As a trustee and treasurer, I believe that I will be able to help the association build on its solid foundation by reviewing financial systems and processes as the organisation grows, improve reporting and be able to give some hands on input (I live close to Leeds). Since leaving university, I have predominantly worked in public sector accountancy, although I have recently moved to working with small charities. My route to Permaculture has been via the Transition towns movement, but during 2008 I thoroughly enjoyed volunteering at the Permaculture Association office in Leeds.

Jennifer has been in business since 1996, and is director of Carpe Diem Gardens Ltd, where she works as Permaculture designer, project strategy consultant and landscape gardener. She has over 30 years’ experience of horticulture, including gardening for wildlife, habitat conservation, and designing sensory and therapeutic gardens. She is also an experienced trainer and workshop leader. A founder member of Transition City Lancaster, she served for 4 years as a member of the Sustainability Partnership of Lancaster City Council. In 2006 she earned a Certificate/NVQ4 in Management from Lancaster University and completed her Permaculture Design Certificate in 2007. She is currently working towards the Applied Diploma in Permaculture. Her other training includes a Diploma in Garden Design (2000) and an MA in Translation Studies (Warwick 1994).
A carer for over 30 years, Jennifer is working with social care professionals and Transition activists to create a sustainable model of support and housing for people with disabilities, health needs and elders.

finished a Full Permaculture Design course on the Isle of man. Permaculture has changed the way I work, travel, eat, grow food, clothing, reading materials. Before I was walking around with my eyes wide shut but the are slowing being opened. So I am very new to permaculture in terms of years, but feel that the time is right to learnt more, just be open to new ideas and ways of living with the earth and not against the earth. I combine Feng Shui and Permacultural in our designs for own use and working with communities & people in their designs.working with development in human societies, which works with the whole system approach. As a Director of social enterprise company, which designs homes, communities and small farms that are low in impact.

Jay is a microbiologist who has an interest in low-entropy systems design. He first read Bill Mollison’s ‘Permaculture: A Designer’s Manual’ in 1990 and attended a full design course in 1992. As a result of this course, he set up Biologic Design - a vehicle for the creation of sustainable wastewater purification and energy generation systems. He gained his Diploma in Applied Permaculture Design in 1994. Having lived off-grid for 23 years he has first hand experience of living lightly, using renewable energy and natural waste purification. He feels strongly that, as Bill Mollison says, Permaculture Practitioners must become Eco-developers. He is currently seeking ways to put into practice Permaculture design principles on holistically designed communities - with local systems for food and energy production, as well as natural wastewater purification. Through Biologic Design he is presently creating WET Systems - constructed wetlands for wastewater purification, resource production, biodiversity enhancement and habitat creation; and also installing Treebogs (composting toilets) for a wide range of groups. He is working with Transition Towns to establish community owned Anaerobic Digestion systems (for energy production from wastes). He is also involved in sustainable woodland management, and is a director of Beetlewood Activities, a woodland-based ecological and emotional literacy education group.