Meet the Team
Helen Woodcock
Helen is a co-founder of MERCi - Manchester's first Centre for Sustainable Living, helping to raise over three million pounds and project managing the refurbishment of the five story mill. Helens expertise is in grass roots community development – helping to establish projects including a fruit & vegetable delivery service HERBIE - in East Manchester, as well as supporting a number of community projects in Ancoats - winning a Britian In Bloom Urban Regeneration award.
Helen spent 2005/06 in Guatemala working with Peace Brigades International, jointly winning the International Service Human Rights Award For Women in 2006, with Guatemalan activist Dominga Vasquez . Hear her interview on Radio 4's Women's Hour.
In July 2010 Helen was awarded Master of Science in Organic Farming at distinction level from the Scottish Agricultural College. The MSc project was titled: Finding a sustainable food system for Manchester: Exploring a successful trading model to increase access to sustainable fruit and vegetables in Greater Manchester. Helen is now putting the research to more practical use, using the lessons learnt to support the development of a new co-operative of local organic growers and buyers: Manchester Veg Peoepl, and aiming to expand the market for sustainable food in Greater Manchester. This year Helen is also working on the Sustainable Fayre soup pilot project, as well as focusing on developing Kindling and working with partner projects in Manchester.
Chris Walsh
Co-founder of MERCi and Fairfield Materials Management, Chris is an accomplished social entrepreneur, instrumental in establishing Powwow Eco Arts, Manchester Social Enterprise Forum and has worked for The Ethical Property Company to help establish the Green Fish centre in Manchester.
He is presently working with others to establish Fairfield Anaerobic Digestion Ltd - a sustainable waste company in Stockport along with Greater Manchester’s first Tree Station- processing arboricultural waste into sustainable bio-mass.
Chris also works freelance carrying out environmental audits and training, strategic planning and business plan development for charities and social enterprises and offers fund-raising advice.
Emily Farrow
Emily is a doctor presently working as a GP in East London. She has extensive experience of working with refugees and has taught refugee doctors preparing them for exams to enable them to work in the UK.
She has worked with torture survivors at The Medical Foundation for the care of victims of torture.
Emily has recently taken a break from work and her part-time Fine Art degree to look after a new arrival, a bouncing baby boy.
Matt Fawcett
Matt worked for a number of years as the Sustainability Editor of the Ethical Consumer Magazine. He was the co-founder of Open Plan IT - a company that provides I.T. support exclusively to the voluntary and community sector, social enterprises and campaign groups.
He has worked for Peace Brigades International both providing protective accompaniment and delivering information security workshops to Guatemalan NGOs. He maintains a contact with PBI as a trainer and web coordinator.
Matt is fortunate enough to be involved in some of the most exciting projects in Manchester addressing climate change and is a Director of the Carbon Coop and Greater Manchester Tree Station.
