work.