/ / / Members

Forum Members

Andrew McCloy (Chair)
Appointed until: August 2012
Andrew is a freelance writer and journalist, specialising in books and articles on walking and the outdoors, and is a former Information Officer for the Ramblers' Association. He is very active in the local community, involved with local groups such as Sustainable Youlgrave and Bankside Wildlife Garden, as well as being both a Parish Councillor and a District Councillor on Derbyshire Dales District Council. He therefore understands and appreciates the day-to-day demands and issues that affect the residents and natural environment of the Peak District.

Mike Innerdale (Vice-chair)
Appointed until: June 2010
Mike is Property Manager for the National Trust High Peak and Longshaw Estates, responsible for the management of 35,000 acres, the majority of which is SSSI and Access Land. He has worked for a variety of organisations in three national parks over a period of 15 years, developing his knowledge and understanding of balancing the needs of conservation and access in the uplands. This was supported by three years serving on the Peak District National Park Authority, where he gained an insight into the wider management of the National Park and the policies which underpin the decision making. He is also a keen walker, mountaineer and mountain biker.

Bob Berzins
Appointed until: June 2010
Bob’s main area of interest is fell running. He is a member of Sheffield-based Dark Peak Fell Runners, writes columns for the Fell Runners Association website and magazine, and represents fell runners throughout the National Park. Through his involvement in the Stanage Forum he has developed his interest in access and conservation, and works with landowners, keepers and conservationists to improve understanding of the impacts of fell running on local moorland.

Charlotte Bright
Appointed until: December 2011
Charlotte lives in Alport near Bakewell and has a great interest in access to the countryside from many different perspectives; as a farmer and land manager, as a walker and horse rider, a conservationist and also as a director of a company based in Youlgreave employing local people.

Jon Clennell
Appointed until: December 2011
Jon lives at Abney and is committed to furthering the purposes of the National Park to ensure its best use as an environmentally sustainable recreational resource. Now retired from work as a Probation Officer he has continued his long-time interest in outdoor pursuits, serving as Honorary Secretary to both the National Association for Outdoor Learning, the Foundation for Outdoor Adventure and the past Chair of the South Yorkshire Outdoor Pursuits Trust.

Andrew Critchlow
Appointed until: August 2009
Andrew farms and manages land in Edale, which includes 1,200 acres of moorland designated as SSSI, SPA and SAC, and which has been in open access since the 1950s. After 20 years of full time dairy and sheep farming he decided to sell the cows and work off-farm on advice delivery to land based businesses. He is a past chairman of the forum as well as past county chairman of Derbyshire NFU and a past deputy chair of the PDNPA.

Felicity Edmeston
Appointed until: December 2010
Felicity lives in Ballidon and is a keen horse rider, participating in the sport of endurance riding for the last 20 years. She believes a compromise can be found which will enable all legitimate users to enjoy the countryside without spoiling it for anyone else. She serves on Ballidon and Bradbourne Parish Council, and formerly ran a small sheep farm at Macclesfield Forest. Her work for Tarmac has given her an insight into conservation and regeneration work, developing presentations to publicise Ballidon Quarry’s biodiversity work.

Edwina Edwards
Appointed until: September 2009
Edwina is the Chief Executive of Bakewell and Eyam Community Transport, and has also worked voluntarily for them for several years. She has also worked for the YHA, and has served in various roles for Guiding Derbyshire. A keen walker, cyclist and fell runner, she is also very much part of the local Youlgreave community, and comes from a farming background.

Richard Entwistle
Appointed until: December 2010
Richard has lived near the Peak District for over 35 years and has been a frequent visitor to the National Park as a sightseeing visitor, a keen walker and occasional driver on the historic unsurfaced roads. He is very keen that all user groups have fair access to the countryside, and so has been involved with the Stanage Forum steering group representing the Green Lane Association (GLASS).

Sue Fisher
Appointed until: December 2010
Sue is Senior Grants Officer for the Heritage Lottery Fund in the North-west Region, and has been involved in advising on a number of access improvement schemes in the Lake District National Park. She lives in New Mills and is a regular user of rights of way in the Peak District, by fell running and formerly by horse riding, and particularly by mountain bike, in which she has particular interest both recreationally and in competition.

Henry Folkard
Appointed until: August 2012
Henry's professional association with the Peak District began in the late 1970s when, as Area Officer for the Manpower Services Commission's Job Creation Programme, he worked to develop a range of special projects in the National Park. He is currently the British Mountaineering Council's Area Access Officer where he works on a range of issues in the National Park, including the Stanage Forum, the Biodiversity Action Plan and the Kinder and High Peak Advisory Committee, and has contributed to the BMC's policy on, and responses to, the CRoW Act. He has a strong amateur interest in ornithology and botany.

Terry Howard
Appointed until: August 2012
Terry has an in depth knowledge of the Peak District as a walker for over 40 years. He is currently Area Secretary of the Ramblers' Association in South Yorkshire and North East Derbyshire and Access Secretary for the Sheffield Campaign for Access to Moorland. He was a teacher of Environmental Studies and has organised and led outdoor adventure activities for young people as a Youth Leader and teacher and has instructed other Youth Leaders. He has been involved with many joint-working groups, including the Access Consultative Group, Upper Don Study Group and is Chair of the Kinder and High Peak Advisory Group. He also has extensive knowledge of moorland heritage and wildlife.

Mike Johnson
Appointed until: June 2012
Mike lives in Sheffield and has enjoyed recreation in the Peak District for over 30 years. His main interests are walking, climbing, and paragliding. He is currently Chair of Derbyshire Soaring Club, an organisation set up to manage the flying sites and interests of its members. He has served on various local community committees, including currently Chair of Sheffield Cine and Video Club.

James Kellie
Appointed until: December 2011
James has lived in Shatton for over 40 years combining managing a small flock of sheep and cattle with a technical job in Rotherham. Now retired, he manages the farm under Countryside Stewardship, developing walks and educational facilities to help others to enjoy his deep love of the countryside. He also rents out three self-catering cottages. He is also very much involved in local issues and activities, chairing Village Aid in Bakewell, trustee of the Peak Centre at Edale and Bamford Community Arts and Crafts.

Andrew Murley
Appointed until: December 2010
Andrew is employed as a business analyst and software engineer for Derbyshire County Council. Among his wide range of interests is the environmental sustainability of Derbyshire and the Peak District. He was a keen hill walker in his early years and a member of Buxton Mountain Rescue team in the 1980s, and has a strong desire to ensure access to the area is open to people of all abilities. His post-graduate studies have additionally given him a fresh insight into the contrasts and conflicts that can be felt in the Peak District.

Geoff Nickolds
Appointed until: August 2011
Until July 2005 Geoff Nickolds was the Conservation, Access and Recreation Manager for Severn Trent Water Limited. He worked for the Company (previously the Water Authority) for 26 years and was responsible for recreation, conservation and heritage issues across the Company's whole region and 50,000 acre estate. This included over 40 reservoir sites that are open to the public, together receiving over four million visitors each year. A keen walker and cyclist, Geoff is a Chartered Environmentalist and has broad experience of countryside, heritage and project management. He is also a member of the Countryside Management Association, the National Trust and RSPB. Geoff is Chairman of the Environment Agency (Midlands) Regional Fisheries, Ecology and Recreation Advisory Committee and lead Member for Sport and Recreation for the Peak District National Park Authority.

Richard Peart
Appointed until: August 2012
Richard is Outdoor Studies Subject Leader at Manchester Metropolitan University and his department makes extensive use of the Peak District for teaching purposes, most notably leisure, geography and environmental studies. From a farming background in Northumberland, Richard has experience of many upland areas both at home and abroad where he has walked, climbed and cycled. He is a member of the British Mountaineering Council's Committee of Management, has published papers on safety aspects of field research and mounted a combined bid with the Centre of Environmental Interpretation for research on young people's access to outdoor learning.

John Thompson
Appointed until: June 2012
John has over 40 years experience and knowledge of Derbyshire and Peak District countryside issues, having latterly worked for the National Park as Director of Recreation and Education until his recent retirement. In this role he has developed close and effective partnerships with a number of bodies including national and regional sports and recreation panels. He has also served on the National Forest Board for 6 years. He is also active in his local community, and is currently chair of Wirksworth Recreation Grounds Trust, providing opportunities for local sports on land managed by the Town Council.

Sue Weatherley
Appointed until: June 2012
Sue has worked in public service in Derbyshire in a variety of roles for over 40 years. She was brought up on a farm near Ashbourne, and maintains strong links with the farming community, whilst developing interests in the outdoors and wildlife. An active walker and cyclist, she is now Access officer for the Derbyshire area of the Ramblers’ Association. She also chairs the Wye and Upper Derwent Group of Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, having a particular interest in the area of conservation education.

Appointees:

Chris Pearson
Appointed by the Peak District National Park Authority
Born and brought up in the Peak District. Electrical contractor, experienced in running rural businesses, including plant nursery and animal feed. Chair of various committees on High Peak Borough Council.

Jean Wharmby
Appointed by Derbyshire County Council
Derbyshire county councillor, High Peak Borough councillor. Derbyshire cabinet support member for highways, transport and environment. High Peak chair of social inclusion committee and vice chair of development control. Lives within sight of the Peak District National Park.