Andrew Lovett

Treasurer, Membership & Marketing Committee Chair

Andrew is a qualified accountant and applies his experience to help the Friends get the best from its resources. Andrew cares passionately about the landscapes of England and is committed to protecting the beauty of the South Downs. He is currently the Friends’s lead for projects encouraging children to appreciate and value the Downs.  He previously led cultural projects about the songs and folklore of the Downs. Andrew helped coordinate activities celebrating our Centenary year.

David Green

Chair, District Officer

David has lived in Sussex for over 40 years. He has been a parish councillor for over 20 of those years and chairs his parish’s planning committee. He retired as a solicitor in 2018 and now walks twice a week with the Friends, including as a walks leader. He is also a District Officer for the Friends. He believes that conservation differs from preservation, accepting that some change is inevitable, indeed desirable, and sees the role of the Friends as helping to manage and shape that change.

David Taylor

Trustee

David has lived in West Sussex for 30 years since he left the RAF. A retired airline pilot, he has strong memories of visiting the South Downs as a schoolboy and was lucky to fly over them routinely in his job.

David has a love of nature and spends much of his time walking the Downs, usually with his camera in hand. He is a keen birdwatcher and insect lover, rarely happier than when out in nature. As a trustee with the Friends, David plans to target his energies on ensuring that the Downs continue to remain a special place.

Henrietta Lacey-Gutsell

Trustee

Henrietta spent 20 years in corporate marketing before re-training in sustainability marketing, studying with the Cambridge Institute of Sustainability Leadership. Now works as a freelance consultant helping companies to talk about sustainability without greenwashing. Also supports the charity – Daybreak Family Group Conferences – as Board Trustee. Joined the Friends in 2025 as a regular walker. Enjoys the outdoors with her family and two dogs.

Janet Goody

Access & Rights of Way Committee Chair, District Officer

Janet grew up in London and started her working life in London before moving south to the Hampshire /West Sussex border where she now lives. Joined the Friends following retirement as a solicitor having walked on the South Downs since 1990. A regular participant in the Society’s Walks Programme, also leading walks on each programme.

Janet supports policies which do not oppose all change and which encourage more people to be aware of and benefit from the South Downs in some way while at the same time conserving the Downs for now and the future. Co-opted to the Council of Trustees in July 2022.

Martin Small

Planning & Conservation Committee Chair, District Officer

Born and raised in Somerset, Martin has long been interested in protected landscapes. He worked for various bodies during a lengthy career in town and country planning before retiring in 2022. Martin lives in Hampshire with his wife and is enjoying helping to look after the Downs as a Trustee and District Officer. He is a strong supporter of the planning system as a means of protecting the landscape, wildlife and heritage of the Downs whilst meeting the needs of the communities in the National Park.

Paul Gilchrist

Trustee

Dr Paul Gilchrist is a human geographer based at the University of Brighton with over twenty years of experience researching the geographies of leisure, particularly contested claims to outdoor space. He is an experienced field trip leader, regularly seen walking students to Cuckmere Haven to discuss the making of the South Downs cultural landscape, and down the Ouse Valley to highlight heritage assets, planning controversies and environmental futures. His research expertise is understanding how people encounter their environments and the regulatory practices that emerge to establish claims of access, belonging and ownership.

Paul has been engaged in several funded projects that have revealed the hidden histories of public engagement with green and blue space.

Paul Wilkinson

Vice Chair

Paul spent his career working in Human Resources and is a Chartered FCIPD. Since retiring, he has become involved in the charity sector through working for Citizens Advice. Joined the Friends in 2014 as a regular walker and in 2020 became a Trustee and Chair of the Membership and Marketing Committee. In 2024 was appointed Vice Chair of the Trustees.

“In 2014 I joined the Friends, and became a regular walker, which I still am – rain or shine! In 2020 I became a Trustee and Chair of the Membership and Marketing Committee, and then in 2024 I was appointed Vice Chair of the Trustees. The Friends of the South Downs is dedicated to protecting this unique landscape, and I’m proud of contributing to that work.”

Tony Whitbread

Trustee

Tony retired from the Sussex Wildlife Trust (SWT) in 2018 after 27 years, serving as Chief Executive for 12 years.  He is now President of the Trust.  During his career Tony represented the Wildlife Trusts from local to national levels supporting the Forestry Commission, National Ecosystem Assessment, Environment Agency, and National Park forums, and currently chairs the South Downs Network.  He was an early advocate of rewilding and currently runs workshops at the Knepp Rewilding project.  Written articles and reports on natural processes, for example after the storm in 1987, for British Wildlife in 1997 and in numerous publications for the SWT.