Volunteer Directors
Chris Coates
Chris was part of the original group that set up LESS back in 2007. His background is in the construction industry where he worked as a time-served carpenter and project manager on community based construction projects. He was part of the management team for the ground-breaking Forgebank Cohousing project at Halton. From 2003 t0 2015 he was a Green Party councillor on Lancaster City Council and Lancashire County Council. He currently works as site manager at Halton Mill managed workspace.
Lynne Carr
Lynne joined LESS as a director in November 2024. Her background is in the social housing and charity sectors. She was Chief Executive of a number of housing associations and charities in Scotland over the previous 25 years, as well as running her own consultancy business.
Her specialisms are governance and financial management. She has a degree in Law from UCLAN and a post-graduate Diploma in Management Studies from Staffordshire University. She also holds an ILM Certificate in Coaching and Mentoring in Management. Lynne moved to Lancaster in 2022 and carries out a number of voluntary activities locally.
Staff Directors
Anna Clayton
Anna studied Environmental Sciences at the University of East Anglia and, since graduating in 2010, has completed a Permaculture design course, RHS certificate in horticulture and a variety of facilitation and collaborative training. For the past ten years she has worked on a range of community projects with focuses ranging from environmental art, seed saving, heritage fruit tree grafting, wildlife gardening, up-cycling workshops, junk jamming and food growing- both in the UK and abroad. On behalf of LESS, Anna currently coordinates FoodFutures – North Lancashire’s Sustainable Food Partnership and network.
Anna also works part time as a Writer and Researcher and Worker Director at Ethical Consumer Magazine in Manchester, under which role she has co-organised the Lush Spring Prize for environmental and social regeneration.
She also sits on the management committee of Claver Hill food growing project in Lancaster, and sits on the collaboration group of Northern Food and Farming.
Ellen Pearce
Ellen has a background in leadership and management of charities, having worked in the non for profit sector for over 20 years. She has also held a number of roles in sports clubs and for national governing bodies.
During the last six years she has been coordinating local food economy projects for LESS and FoodFutures. This has included the set up of the Plot (a market garden) and FarmStart training programme, coordinating the Northern Food and Farming network and the set up a the North Lancashire Food Hub and Community Farm.
Staff Team
Diana McIntyre
Diana joined LESS as the Community Composting Coordinator in April 2022 with a background in community development, horticulture, training and facilitation. She has worked in community and voluntary sector development roles and served on the boards of a care group and a preschool, and as chair of a school governors. She also has experience of running businesses as a trainer and facilitator, and as a gardener. Diana has a degree in Youth and Community Studies from Lancaster University, a PGCE in adult education and an RHS level 3 certificate in horticulture. Diana’s skills and interests are in relational community development, facilitating workshops, and promoting living compost, soil health, biofertilsers and growing veggies. During the last 4 years Diana has been part of the Closing Loops team developing a regenerative economy in North Lancashire. |