About ARC
ARC delivers projects that support people to access and engage with nature
Wellbeing and Nature
There is mounting evidence that being in nature can make positive contributions to mental and physical health and wellbeing. Helping people to create and sustain such open spaces is empowering for individuals and helps to build stronger communities.
Meet the Team
Dianne Burford
Staff
Dianne (Di) joined the Wellbeing Group at Foundry Wood almost at its start in 2015, and has since progressed from volunteer to staff member. Di has a background in nursing and has lived experience of mental health, loves being outside in nature and is passionate about how it can help with mental and physical wellbeing. She is a facilitator for Adult Wellbeing in Nature sessions at Foundry Wood and Packmores.
Kath Pasteur
Director & ARC Manager
Kath has been a Director and staff member of ARC since 2012 and now manages the organisation. She is passionate about nature and is convinced of the many and varied benefits to health and wellbeing of spending time outdoors.
Eleanor Brown
Staff
Eleanor has spent over 20 years working in community & wellbeing projects; in youth work, rites-of-passage work, mountain leader training and community farming. She is training in trauma-informed somatic therapy and is also a musician passionate about holistic & creative wellbeing and our place in Nature.
Erica Miles
Staff
Erica has over 30 years’ experience in disability and wellbeing, including direct support, social work, and project leadership. She works part-time with a Deaf and Disabled People’s Organisation on engagement and policy. Passionate about nature, she champions gardening and outdoor activity as vital for physical and mental wellbeing.
Anna Hargrave
Director
Anna is passionate about addressing the wider determinants of health as evidenced by her most recent roles as Chief Population Health Officer in Coventry and Warwickshire and Chief Commissioning and Strategy Officer at GambleAware.
Fiona Cotterell
Director
Fiona is a qualified accountant who has been working in the not-for-profit sector for over 30 years in the UK and abroad, helping local community groups with their financial management.
Kristie Naimo
Director
Kristie established ARC in 2011 and managed the organisation until 2023. She continues to serve as an ARC Director whilst now working for Live and Local, which supports voluntary organisations to bring high quality live entertainment to rural communities.
Catherine Shephard
Director, Staff
Cat has over 16 years of experience within the education sector. She moved away from classroom based teaching to focus on wellbeing work for Mind. Initially joining as a Director she became so passionate about ARC and is now also a facilitator for Adult Wellbeing in Nature sessions at Foundry Wood and Packmores Garden.
Kate Haines
Staff
Kate qualified as a teacher in the 1990’s, teaching in Africa, the Middle East, Australia and the UK. She is passionate about getting children outdoors and as a Forest School Leader supports delivery of ARC’s Children’s Forest project, education sessions, after-school groups and parties at Foundry Wood. She also co-facilitates the community gardening group at The Crest.
Agnes Ashbell
Staff
Agnes has spent her working life immersed in nature, teaching practical and emotional skills to all ages. She has ran intensive, wilderness-based courses for young people referred through the criminal justice system, lead mountain expeditions, is a Forest School Leader and supports delivery of ARC’s Children’s Forest Project and Wellbeing in Nature courses.
Lucie Cox
Staff
Lucie designs landscapes that support resilient nature regeneration and supports community garden projects. She helped establish Packmores and Lyttelton Gardens, the Art in Nature programme and the Living Labyrinth at All Saints Church. She celebrates the power of gardens to bring people together, nurture wellbeing and support local wildlife.
Policies
Please see links below for some of our Policies
