Skip over main navigation
  • Log in
  • Basket: (0 items)
The Wye and Usk Foundation
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
Fishing Passport Wye Catchment Partnership Donate
Menu
  • About
    • Who we are
    • Our objectives
    • Who is who
      • Habitat team
      • Office team
      • Catchment advisors
      • Natural Capital Team
      • Trustees
      • Ambassadors
    • Our network
      • Major partners
      • Other Partners
      • Associate Organisations
      • Supporting Trusts and Foundations
      • Corporate Partners
    • Policies
  • Our work
    • River work
    • Farm work
    • Education
    • Natural Capital
    • Fishing Passport
    • Our projects
      • Current Projects
      • Completed Projects
    • Wye Catchment Partnership
  • The rivers
    • Wye
    • Usk
    • The issues
    • River webcams
    • Working In Or Near the Wye or Usk?
    • Fishing
    • Navigation
      • Navigation on the Upper Wye and Usk
      • When To Paddle - At a Glance Guide
      • Upper Wye Access Arrangements
      • Upper Usk Access Arrangements
      • Biosecurity Notice For Canoeists
  • Data Hub
    • Wye Monitoring Locations Map
    • Sondes & Analysers
    • Electrofishing Surveys
    • pH
      • Wye pH
      • Irfon pH
    • Elan Monitoring
  • Our services
  • Support us
    • Donate
    • Fundraising Auction
    • Telephone Fundraising Campaign
    • Legacies
    • Volunteer with us
    • Shop
    • Support us online
  • Latest
    • News
    • Vacancies
    • Publications
  • Admin
    • Log in
  • Basket: (0 items)
  • farm-advisors
  1. About
  2. Who is who
  3. Catchment advisors

Catchment Advisors

Working in the catchment with farmers and land-owners takes a certain type of person: someone who is dynamic; who has a thorough understanding of agriculture and a real passion for the rivers we seek to protect.

Our advisors identify opportunities to improve farm infrastructure and land management that are beneficial to both the business as well as the environment.

Catchment-wide approach

In line with an ethos that has guided WUF since its inception, we work through our projects on a catchment by catchment basis to tackle the causes, not just the symptoms of diffuse pollution. We try to work with every farm in a catchment and our advice therefore covers a broad range of topics. It needs to be tailored to the requirements of each individual farm.

Guiding principles

Quite often, the work of our advisors is a distance from a river. However, all their endeavours are to the benefit of the rivers and towards achieving the Foundation's charitable objects.

Find out more about their work here.

Kate Speke-Adams

Head of Land Use

Expand

Kate Speke-AdamsKate heads up our team of Catchment Advisers, delivering a broad range of projects to reduce diffuse pollution from across the wider catchment. Kate grew up on a dairy farm in north Herefordshire. This, combined with experience gained from working for the Environment Agency, gives her a well balanced view on the risks and opportunities that agriculture can offer the water environment.

In 2015 Kate was awarded a Nuffield Scholarship during which she studied soil management and barriers to change in farming. This has bought an even wider knowledge base to the Catchment Adviser team.

Kate is currently Chairman of Herefordshire Grassland Society, a Director for Herefordshire Rural Hub and a council member for Three Counties Agricultural Society. She is BASIS Soil & Water Qualified.

Published: 29th January, 2017

Updated: 11th February, 2019

Author:

Share this page
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Lucinda Lewis

Catchment Advisor

Expand

Lucinda has lived and worked in Herefordshire for most of her life. She studied ecology at Birmingham University then trained and worked for 18 years as an agronomist which provides an invaluable knowledge base for nutrient management and crop nutrition. When not on Foundation duties Lucinda and her family farm in Dilwyn.

Lucinda is FACTS and BASIS Soil & Water qualified.

Published: 29th January, 2018

Updated: 11th February, 2019

Author:

Share this page
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Jonathan Pugh

Catchment Advisor

Expand

Jonny grew up in the small village of Llanfihangel Talyllyn near Brecon and has been with the Foundation for 12 Years. Having originally worked as a habitat team leader, Jonny brings a lot of experience to the farm team in relation to practical work to improve habitat alongside watercourses.

When not at work Jonny helps his father with his agricultural contracting business and the family also farm a small flock of sheep. His agricultural background means he is well equipped to work with farmers and is keen to help support changes that are a benefit to both rivers and the farm business.

He is BASIS Soil & Water qualified.

Published: 29th January, 2018

Updated: 12th February, 2019

Author:

Share this page
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Tom Jolley

Catchment Advisor

Expand

Having gained an Honours degree in Marine Science and Masters in Fisheries Biology and Management, Tom worked for many years as a researcher focusing mainly on sub-Saharan and tropical fisheries where he helped to deliver many pragmatic solutions in the field.

Following a few years in the renewable energy industry and coming home to settle in Wales, Tom is now one of the Foundation's Catchment Advisors working cross border. One of Tom’s main interests is the use of “off stream” livestock watering options, facilitated by the use of renewable energy technologies.

Tom has been fishing since he was ten years old and is BASIS Soil & Water qualified.

Published: 29th January, 2018

Updated: 11th February, 2019

Author:

Share this page
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Liz Price

Catchment Advisor

Expand

Liz comes from a fisheries background with a Masters of Research in Aquatic Ecology and Conservation from Swansea University. Now a BASIS and FACTS qualified Farm Advisor Liz spends most of her time working with farmers on the welsh side of the border. She is FACTS and BASIS Soil & Water qualified.

Published: 29th January, 2018

Updated: 11th February, 2019

Author:

Share this page
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Bridie Whittle

Catchment Advisor

Expand

Bridie grew up on a dairy farm in Herefordshire and was passionate about farming from a young age. She graduated from Seale Hayne with a BSc Ag (hons) and has spent time working on dairy, livestock and arable farms, set up an organic poultry (eggs) business on the family farm and spent the last 12 years working for the Soil Association, inspecting organic farms across Wales and the borders. 

She now lives with her family close to the river Wye near Hay on Wye and works with farmers in the catchment on the Welsh side of the border.

Published: 1st October, 2018

Author:

Share this page
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Abi Croshaw

Catchment Advisor

Expand

Abi has lived in Herefordshire all her life, growing up near Ledbury. Before joining the Wye and Usk Foundation she worked for Catchment Sensitive Farming in the Wye catchment advising farmers on diffuse water pollution and helping with Countryside Stewardship. Prior to this Abi was a Trials Agronomist for 9 years testing and assessing pesticides for registration. In Abi’s spare time she can be found mountain biking and walking her collie in the Herefordshire and Welsh Borders or Kitesurfing on the south coast of Wales.

Abi is FACTS and BASIS Crop Protection qualified.

Published: 1st October, 2018

Updated: 11th February, 2019

Author:

Share this page
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Ben Nott

Catchment Advisor

Expand

Ben grew up on his family farm near the Wyre Forest in Worcestershire. He completed Undergraduate and Masters degrees at Cardiff Metropolitan University and has since settled in South Wales with his wife. Previously, Ben worked in Biosolids distribution and has a particular interest in sustainable agriculture. Ben is a competitive mountain biker, so when not at work, he can usually be found on two wheels!

Published: 7th October, 2018

Updated: 11th October, 2019

Author:

Share this page
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Claire Spicer

Catchment Advisor

Expand

Claire grew up on her family’s arable farm in Bedfordshire and has recently moved to Herefordshire with her young family. Claire studied geology at Leicester University and then went on to complete further studies in Environmental Management. She has been working for the Environment Agency for the last 15 years in a number of land and water based roles. Claire has a particular interest in farm infrastructure and waste management. In her spare time she can be found walking with her family and two border collies.

Published: 21st October, 2018

Updated: 13th January, 2022

Author:

Share this page
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
Back to top

Showing 10 of 9

Latest

  • Head of Natural Capital

    Closing date: Wednesday 27th July

  • Marathon des Salmon – The Usk

    Marathon des Salmon – The Usk

    An 80 mile run along the river Usk has been completed by our Chairman, Charlie Newington-Bridges, to raise money for the Wye and Usk Foundation.

  • New Project Planned To Reverse The Decline of the River Wye

    New Project Planned To Reverse The Decline of the River Wye

    The Foundation has submitted an ambitious bid to Defra to resolve the Wye's water quality issues.

  • Landowner Pleads Guilty To River Lugg Damage

    Landowner Pleads Guilty To River Lugg Damage

    Defendant enters a guilty plea to 7 charges on Wednesday 18 May

Most read

  • Fishing

    Fishing

    Giving you access to hundreds of fisheries

  • The Wye

    The Wye

    Replace this with your content

  • The Usk

    The Usk

    The river Usk

  • Who We Are

    Who We Are

    The Wye and Usk Foundation

  • Here We Go Again....

    Here We Go Again....

    River Wye suffers another severe algal bloom

  • Nation’s ‘Favourite’ River Facing Ecological Disaster

    Nation’s ‘Favourite’ River Facing Ecological Disaster

    The Wye's algal bloom is worsening to a point that the river is now in real danger

  • Support us

    Support us

    We hope that anyone who shares our passion for rivers would want to help to restore and protect them. Your support is needed urgently to ensure the future well-being of the rivers Wye and Usk.

  • Upper Wye Access Arrangements

    When and where paddlers can access the upper Wye - July 2020 onwards

  • Hot Weather Forces Widespread Fishing Suspension

    Hot Weather Forces Widespread Fishing Suspension

    Water temperatures on both rivers have risen significantly, leading to some cessation of fishing on Fishing Passport waters.

  • COVID-19 Latest

    COVID-19 Latest

    What is happening with the Foundation following the latest guidelines and what it means for the Fishing Passport

Sign up for our newsletter

Please enter your first name
Please enter your last name
Please enter your email address Please enter a valid email address (e.g. [email protected])

Contact us

The Wye and Usk Foundation
The Right Bank, The Square
Talgarth
Brecon
LD3 0BW

[email protected] +44 (0) 1874 711714
  • Login
  • Logout
  • Manager
  • Contact
  • Feedback
  • Sitemap
  • Accessibility
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy

The Wye & Usk Foundation is a charity registered in England and Wales (no. 1080319).

  • Twitter
  • Facebook

Information

  • Water Quality Data
  • Farm Herefordshire
  • Go Wild In The Curl
  • Improving Maize Practices
  • Householder Asks
  • Welsh Water Improvements
  • Usk & Wye Abstraction Group

More Info

  • Acid Water Project
  • River Lugg Living Landscape
  • Cwm Marteg Living Landscape
  • Watch out for Flooding

The partnership is hosted by

Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru
Natural Resources Wales
  • Ty Cambria, 29 Newport Road,
    Cardiff, CF24 0TP
  • E:[email protected]
  • T:0300 065 3000
  • W:www.naturalresourceswales.gov.uk
  • Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru Natural Resources Wales
Wye and Usk Foundation
  • The Right Bank, The Square
    Talgarth, Brecon, Powys, LD3 0BW
  • E:[email protected]
  • T:01874 711714
  • W:www.wyeuskfoundation.org
  • Wye and Usk Foundation