We’re powered by a passionate and ambitious team of changemakers
Determined to leave the world in a better place for future generations, our team is a mix of a small number of paid staff and a huge number of volunteers.
Meet our trustees
Carrie Heitmeyer
Carrie currently works in science policy and academic engagement. She strongly believes in the importance of community and participatory processes in ensuring that we can work collectively towards improving the future of our planet.
A social scientist by training, Carrie is excited to work with Greener and Cleaner to think about how we can use research to capture new models for promoting community engagement with nature and the environment, and to improve awareness around the need for a more sustainable and equitable future.
Kevin Withane
Kevin has a background in corporate law, and currently leads the Asia and Americas legal teams at a FTSE250 company. Additionally, Kevin is an investor, DE&I and sustainability advocate and the Founder of Diversity-X.
Kevin is focussed on supporting underestimated founders of purpose-led startups solving real-world problems and seeking to make the world a better place. Kevin is deeply passionate about building a sustainable, inclusive world.
Kate Rhule
I currently work in corporate governance and have a background in policy and project management. I became passionate about sustainability whilst at university, and was excited to discover a large community of like-minded people in my local area through Greener and Cleaner.
I believe that how we choose to live has local and global impacts, and that collectively we have the power to realise positive change for everyone’s benefit. In my spare time I can be found enjoying a walk in the many green spaces that we have on our doorstep in Bromley.
Maria Staines
I have taken up my role within Greener and Cleaner as I feel passionately about our need to make changes within our communities to improve our environment.
I am a mother of two children and work part time as a pharmacist within the NHS. My awareness of planetary health, and how it impacts on our own health and that of our children, pushes me to do what I can within my professional and home life to make change a reality. I love gardening, music, crafting, wildlife and connecting with others to build strong communities. The growth of Greener and Cleaner over the years I have been involved gives me hope in the future and strength to strive for better together.
Ewan Buck
After a career in magazine design and art direction, I launched Contingent Works in Bromley. A boutique cowork studio in the centre of town with a stakeholder structure to support staff, members, and the local community. Our three pillars are work, community and wellness and after launching in a pandemic lockdown we have become a space for a local community of entrepreneurs and creatives.
Both roles allow me to actively contribute to a greener future, promoting environmentally responsible practices and fostering a sustainable community. As a trustee of Greener and Cleaner, the significance of championing Net Zero and sustainability cannot be overstated. It is a true honour to play a part in shaping a greener and more sustainable future.
Sumedha Bhalla
With over 15 years of experience in the financial services industry, Sumedha has built a career helping others navigate complex systems.
Outside the office, she’s a devoted mum with a passion for the environment and the great outdoors—having even completed the trek to Everest Base Camp. When she’s not hiking, she can often be found refining her knitting skills, learning the (humbling) art of gardening, or squeezing in episodes of House whenever life allows.
Our senior leadership team
Parisa Wright
Founder, Chief Vision Officer and Head of Partnerships
With a background of 20 years in media law, a passion for connecting people and problem solving, and two small children to inspire me; I’m passionate about raising awareness and bringing people together to make simple but impactful green changes at a local level.
My mixed Persian heritage and lived experience has highlighted how my family and many other Middle Eastern, African and Asian families are disproportionately affected by high carbon lifestyles and climate change. It fuels my passionate focus to help make sure sustainable living is normalised for everyone and practical support becomes accessible, inclusive and appealing for all.
I believe in the power of collaboration and that partnership building at all levels is key to halving carbon emissions asap in the UK. When I am not working for the charity or with my young family, I offer external support as a speaker, trainer and facilitator.
Read my full bio and connect with me on Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/parisa-wright
Plus you can watch a 3 minute ITV news piece on my story so far.
Clare Searle
Chief Executive Officer
Alongside Greener and Cleaner, Clare works as a Sustainability Consultant and has over twenty years of leadership experience. Her commitment to social justice is rooted in lived experience as a single parent in social housing, which has shaped her career.
Clare left a corporate leadership role in 2017 to focus on impact-led work. She has worked extensively with marginalised groups, from roles in DWP, to mentoring women/BAME-led businesses, to designing human-centred services across employability, health, and resettlement.
Clare combines strategic and operational expertise with experience to ensure programmes deliver meaningful, measurable outcomes for people, communities, and the planet.
Read her full bio and connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claresearle/
Tamasin Rhymes
Programme and Impact Manager; Energy Project Lead
Duties:
Management of projects and operational delivery, Managing collecting, monitoring and use of impact data, Hub team oversight, Partnership building.
What I love about my role:
I am lucky enough to see some of all the things that Greener and Cleaner does across Bromley and beyond, and to meet and learn from other organisations in the community. This is the day to day of seeing us build a better world.
Why I work for Greener and Cleaner:
I wanted to make my working hours part of the response to the climate emergency, and Greener and Cleaner allowed me to do that. People-led, practical ways to help everyone make change is the most vital step for me.
Teresa Rowe
Head of Finance and Governance
I was born in South East London and have lived here ever since, most recently in Bromley borough.
I’ve always worked in finance and taxation, having started my career training with one of the top 5 UK accounting firms. I later progressed to consulting on business planning, administration and finance for a range of small businesses whilst running my own business in the leisure industry. I have worked with UK charities, both in the UK and overseas, for some 25 years and have studied Charity Finance and Accounting as a specialism through Bayes Business School at London South Bank University.
I have a keen interest in local issues and community involvement, and am glad to be supporting Greener and Cleaner in both its community-powered Hub and further afield.
When I’m not working, I like to swim, read, garden, watch sport and, most of all, spend time with family and friends.
And our key staff and volunteers
Charlotte English
Events and Repair Coordinator; Head of Crafts and Upcycling
Duties:
Coordinate and publish Greener and Cleaner’s events programme, coordinate Greener and Cleaner Repair Cafes in Bromley, engage and liaise with community groups who wish to host events in The Hub, host and deliver hands-based skill workshops with sustainable themes.
What I love about my role:
I love seeing the sense of achievement and pride in people who have learnt a new skill or achieved a task that they didn’t think they could master before! I love the community spirit we create in the Hub and how it has come to mean so much to so many people.
Why I work for Greener and Cleaner:
Having been brought up in Ireland in a rural setting with a great community spirit, a mend, lend, hand me down and make do ethos, it was quite a shock to come to London over 30 years ago and experience a significantly more extravagant, throwaway and wasteful way of life.
Initially, I didn’t even realise how much damage these behaviours were doing to the planet. I just always felt it was inherently wrong and overindulgent and tried to remain true to the values I was brought up with as much as I could.
I really fear the burgeoning impact of the Fast Fashion Industry on the planet, and I am grateful to be in a position where I can share my skills to enable people to learn how to mend, repair and upcycle to extend the life of their clothes and other possessions. I do hope that by teaching one person a traditional skill that we can create a ripple effect and those skills will be passed on further. I also feel that we can have important, relevant conversations in the gentle convivial atmosphere of our skills and craft groups that will help raise people’s awareness around all aspects of climate change.
Kim Graham
Volunteer Manager
Duties:
Responsible for recruiting and onboarding new volunteers, overseeing the scheduling of shifts, and first point of contact for anything volunteer related.
What I love about my role:
I love matching people to skills to tasks. Volunteering should be rewarding.
Why I work for Greener and Cleaner:
I have always felt passionate about preserving our natural spaces for the generations to come.
Rosie Nicolas
Fundraising Manager
Duties:
I support Greener and Cleaner to do important work by connecting us to funding, donations and gifts. It’s part of a wider strategy to help diversify our funding streams and maximise the opportunities we have through our wonderful community of supporters.
What I love about my role:
Aside from the lovely bunch of people that I get to work with, everyone is super motivated and passionate to support the environment and their local community; that’s infectious.
Why I work for Greener and Cleaner:
Climate change can feel so big and so scary, but Greener and Cleaner breaks down the steps and empowers people on an individual level, and that’s where real change can take place. It’s great to be a part of.
Tracey Wong
Project Support Administrator
Duties:
I help to ensure the efficient running of the charity by providing administrative support across the entire team – including project coordination, process documentation, financial reconciliation, HR procedures, facilities maintenance, and a whole lot more. You’ll also see me at The Hub engaging with people and lending a helping hand wherever it’s needed.
What I love about my role:
As a generalist who likes to get things done, I am grateful for all of the opportunities here that allow me to broaden my skill set and try new things. Being part of the team has certainly kept me busy in learning how to make more impact in the world!
Why I work for Greener and Cleaner:
Being part of the climate movement is more than just a choice – it has been a calling throughout life, demanding my attention to disrupt and reimagine our systems to enable a better world for everyone. I am proud to join this global community that allows me to live by my values, as well as connect with others who are just as keen about protecting both our people and our planet.
Karen Bell
Graphic and Web Designer
Duties:
Maintain and update www.greenerandcleaner.co.uk
Greener and Cleaner brand designer; Design posters, leaflets, documents and more
Volunteer face painter
Occasionally volunteer in The Hub and at other events
Bromley Environment Network Coordinator
What I love about my role:
I love to use my creative skills to make a difference because it allows me to combine my creativity with purpose. Design has the power to capture attention and communicate messages in ways that words alone cannot. By creating visual content that highlights environmental issues and promotes sustainable living, I feel that I am making a meaningful contribution to a cause I deeply care about.
Why I volunteer for Greener and Cleaner:
I believe it’s so important that we do what we can to try to reduce the negative impact we have on our planet for our future generations. It will never be enough but we have to try.
Gillian Clegg
General Volunteer and Volunteer Energy Adviser
Duties:
General help in The Hub, meeting and greeting visitors. Sewing, including helping with mending clinics. Volunteering on a Friday for the Energy Advice Clinic. Home visits for energy advice. Helping with anything else, e.g. Christmas fairs, setting up information about plastics, green weddings, and lots more.
What I love about my role:
It gives me a sense of purpose, and it’s great to work with others who also care passionately for the environment. It gives me an opportunity to try and make a difference in a practical way. Making new friends is always good too!
Why I volunteer for Greener and Cleaner:
It is amazing to work alongside other people who share my concerns for the planet. It is easy to feel alone, but volunteering with Greener and Cleaner helps me feel that there is something we can do together to actually make a difference. Parisa is a great motivator and inspires me and others to get involved. I have always cared about our environment and natural world and working in public health; it is clear that people cannot exist and thrive without a healthy planet.
Angela Hulm
Community Ambassador
Duties:
Volunteer at the Hub, events assistant, energy adviser, host of “People, Planet, Pastry”, and resource investigator.
What I love about my role:
I love bringing people together, meeting new people, seeing the joy as friends from one group realise new connections.
Why I volunteer for Greener and Cleaner:
As a member of Soroptimist International pursuing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, I wanted to help with climate issues in a coherent way. Greener and Cleaner has provided the framework to do this.
We're in this together
We firmly believe we’re all in this together. Across the team, we’re all at different stages of trying to be greener and cleaner, reducing our own carbon footprint and helping you to do the same.
If you’re passionate about climate change and want to volunteer with our team, find out more here.
Greener and Cleaner is an accredited Living Wage UK employer. View our current vacancies.
