Who we are

Sumita joined WENP as Chair in November 2024. She brings a wealth of experience to the role, spanning both the private sector, where she worked as a lawyer, and the voluntary and community sector, where she was the founding Chair of Bristol’s Commission for Race Equality. Currently serving as a Board Director in the NHS, Sumita focuses on the critical intersection of health and environmental sustainability. She also leads as the EU/UK Coordinator for Save Soil, a global movement dedicated to raising awareness and driving policy change on soil health. Their impactful contributions on the global stage, particularly at COPs, have emphasised the essential role of nature-based solutions in tackling environmental challenges.

Frances supports the Partnership with administration and event management for the Board, working groups and other matters as needed. She splits her time 50:50 between WENP and the West of England Combined Authority’s nature team, where she supports the Community Pollinator Fund and Bee Bold Awards.

Helen joined as WENP’s Nature and Health Coordinator in October 2022. Her primary focus is working with partners to deliver the Strategy for Nature and Health in the West of England, which seeks to integrate nature connectedness into regional health system, as well as embedding it in communities more broadly for the benefit of both people and nature. Helen has a background working in the NHS as a Clinical Psychologist, predominantly working with children and families, and developing clinical services. More recently she has studied sustainability and ecology at Centre for Alternative Technology and seeks to integrate all this into her role with WENP. Helen’s role is part-time (4 days per week).

Zoe joined the Partnership in February 2023. As WENP Manager, she leads the delivery of WENP’s 2021-30 Strategy, working closely with the Board, working groups and individual partners to meet our ambitious targets for nature’s recovery and to secure investment in our Nature Recovery Programmes. She is also responsible for overseeing WENP’s governance, finances and operations. Zoe joined WENP from the Royal Society where she was a Senior Policy Adviser specialising in UK environment, land use and agriculture. She also brings extensive experience of partnership working from her time at Wildlife and Countryside Link, England’s biggest coalition of environmental NGOs. She has an M.Res. in Biodiversity, Evolution and Conservation from UCL.

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