Management Committee
Coming together from a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences, our skilled team of professionals is the backbone of HKD Transition. Their ideas help shape the direction and mission of our organisation as it continues to develop. Read on to learn more about some of our incredible team members.
The HKD Management Committee is responsible for keeping an overall focus on HKD Transition’s purpose and aims and ensuring that our activities help advance these. The Management Committee is elected at the Annual General Meeting and serves for a year at a time. The Committee meets regularly (at least 6 times per year).
At the AGM in 2020 those below were elected to the Management Committee:
JOHN WILLIS
With my wife Sally, I’ve enjoyed living in Hassocks and more recently Ditchling since 1979. Our three sons all received an excellent education at Downlands School. Before retirement my career was in power station engineering, and I’m enthusiastic about now being able to use my knowledge to help in the move towards renewable energy and various other ways of living more sustainably. I’ve found it very rewarding to work with others in the HKD team, with their very varied backgrounds combined with a strong conviction that our local communities can achieve a great deal in helping us to live more sustainably.
JULIET MERRIFIELD
Juliet is one of the founding members of HKD Transition and is also a director of HKD Energy, a community benefit society whose aim is to develop renewable energy in our villages. Retired from a career in adult education, Juliet has experience in managing nonprofit organisations and doing research but mostly she likes playing with grand-daughter Wynter, growing good food and walking in beautiful places.
CHRIS THOMSON
I've lived in Hassocks since 1998 and since September 2016 have been working as an educational consultant. I really enjoy being involved in local projects that contribute to making the whole world a more sustainable place and love being out and about in the beautiful countryside around our village.
PHILIP ECKSTEIN
Philip lives in Ditchling and is the genius behind our finances as HKD Treasurer.
Now working as a maths tutor he was previously involved with numerous health charities on the fundraising/management side. He's particularly interested in what could be done locally to get more people involved with recycling. And his early new year’s resolution is to find more time to get involved with HKD!
ALISTAIR WHITBY
I have worked in international development and sustainability for over a decade for a number of charities, most recently the World Future Council. My focus is supporting the spread of effective environmental education and child rights' policies internationally. I live in Hassocks with my wife, 6 year old son and 3 year old daughter and am very keen on promoting local solutions to global challenges such as biodiversity loss and climate change. I like to hike, cycle and grow organic food and also serve on the committee of the Hassocks Allotment Holders Association.
DR JO GILAR
I have a PhD in fairy tales and ecological storytelling from the Sussex Centre for Folklore, Fairy Tale and Fantasy. I teach Folk and Storytelling at the University of Chichester, and work with Sharon Blackie to develop teaching for the Hedge School. As a professional storyteller I have performed stories and poems across Europe, and am passionate about telling stories that reconnect us to our places, open us to our others, and re-embed us within our world.
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LAURIE JACKSON
I'm an ecologist and writer with a background in nature conservation. I have lived in the area since 2009 and I want to help where I can to encourage our local community to take a more active involvement in sustainable living and the recovery of nature.
ASTRID STUBBS
I'm a charity worker supporting unpaid family and friend workers. I’m also a writer and editor and. responsible for the monthly e-newsletter. I am proud to be part of a working to make our world more sustainable for our family and generations to come.
MARGARET FORD
Ex social worker, ex broadcaster, ex historian, I’m en route for my final exit! In the interim, through HKD, I hope to help ensure that future generations are able to experience my enchantment with the Sussex countryside, triggered by Rudyard Kipling when I was a child. I may even encourage some of my contemporaries, who know a thing or two about ‘waste not, want not’, something close to the heart of HKD, to join me on the journey.
BEC HANLEY
I have lived in Hurstpierpoint since 2001 and love the friendliness of the village and the easy access to the Downs (for walking) and the train station (for working and socialising). I work with national charities and health researchers in my day job. Outside work I’m really interested in how we can make sure that our local villages are as green as possible.
CHARLOTTE SNOOK
I moved to Hurstpierpoint in 2014 with my husband and twin daughters. My background is in digital marketing but after losing the majority of my work during the Coronavirus pandemic, I decided to change direction and focus my energy on trying to make the village more sustainable. To this end, I helped found the Hurst Rethink, a specific sub group of HKD Transition focused purely on Hurstpierpoint. I also helped found Hurst Organic Buyers, a co-operative buying group who source organic and locally produced food and household products. I'm passionate about the natural world and when not campaigning, can be seen walking the footpaths of our local area.
LUCY BENNETT
I live in Keymer with my husband and two boys. After a career making documentary and educational films I changed direction and now produce live and online events. I am interested in building connections between people and places and am a strong believer that small acts, when multiplied, can have great effect. With this in mind I helped found the Hurst Rethink, a group focused on creating a more healthy, nature focused, sustainable and shared experience. I am delighted to be connected with HKD and The Transition Movement as I believe that community lead action is what it’s all about.