Our Trustees

Chair - Gordon Scorer

Gordon's early years were spent surrounded by the coal mines and farmlands of County Durham. He has had an interest in nature and industrial heritage ever since. 

The majority of his professional career was with IBM where he held numerous executive/leadership positions as a Director and Vice President running global businesses with annual revenues of circa $4 billion. He transitioned into the charitable sector and in 2015 was appointed as CEO of London Wildlife Trust. 

His focus has always been on general management and organisational growth specialising in start-ups, turnaround assignments and strategic partner management.

He left London Wildlife Trust at the end of 2023 having focussed his time on returning the organisation to sound financial health and, refreshing the brand so its relevance within an urban context was better understood. Amongst other things visitor numbers increased from 300k per year to over a million and the Trust developed a mission based consultancy practice advising on embedding nature into the heart of London's major development projects. Memberships doubled. And a key element of the journey was building an organisation that truly reflected the diversity of London.

Vice Chair - Neil Daly

Neil has lived in Shropshire for over forty years and has a lifelong commitment to the natural world, with a deep affection for the county, its wildlife and the communities that care for it. He is a keen birdwatcher and enjoys exploring the countryside, with a particular interest in environmental sustainability and nature restoration.

Neil has spent much of his professional career in senior leadership roles, currently working for one of the world’s largest renewable energy companies, where he leads work across communications, inclusion, organisational culture and change. He brings extensive experience in strategy, leadership, stakeholder engagement and building strong, inclusive organisations.

Alongside his professional career, Neil has held a number of charity governance roles and is a Trustee of Waterwatch UK. He is passionate about helping organisations connect people with their purpose and is particularly interested in making nature and conservation relevant and accessible to more people and communities across Shropshire.

Treasurer - James Larner

James was brought up on the Lickey Hills, where he was encouraged to spend time exploring the Country Park, and now lives in rural Staffordshire with his family who all have an active interest in wildlife and conservation.  Together they manage a small parcel of land for nature on the Trent in Derbyshire and volunteer in support of Derbyshire Wildlife Trust. 

He is a chartered accountant having trained with Ernst & Young Birmingham and has since worked in senior finance roles for private businesses. He therefore brings knowledge of finance, governance, legal and human resource matters for charitable entities and SMEs alike.

James has supported the charitable sector for many years and has been a member of the Wildlife Trusts since September 2011.  He has acted as Treasurer for Birmingham Wildlife trust since 2021 and has been a Trustee of Birmingham Rathbone Society, who support people with mild to moderate learning difficulties, since December 2006.  He has recently become Treasurer for Upswing Aerial a UK-based contemporary circus company working to celebrate diverse artists and communities.

James enjoys spending time in nature and is keen to expand his knowledge of natural history and connecting people with their environment.

Honorary Secretary - Laurence Kinnersley

Laurence graduated from Bristol University with a degree in Biology and Geology in 2019 and is currently completing an MSc in Museum Studies with Leicester University. He regularly volunteers with Shropshire Wildlife Trust and Shrewsbury Town Council as well as attending natural history courses with the Field Studies Council (FSC). He is a youth representative for the Our Bright Future Steering Group, which comes together to discuss conservation, environmental and youth voice issues and how to resolve them. In 2021-22 Laurence was part of the FSC first Youth Council in which he helped to steer engagement and content.

Trustee - Amanda Craig

Amanda has a lifelong interest in natural history having the privilege of being encouraged to explore the outdoors and be curious about nature throughout her childhood. Born and brought up in Kent, she has lived in Shrewsbury for almost 20 years. She loves watching wildlife and travelling to visit different places, and has a particular passion for butterflies. Her career has spanned a variety of roles in the natural environment, ranging from habitat and site management through to policy development for Government. She has worked for Natural England over the past 20 years, including as Area Manager for West Midlands, Operations Director; and presently as Director for People & Nature, working on access to the outdoors, health and the environment, social inclusion and connecting people with nature.

Trustee - Mandie Haywood

Mandie has worked as a teacher in Shropshire for over 32 years, 27 of those as a Headteacher. Since 2004 she has lead Old Park Primary School and Nursery in Malinslee, Telford. She believes that outdoor learning can enhance all areas of the curriculum and engage children of any background. 

In 2020, Old Park was the first school in the country to sign up for the Nature Friendly Schools programme and the school has worked closely with Shropshire Wildlife Trust ever since.

Mandie has recently retired from teaching and is looking forward to getting involved in a range of projects with SWT now she has some spare time.

Trustee - Andrew Hearle

Andrew has worked mostly in Shropshire since joining the Field Studies Council in 1980 based at Preston Montford Field Centre as tutor in ecology and geography and then for 28 years in various conservation and environmental roles with the Nature Conservancy Council, English Nature and Natural England. Since leaving Natural England in 2014 he has led two landscape-scale nature conservation restoration projects, firstly with Staffordshire Wildlife Trust, as manager of the Central Rivers project, and most recently with the National Trust as manager of the Stepping Stones project in south Shropshire.

Trustee - Iain Diack

Iain is an ecologist who grew up in the Peak District, lived and worked in the south east for 15 years, and moved to Shropshire over 20 years ago. He has worked for Natural England and predecessor bodies since 1991 in a variety of roles including environmental monitoring specialist, grassland researcher, national biodiversity lead. Since 2008 he has been Natural England’s national wetland specialist. He has an interest in plants, peatlands and restoration of freshwater habitats through the re-establishment of natural hydrological processes.

Trustee - Stephen Marsh

Steve was brought up on a mixed farm in Shropshire. He studied agriculture at university and initially worked for ADAS, advising farmers. He later qualified as a Chartered Accountant with a large accountancy practice. He has continued to use his accounting skills while working in a variety of roles since then.

Steve has a smallholding and enjoys the outdoors. Since December 2019 he has been a regular volunteer on Pontesbury Hill with the SWT. 

Trustee - Malcolm Monie

Malcolm's career included many years as Head of Science and Biology at The Maelor School near Wrexham.  He has been Chair of Whitchurch Branch since its formation in 1986 for all but 18 months and coordinator of the Whitchurch Water Vole Project. He is also involved as a work party volunteer. which have enabled him to contribute to discussions from the branch perspective during his previous spell as a Trustee. Malcolm is a founder member and Treasurer of Shropshire Mammal Group, also Chair on two occasions.  Other activities include Whitchurch Walkers and the St Alkmund’s Church Bell Ringers.

Trustee - Rob Paul

Rob is a land agent specialising in estate management, diversification and renewable energy schemes. He graduated from Reading University in 1994 and then joined Strutt and Parker in Cheshire, moving to Shropshire in 2008. From 2020-22 he was Estates Director for  Bradford Estates, a major landowner in Shropshire and Staffordshire, before joining the Telford office of Savills, to help develop their Estate Management team. He has extensive experience of managing property portfolios for major institutional landowners as well as an array of private, corporate and charitable clients.  In early 2024, Rob created his own consultancy practice, now principally advising landowners and farmers in relation to renewable energy schemes and providing strategic estate management advice. Rob enjoys country pursuits and is a keen ‘birder’.

Trustee - Rory Lay 

Rory is a partner in the family farming business at Loppington. They are a mixed farm consisting of arable, beef and sheep. Rory practices regenerative style agriculture on the farm. The farm has been active with environmental schemes for well over 20 years now and have plenty of examples where nature is thriving within the farmed environment. Rory has just finished being a Monitor farmer for the AHDB, sharing knowledge from experts down onto the ground. Rory grew up on the family farm and has been lucky to travel the world, working on various farms, his favourite being NZ South Island. He achieved a degree in Agriculture from Seale Hayne, Devon. He is lucky to have an amazing wife and 3 rapidly growing kids. Two boys in early teens, and an energetic pre-school girl.