Sharpham Trustees

Claire Ash Wheeler enjoyed a carefree, happy childhood growing up at Sharpham. Her parents, Ruth and Maurice Ash, bought Sharpham house in 1962. Claire was one of the founding Sharpham trustees and has served on the board since its inception. Claire, having attended agriculture college, learnt to make cheese. She enjoyed this so much she worked at Neal's Yard Dairy in London developing cheeses, one of which was the forerunner of the now famous Sharpham brie. Claire studied to be a Montessori nursery school teacher in London and after the birth of her daughter opened the Chagford Montessori nursery school on Dartmoor. Claire is a director of the Sharpham Partnership and lives on Dartmoor with her husband, daughter and dog, Bella.

Julian was born and brought up in Devon where he worked for a number of years as a secondary school teacher before spending two years in Pakistan with VSO (Voluntary Service Overseas) setting up and running educational projects. He now lives in South Devon with his wife and two young children and coordinates the educational work of a local charitable trust. As well as environmental education his work has a focus on food and farming issues and he is involved with the Transition Towns movement. When not entertaining his children he tries to look after his allotment.

In the 1980s, Tony had the privilege of living and working in a Therapeutic Community for adolescents, based in a Georgian Mansion in the Beautiful Surrey Hills, called Peper Harow. The grounds were landscaped by Capability Brown with specimen trees and it was surrounded by a farm. They used the environment for outdoor educational and therapeutic activities; camping, expeditions, feasts and events etc and they were very much a part of the overall therapy that was provided. All of the staff and their families lived on site, and it was an idyllic place in which to bring up children. Tony moved to South Brent in 1992 with his partner and two young children. For 10 years, he ran a Groupwork Centre in Exeter for Devon Social Services before joining the NHS in 2002, where he had a regional managerial role in SW Devon. He retired from this at the beginning of 2011.

Tony says that Sharpham House and Estate, its educational and therapeutic activities are of great interest to him. He is very pleased to have been invited onto the Board of Trustees and looks forward to being involved with another unique organisation.

After working in the city and on Wall Street in the 80's and for the Commission of the EU in Brussels in the 90's, William Lana co-founded Greenfibres together with his partner Gabriela in 1996. He is the Chairman of the Soil Association's Organic Textile Standards Committee and sits on the Board of a number of environmental and solution focused Charities and organisations such as the Ethical and Environmental Marketing Group, Transition Network, and the Organic Trade Group.

He has degrees from the University of Kent and the London School of Economics, lives in Totnes and has two children, Megan and Max.

Carrie moved to Devon and nearer her western roots after many years living,working and bringing up 4 daughters in or near London. Having grown up near the sea and countryside in Wales and Cornwall and with a keen sense of the beauty and potential frailty of the environment she is inspired by the endeavours of Sharpham Trust and is delighted to be asked to make a contribution. With a background in social work, community development and practice teaching, she has worked in social care and health service management and planning and has experience in the voluntary sector in paid and unpaid positions. With the move west her work is now focussed on organisational and personal development, she also works as an executive coach and leadership mentor. Carrie enjoys horse riding, canoeing and walking and is interested in progressing ideas and projects which make the joys of being with nature accessible to those who can benefit and in exploring how inspiring environments can be sustained.

Daniel was born in Bath; he has had a 25 year business career as joint founder, and for 15 years chairperson, 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 Samaritans for four years and for the last six years has worked for a national bereavement Charity supporting people through their grief.
Daniel has a partner and three children his interests include poetry and the natural world.

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.