- Your cart is empty Browse Shop
GET TO KINOW US
Meet The Team
Kat Woolley – CEO
Kat (She/Her) joined us as CEO in August 2025 bring a wealth of knowledge and experience from working in the charity sector and outdoor education for 16 years. Kat is passionate about everyone being able to access green spaces and nature to improve health and wellbeing. Kat has a son with SEND so understands from a personal perspective the impact Growing Works can have on individuals and families. As a keen naturalist, you’re likely to find her in her natural habitat – the woods.
Rachel Burnett – Project Coordinator
(Adults and Communities)
Rachel has been with Growing works since 2012 working in a number of roles, sharing her love and knowledge of plants with us all. With qualifications in countryside management, education, and supporting people with additional needs Rachel brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the to role.
Oksana Spesivtseva – Finance Manager
Oksana joined us in 2023 after being chief accountant for a hospital in Ukraine. Oksana brings her a broad knowledge of accounting and managing finance essential to making Growing Works keep on budget and sourcing new income streams.
Benjen Taylor
Hi folks, I’m Benjen Taylor (He/They), I’ve been a part of growing works since 2017. You’ll most likely see me at the Sprout or Young Shoots groups, bringing my brand of big-hearted silliness! My favourite things are: Fire, Frogs and having a good slow wander around the forest (getting distracted by every fungus, animal print and interesting leaf..!) I work in outdoor education at an environmental education centre in south Leeds and as a Forest School Leader. I believe in, and hold myself to, the standard of a person-centered approach; responding to the individual in front of me on the day, rather than preconceptions about a stated neurotype or medical condition.
Gilly Dukes
Gilly Dukes is a Special Educational Needs Outdoor Learning Provider, who advocates for both adults and young people. She brings a lifetime of experience in the environmental sector, and has undertaken specialist training to support a range of educational and emotional needs After gaining a degree in Ecology from Huddersfield Polytechnic, Gilly went on to train as a nature reserve manager for the Earth Trust, work for the Field Studies Council (FSC) and the Trust for Conservation Volunteers (TCV). She is a Therapeutic Forest School practitioner and is trained others to deliver Woodcraft for Wellbeing courses. She is passionate about enabling others to access our urban wild spaces, and in addition to being a Forest School Leader and Bushcraft Instructor, has taken her education to master’s level, obtaining a post-graduate degree in Outdoor and Experiential Learning from Cumbria University.
Chelle
Chelle has been with us since 2013 working across all our projects, in between having her own two girls. Shell is passionate about nature and wellbeing , having studied conservation and community gardening alongside her yoga, mindfulness and relaxation training. Shell has years of experience working with community projects with all kinds of different people and can easily adapt to the needs of others. Shell is also a keen forager and promoter of herbalism.
Lucy
Bio to go here....
Gis
Bio to go here....
Natalia
My name is Natalia, I am from Ukraine. I love spending time outdoors so I don’t have much time to sit on the couch 🤭 I like to read, do craft with children and I love to be busy do something active.
Jill
Hi I’m Jill, I’ve been working with Growing Works since 2015 and before that as a volunteer. You’ll mainly see me on Sprout sessions where I love to cook and make up games. When I’m not in work I love to go on long walks and scrambles, especially near big rocks and waterfalls. I’m passionate about plant based cooking and love to make all veg fun and accessible to eat.
Gabby
Gabby joins us to support our families and young people, bringing over 20 years of not-for-profit experience alongside a strong youth work background. She is the founder of local social enterprise Hive Huddersfield CIC, a board member of Valleys Anchor CIC, and also runs a local deli where our herbs and produce are stocked through a collaborative partnership. Passionate about community, collaboration and nature, Gabby enjoys coffee, herbal teas, fell walking and sound baths. She is a strong believer in working together and building meaningful partnerships.
OUR TRUSTEES
Richard — Chair of Trustees
I first became involved with Growing Works in the summer of 2017 as a volunteer. During the COVID-19 pandemic my circumstances changed and I was no longer able to continue volunteering. In 2021, the charity contacted me to ask whether I would consider becoming a trustee. I took up this role in October 2021, and in September 2023 I stepped into the position of Chair Person. I am a passionate supporter of the charity and thoroughly enjoy promoting its work and meeting our participants. I believe the future success of the charity depends on listening to all voices—our valued funders, our amazing staff and volunteers, and, most importantly, our wonderful participants.
richard@growingworks.org.uk
Paula
I joined Growing Works as a trustee in 2025. What attracted me to the charity is the work it does supporting people to thrive through working in and with the natural environment. I have spent more than 20 years leading organisations through periods of growth, change and transformation, working with leadership teams and boards to improve performance, develop people and build long-term sustainability.
I have seen throughout my career how confidence, resilience and a sense of belonging can transform both individuals and organisations, and I love supporting the initiatives and opportunities Growing Works offers within our local community.
As a Trustee, I bring experience in leadership, strategy, governance and organisational development, alongside a commitment to helping Growing Works continue to expand its reach and impact. I am proud to support a charity that combines practical support, community connection and the benefits of the natural environment to help people build skills, confidence and wellbeing.
paula@growingworks.org.uk
Viv
I joined Growing Works as a Trustee in the Spring of 2026. Having ran businesses and worked in commercial Marketing all my career, when I came to retire, I wanted to get more involved in my local community. I had been a Trustee of a couple of charities before and wanted to continue using the experience I had gained.
Coming from a long line of gardeners (my grandfather ran a smallholding in Suffolk supplying London restaurants), I knew just how much growing things helped my wellbeing; being in my garden is my happy place. I want passionately to make this available to others.
I had also just signed up for a one-year City & Guilds Horticulture course when I saw an advert for Trustees for Growing Works. My aim is to help the organisation reach more people and to secure a sustainable future for the organisation.
viv@growingworks.org.uk