Nathan Oley (Chair) is a public affairs and communications professional with a passion for the way that parks and community gardens can build healthier communities. He developed a love for historic gardens as a teenage volunteer at Castle Bromwich Hall gardens (Birmingham) and recently helped to transform a wasteland into the thriving Approach community garden in Bethnal Green.
Nathan joined the Board in 2018, excited to marry long experience of influencing policy makers at a borough, London and national level with the chance to protect and promote our rich tradition of access to excellent green space for all. He has served on boards and panels in numerous boroughs, and alongside running external relations for the Police’s professional body, he tends a small allotment and numerous window boxes in the East End.
Cosmo Elms (Treasurer) is a fund management professional with over 10 years’ experience working in London for a number of global firms. In his current role at Neuberger Berman, an employee owned US fund manager, Cosmo sits within the investment business and has a strong focus on sustainability themes across the firm’s equity funds. Cosmo has a passion for the outdoors and spent his childhood in London getting to know many of the capital’s parks and gardens. Cosmo still lives in central London and spends most weekends with his young family (and dog) exploring London’s green spaces. Cosmo joined the LPG Board in 2023.
Alexandra Bell (Secretary) is a strategic marketing and digital expert with fifteen years of omnichannel cross-sector experience. From creative start-ups to global life sciences businesses, she enjoys helping organisations speak to their audiences better to tell their unique stories.
A Londoner by birth, she lived for many years in Asia and the US, which led on her return to an even greater appreciation of London’s singular character and wealth of green spaces. She is a passionate advocate for protection of the city’s natural heritage and for communication to broaden awareness and enjoyment of London’s parks and gardens throughout all its communities. An eager amateur gardener, Alexandra also writes, paints, sculpts and enjoys exploring the hidden corners of South West London in her free time.
Caroline Ames joined the Activities Working Group in 2017 and was elected a Trustee the following year. Passionate about plants and gardens, she was drawn to the charity’s mission to preserve, enhance and re-create London’s green spaces for the education and enjoyment of all. The seeds of Caroline’s garden enthusiasm were sown when she worked as a guide at Crathes Castle and its glorious gardens prior to going to University.
Living and working in London enabled her to explore and enjoy its many parks and gardens. Caroline had a successful career in horse-racing administration before establishing a property consultancy with her husband. She is a keen amateur photographer, especially of plants and gardens. She is delighted to combine her business and Committee experience in her work for the Trust.
Barbara Deason has been a member of the LPG Research Group since 2013, acting as Joint Coordinator from 2014-2019, and remains an active member of the Group.
A qualified social worker, she spent most of her working life as a Community Development Worker in two London boroughs. She later worked in Health Promotion for several years during which time she became interested in the use of plants in medicine, subsequently becoming a Volunteer Guide at Chelsea Physic Garden for several years. It was here that she developed a keen interest in garden history and subsequently undertook the Diploma in Garden History at Birkbeck University.
Barbara brings to the Board not only her interest in garden history but her experience of community development and, as former Deputy Director of the London Voluntary Sector Training Consortium, of providing support to the London voluntary sector seeking to access funding from a range of sources, both statutory and charitable.
Celia Mead is a management consultant with over 30 years’ experience in the charity and cultural sectors. Her core skills are strategic management, marketing and business development, including fundraising and membership development. She is Festival Director of Open House London and other clients include museums, social enterprise and medical research charities. She is also on the Board of Bath Boules charitable trust and the Mayden Foundation.
Sally Prothero is a Landscape Architect and Director of LDA Design. She has been involved in the restoration of many historic parks and landscapes in the last ten years, including Derby Arboretum and several London parks. She was responsible for the £12 million restoration of Victoria Park, completed in 2012. She was elected to the LPG Board in 2013.
Louise Welham is passionate about driving positive change in planning, land, and housing systems through community engagement and innovation. In her role as Head of Innovation at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government [MHCLG], she steers the £18m PropTech Innovation Fund, collaborating with local government, tech innovators and industry to pilot cutting-edge solutions which improve outcomes for communities.
Her work and partnerships continue to push the boundaries of how technology can enhance placemaking outcomes for all. As a qualified beekeeper with a Town Planning degree and specialism in Environmental Justice, Lou is particularly interested in new ways to surface climate priorities in the places we all call home.
Matt Wright has over 30 years’ experience in marketing, with a successful career spanning public, private and not for profit sectors. This included senior marketing roles at Cussons, M&C Saatchi, Guy’s and St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust, Pancreatic Cancer UK, and The Carbon Trust.
Prior to joining the board of LPG, Matt spent 6 years on the board of Friends of the Earth, including several as Vice Chair. He supports a range of environmental causes, is a keen sailor and walker, and strongly believes in the importance of green space in our cities. Having lived in London for approaching 35 years, he feels London’s parks and gardens are central to London life, playing a major role in Londoners’ health, wellbeing, leisure and recreation
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