Sharpham People

Daniel Stokes

Chair of Trustees

Daniel was born in Bath. He has had a 25-year business career as joint founder, and (for 15 years) chair of a large regional food retailer. He was also a director of a commercial property development company for 12 years, retiring from business in 2004. He has worked for The Samaritans for four years and has worked for a national bereavement charity for several years, supporting people through their grief.

Daniel is a father-of-three and his interests include poetry and the natural world.

William Lana

Trustee

After working in The City and on Wall Street in the 1980s and for the Commission of the EU in Brussels in the 1990s, William Lana co-founded and is the CEO of the organic textile company Greenfibres. He sits on a number of the Boards of organisations aimed at finding environmental and social solutions to the challenges and opportunities we currently face.

He has degrees from the University of Kent and the London School of Economics, lives in Totnes, has two children, and is a practising artist.

Martin Wright

Trustee

Born in London and educated in the Midlands, Martin spent 20 years living in East London and working as a solicitor in The City, for the last 10 years as a partner in a major law firm. Moving to Devon in 2002 he now runs a smallholding near Totnes with his partner and when not occupied by this, spends his time walking, climbing and travelling with his family.

Charlotte Rathbone

Trustee

Charlotte is a chartered landscape architect who brings 30 years' experience in landscape design and environmental art to the Sharpham board of Trustees.

She has worked as a practising landscape architect in Bristol, Bath, Hong Kong and Devon. She and her husband have had their own practice in South Devon since 1996.

Charlotte's work has included designing new public and private spaces in historic rural and urban landscapes, working with communities to create new village spaces, new town gardens and squares and designing landscape for patients and vulnerable women at a refuge.

She was a trustee of the Centre of Contemporary Art in the Natural World for over 10 years until it became a CIC and has continued as an adviser since then. She wants to encourage the public to engage with the natural world, whether though art, play, science or having fun.

Julie Richardson

Deputy Chair of Trustees

Julie previously worked at Schumacher College on the Dartington Estate, as Senior Lecturer in New Economics where she co-designed and led courses in economics for transition, right livelihood, gross national happiness and dialogues east and west.  

She is many things – an ecological economist, a practising meditator, an academic, an educator and a PhD student, an organisational consultant on a national and global scale, a holistic health practitioner and a lover of the sea and nature.

She worked in sustainable development for more than 20 years in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Europe, gradually altering her view of ‘development’ to a belief that there is much we can learn from the wisdom of other cultures about sustainable livelihoods and restoring healthy relationship between human society and nature.

She has taught ecological economics and international development at the Universities of London and Sussex,

Julie has applied systems thinking, complexity science and a holistic view to different aspects of sustainability – including sustainable design, organizational change and environmental policy.

More recently, at Dartington’s Schumacher College, she co-created the Schumacher Worldwide programme supporting the emergence of an international community of practitioners and programmes inspired by the economist EF Schumacher.

Jane Sillis

Trustee

Jane Sillis has worked in the arts since the 1980s and has a particular knowledge of contemporary visual art, education and working with adults and young people new to the arts. Since 2005 Jane has been Director of Engage.  Before working with Engage Jane was an arts consultant. 

Eve Annecke

Trustee

Ecologist, teacher, writer

www.eveannecke.net

​I am a Bertha Fellow, curating an independent inquiry exploring the art and power in retreat.

​Through transformative and transgressive learning, I’m completely riveted about what it means to be human in this century. Inseparable from nature, place and children, the work has led me into inter-generational stories in a messily indigenous homebrew of context, dialogue, ecology in place, arts, cultures, mythology and consciousness.

​Being of earth, and South Africa and England specifically, holds tensions and contradictions that challenge every platitude, derivative and regurgitation. It is these edges that beckon in finding our ancient mythic ground. In quiet, often unseen, places lurks wisps of wisdom and tendrils of depth, time and space.

​I’m interested in that.

Julian Carnell

Director

Julian has led The Trust since 2014 during which the charity has greatly expanded it's activities.

Originally a teacher he worked for two years with Voluntary Service Overseas in Pakistan helping to set up a teacher training programme and various development projects. On returning to Devon he continued his work in the charity sector working for a local countryside trust, setting up an educational programme, a residential centre, and an organic farm. He was involved in the early stages of Transition Towns in Totnes and has built on these experiences at Sharpham.

"I came to Sharpham because I wanted to integrate conservation work with mental health and the spirituality side that was often missing when environmental issues are discussed. I wanted to foster a more holistic approach and make Sharpham a beacon for new approaches."

Julian loves canoeing on the River Dart which meanders past the Estate and he is Chair of the Dart Estuary Forum and the River Dart Catchment Partnership.

“Sharpham is a special place that people fall in love with and I am privileged to have a brilliant staff team who work hard to create the Sharpham experience, which is one of caring and nurturing the individual and our environment."

"The positive feedback and stories people share with us make it all worthwhile.”

Ben Ballard

Programme Manager

Ben oversees the Sharpham programme of retreats and courses across the estate.

Says Ben: "We live in a time of disconnection socially, environmentally and spiritually. Our programmes support people to reconnect through mindfulness and spending time with nature."

"It’s a privilege and an inspiration to work in an organisation that endeavours to support people to live a more compassionate and awake life."

Amy Ruewell

HR & Admin Manager

Amy's is the voice you'll hear when you ring the Trust's general number.

She makes sure the Trust runs efficiently, thanks to her many years in hospitality and hotels, where she was a general manager.

Now she's happy to have a more peaceful day-job. "I want to make a difference and work as part of a team, and I've found it," she said. "It's beautiful here and everyone's so friendly."

Amy also administers Sharpham Meadow Natural Burial Ground.

Sara Widdicombe

Finance Officer

Sara makes sure that Sharpham's finances are all in order. When she's not doing the numbers, she's playing tennis and walking her dog!

She likes Sharpham's landscape. "It's such a beautiful location, what's not to like?!" she says.

Katie Tokus

Communications Officer

Katie helps to make sure this website looks and sounds good, writes and sends our newsletter, talks to the media (and sings jazz, soul & blues outside of Sharpham).

What inspires her about Sharpham? The birdsong and the food. Especially when the staff get leftovers.

Click here to find out how to get in touch with her, and other parts of the The Sharpham Trust.

Margot Eliadis

Programme Administrator

Margot helps people book onto the events, retreats and courses that we run. She’s also the contact for hiring our venue and for booking at our Point Field campsite (open seasonally).

"Driving onto the estate every day is such a blessing” says Margot. “Sharpham is a beautiful place to work and we have the best team.”

Lisa Carnell

Education & Events Coordinator

Lisa Carnell entices nature lovers and local schoolchildren to visit the Estate and learn about its rich wildlife and habitats.

"I want to encourage people to open their eyes to what is around them, because it's when you look closely that you discover more," she says.

"The beauty and exquisite landscape here is also so rich in natural wildlife because there's such a variety of habitats on the Sharpham Estate - and that's what makes my heart sing".

Stephen Coker

Bookkeeper

Stephen is our book-keeper, working part-time at Sharpham.

He loves nature and birds and enjoys coming to work here because of the amazing surroundings.

He says: "I just love the peacefulness and the work that we do - I wish everywhere was like this!"

Toria Hare

Volunteer & Mindful in Nature Coordinator

Toria has a deep love of the outdoors and brings that to her work coordinating our ground-breaking Mindful-in-Nature sessions and the volunteering that supports the work of our charity.

Toria comes from a background in ecology and community engagement and is thrilled to be part of the team at Sharpham, helping others to benefit from its magic.

Miguel Rodríguez

Online Administrator

Miguel’s passion for spirituality started at a young age. His inquisitiveness first landed in literature
and art, and later moved onto psychology and philosophy. He was introduced to meditation practice
by his older sister more than twenty years ago and since then has written and published a number of
books that rely on this subject from the perspective of Western as well as Buddhist philosophy.
Miguel’s experience has drawn from contemplative traditions East and West as well as from artistic
practices that work with the imagination. He loves to be on retreat as soon as he gets the
opportunity.

Tasha Bassingthwaighte

Barn Retreat Manager

Tasha was interested in spiritual practice from a young age and did her first Buddhist meditation retreat at the age of 18. She lived in Nepal, spending time with Tibetan Buddhists, and later moved to a dharma centre in France, deepening her experience and practice of Buddhism.
 
She has lived in various intentional communities in Canada, the USA, and the UK, and has worked in the realm of social services and social justice for the past decade, including community-building while working with refugees, immigrants, and women in poverty.
 
Tasha's inspired in her role by how The Barn works its magic on people. "In one of the early retreats I witnessed at The Barn, on the second day, a retreatant said that it was the most important thing they'd ever done in his life. He repeated it on the last day. The Barn touches people like that, myself included."
 
She lives in Totnes with her partner and her children.

Nina Jankelson

Assistant Barn Manager

Nina began practising mindfulness in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, attending retreat in Northern India and Nepal and later drawing inspiration from the Insight Meditation tradition and the teachings of Zen monk Thich Nhat Hanh.

A former residential coordinator at Sharpham's Barn Retreat, Nina has been facilitating meditations, ceremony and retreats for the past five years. Her practice is grounded in a connection to the land and in contacting moments of ordinary beauty and grace in the every day.

She is interested in exploring how contemplative practices can open up our experience of the world and is passionate about creating opportunities for others to do the same. 

Ben Murray

Volunteer Coordinator

Ben, 36, has been interested in philosophy and community for a long time and has experience living and working at retreat centres on Holy Isle and at Plum Village in France.

"It's probably one of the main reasons I was attracted to The Barn role, he said. "It's really quite similar to what they offer at Plum Village in terms of the nature connection, a big emphasis on community and, of course, the mindfulness"

Ben worked on the Happy Farm within Plum Village and therefore he'll be well suited to working and practising in The Barn's gardens. When he's not writing, drawing and crafting, that is.

Ben plays guitar, writes songs and has written and performed a show at the Edinburgh Free Fringe. 

The show was a children's story about a girl living on a remote island visited by nature spirits who lead her towards greater wisdom. 

He self-published and illustrated a book version of the story too, enjoys painting and drawing and has continued playing his guitar and songwriting since arriving at The Barn. 

"My creativity comes out more when I'm living in community," he said. "My wellbeing and practice is strengthened by being in community. I get a lot back from volunteering and giving."

Wendy Greek

Coach House Cook

Wendy is responsible for the delicious vegan and vegetarian food served at The Coach House! 

Rachel Probert

Assistant House Manager

Rachel loves meeting the retreatants when she's looking after Sharpham House.

"It's enjoyable to get to know people from all different walks of life while I'm here," she says.

Rachel completed an 8-week course in mindfulness a decade before she ended up working here. "I felt then that Sharpham was a special place that I felt an affinity with and I hoped one day I'd work at. Now here I am and it has lived up to my expectations."

Sarah Blockley

Housekeeper

Sarah is part of the vital housekeeping team that looks after Sharpham House.

She says: "It's genuinely beautiful and tranquil here. Every morning when I drive onto the Estate I feel blessed that this is where I come and that's a rare thing."

Amanda Lee-Cornell

Housekeeper

Amanda helps to make sure Sharpham House is clean, comfy and tidy for us and our visitors - and she's great at it too.

"It's the only place I've ever worked where I leave feeling calmer than when I arrived," she says. "It's such a lovely place to work".

Georgie Byrom

Housekeeper

Georgie is part of the vital housekeeping team that looks after Sharpham House.

David Perkins

Caretaker

David lives here and looks after Sharpham House and grounds (which is a big enough job). But he's also a forest-school leader, bushcrafter, arborist and landworker! Ask him about trees. He'll love that.

Bryony Middleton

Head Gardener

Bryony co-manages the gardens with Emily Ings and is particularly responsible for the incredible productivity (and look!) of the Walled Garden and our Grade II-listed Percy Cane gardens.

Her vegetable & herb-growing abilities ensure our retreatants are fed admirably - and organically!

Luciana Edwards

Barn Gardener

Luci first took up gardening aged three, when she had a carrot patch on her mum’s allotment. Since then she has gone on to train in permaculture design and has a MSc in Sustainable Agriculture focusing on soil health, which is her number one passion.

Luci has worked on organic and agroecological farms in Portugal, Nepal, Thailand and the UK. She has worked at The Barn as a kitchen gardener since January 2019, and enjoys producing food in close harmony with nature.

Luci also has experience of mindfulness, having undertaken an 8-week mindfulness course, as well as longer retreats at Sharpham, and continues her own practice at home.

Luci loves all things natural, so when she’s not in the garden you can find her exploring wild spaces with her family.

Cathy Hellyer

Cathy is part of the vital housekeeping team that looks after Sharpham House.

Cathy has been coming to Sharpham on different retreats for years - and now she works here! 

She says: "I hope people enjoy their stays as much as I did. Sharpham holds a very special place in my heart & hopefully it will in theirs too".

Hannah Cavender

Volunteer Coordinator

Hannah was introduced to meditation through an 8-week mindfulness course during her undergraduate degree. This sparked a curiosity which led her to attend her first retreat at The Barn a few years ago.

Her powerful experience on retreat opened the door to a regular meditation practice, further retreats, and delving deeper into Buddhist teachings and Insight Meditation. She also completed a 10-week counselling skills course in 2023.

Now joining The Barn as a coordinator, she is excited to support others on their journeys of self-discovery and connection through meditation.

Hannah is really interested in how mindfulness, community living, and connection to nature support wellbeing and mental health, particularly in the context of healing from trauma.

Emily Smith

Retreat Admin Assistant

Barry Thurgood

Coach House Manager

Barry has a long term connection with Sharpham - he was a volunteer Retreat Coordinator at The Barn and has lead many retreats in the House and the Woodland Campsite.

He feels a deep connection to the land, especially Dartmoor, and so is delighted to be the Coach House manager with its nature connection ethos. He says "Sharpham has been a big support to me over the years and it is an honour to offer that same support to others".

Viren Jeram

Volunteer Retreat Coordinator

Viren is stepping away from his job as a manager in the National Health Service to become a Volunteer Coordinator at The Barn in September 2024.

He visited the Barn first in 2019 and has visited regularly as a retreatant.

“The Barn has become a spiritual home for me over the past few years and I’m really excited to be able to support others to experience the wonders of the practice and be nourished by it,” he said.

Viren is passionate about Indian classical music and plays the tabla.

Sophie Anna Gibbings

Volunteer Retreat Coordinator

CHANGESophie was introduced to meditation and living in community through an 4-week work exchange program with the Findhorn Foundation on Erraid in Scotland. This experience planted a seed to continue a regular meditation practice and an interest in Buddhist teachings.

Sophie is also an artist, with a creative practice that connects people to nature. “I have a longing for co-creation and seek a sense of oneness. I work with materials that can be returned to the Earth, without any harm to the Earth. I walk, observe, collect, and I listen to my materials instead of trying to control them. I see no separation between my creative practice and my spiritual practice, which for me is about letting go of control. My process is about connecting my inner landscape with the outer landscape.”

Now joining The Barn as a support coordinator, Sophie is hoping to help support others on their journeys of finding creativity within and connecting to nature through each individual’s spiritual practice.

Cara Tang

Volunteer Retreat Coordinator

Says Cara: "The vision of Sharpham and the model of retreats and initiatives held here to me is a weaving together of many of the threads from which I've found nourishment and meaning throughout the past years - embodying mindfulness in everyday life, living and working together in community, and connecting with nature and the natural world. Not to mention happy, healthy and yummy food!"

"To be a part of something that is able to offer to others the space, nourishment and inspiration that I've also received from the practice, from my time here, and from all these different elements has been so far a humbling and tender experience. As a budding coordinator, I hope to continue to learn to hold and at the same time be held by the co-creative magic that Sharpham and The Coach House have to offer".

Vick Walduck

Volunteer Retreat Coordinator

Vick is a mindfulness teacher, a yin yoga teacher and qualified through Oxford Mindfulness and Bangor College.

She has taught mindfulness-based cognitive therapy and mindfulness-based stress reduction for 15 years and has a particular interest in the areas of attention and self-compassion.

Says Vick: "I really love retreats and I really believe that learning this stuff helps people heal and lead better lives".

"And it's so special here - witnessing how people change over the week they're with us."

Jen Matauic

Volunteer Retreat Coordinator

Jen holds an MA in Spiritual Formation with a concentration in Outdoor & Adventure Leadership, an MSc in Psychology, and a PGDip in Spiritual Direction. With seven years of experience as a spiritual director, she works with individuals seeking creative and personalized spiritual growth. Jen is passionate about helping others connect with nature’s cycles for personal transformation and offers workshops on the Pagan Wheel of the Year, where she emphasizes working with, rather than against, the natural rhythms of life.

In addition to her work in spiritual direction, Jen teaches meditation methods such as Lectio Divina and is a member of Spiritual Directors International, the British Psychological Society, and Lapidus International, a society focused on writing for wellbeing. She also finds joy in creativity and writing, believing that these tools can facilitate self-discovery and personal growth.

With a background in acting and improv, Jen loves staying "in the moment" and believes that these art forms, along with mindfulness, offer valuable insights into navigating life's challenges. She is eager to bring her knowledge and experience to the retreats at the Coach House, with the goal of providing transformative experiences for all participants.