Local & Community Empowerment

Rachel joined CSE in May 2005, and initially worked on project development at CSE. In 2008 she developed the proposal for CSE’s PlanLoCaL programme, and transferred to a project management role in order to manage the programme when funding was secured. She became CSE’s Head of Local and Community Empowerment in April 2011.

PlanLoCaL (Planning for Low Carbon Living) is a three-year programme of work funded by the Department for Communities and Local Government. Projects within the programme include: the development of a DVD resource pack for communities wishing to establish community-owned renewable energy projects; a support website on low-carbon planning; an action research project working with a range of groups in Bath to produce planning policy guidance on how best to incorporate renewable energy in a heritage setting; and an ambitious community consultation process in an ex-mining area which aims to establish a Renewable Energy Action Area, enshrined in local planning policy.

As a Senior Development Manager, Rachel was the driving force behind the development of several of our biggest projects including Our Big Energy Challenge, and Warming Bristol. She also worked with the Forestry Commission and the offices of ten Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty to access European Funding to establish the Coordinated Woodfuel Initiative, which supported the installation of domestic-scale biomass heating in the South West of England.

Rachel has a particular interest in the biomass industry, as, prior to joining CSE, she worked in commercial forestry for six years and undertook research in China on short-rotation forestry for fuel production.

Rachel has a BSc in Environmental Science, an MSc in Forest Management and an MA in Environment, Policy and Society.

rachel.coxcoon@cse.org.uk | 0117 934 1426

Liz joined CSE in October 2011 with a background in local government town planning and project management. Her role is to develop and extend the organisation’s support for communities who are interested in working with the emerging localism agenda, particularly groups looking to benefit from sustainable energy projects and better energy efficiency.

Since joining CSE Liz has undertaken development work on the PlanLoCaL resourses and run training courses at various locations throughout the country. She's currently managing the Low-Carbon Localism project, an initial demonstration scheme supporting organisations working in community support for Neighbourhood Planning and encouraging the development of low-carbon planning. This work also involves developing low-carbon policy and evidence base work with local front-runner neighbourhood planning groups, and running consultation events on low carbon planning as well.

Other community work includes running the Warm Streets Communities scheme, which encourages and supports local groups collecting referrals for energy efficiency work. Liz has run planning training for local groups, and provided the training for door-to-door survey work during the LEAF project. She organised the Somerset Energy Forum in November 2012, and was part of the team developing the LEAF household energy assessment reports in the first part of 2012. Liz also led on bid support for several local groups during the challenging timelines of the LEAF projects, and has provided planning comment and feedback to local authorities for CSE on various aspects of low-carbon planning.

Working with communities is something Liz does in her spare time as well as professionally, and has been a parish councillor and active member of several local environmental groups. Working with the local expertise and enthusiasm of local supporters was crucial to implementing several cycle paths during her time with Sustrans, and similarly strengthened policy work and other projects in local government.

Liz has an MA in Town and Regional Planning, and is a full member of the RTPI. She also has a BA (hons) in Archaelogy and Prehistory and a post graduate diploma in Urban Design. With the Open University she has obtained credits in Energy for a Sustainable Future, Environmental Decision-making and Ecology.

liz.beth@cse.org.uk | 0117 934 1436

Heather began working at CSE in May 2009 as an energy advisor within the Energy Saving Trust advice centre and as a community energy advisor for the Green Communities scheme. She is now based within the Local and Community Empowerment team and works on a number of community advice projects. She is also still involved in some Household Energy Services projects including Warming Bristol Communities, North Somerset Warm Families and the Home Energy Advice Line.

Her previous work experience is very wide ranging and she has previously been employed as an estate agent, an HR advisor, a geomatics analyst at the Environment Agency, as well as volunteering on organic farms in Italy.

Heather also has a degree in Geographic Information Science from Newcastle University and a masters in Meteorology and Climatology from Birmingham University.

heather.crane@cse.org.uk | 0117 934 1447

Morgan joined CSE in 2007 as an energy advisor in the Energy Efficiency Advice Centre, providing advice on energy efficiency and benefits and delivering talks and training sessions to householders and frontline staff. She has also run energy workshops in many schools in the area as part of CSE’s education work. She joined the Local and Community Empowerment team in April 2011 and has since worked on a variety of community energy projects providing support and training to local community groups. Examples of projects she has worked on include PlanLoCaL, Warm Streets Communities and Bristol Volunteers Get Energy.

Morgan graduated from the University of Bristol in 2005 with a BSc in Geology. Since then she has been a regular volunteer at Bristol’s Amnesty International bookshop. Prior to joining CSE she has worked for various organisations in customer focused roles.

morgan.griffin@cse.org.uk | 0117 934 1454

Maddy joined CSE in September 2011 as a Graduate Placement in the Local and Community Empowerment team. She works on various low-carbon localism projects, including PlanLoCaL, the Community Energy Challenge and Levels and Moors. She was also involved in providing support to community groups with the Local Energy Assessment Fund (LEAF).

Prior to joining CSE, Maddy worked as an English teacher in Denmark, the Czech Republic and in the UK.

Maddy graduated from the University of Lund in Sweden in 2011 with an MSc in ‘International Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science’, and she has a BSc in Geography from Manchester University (first class). She also holds a Trinity College certificate in teaching English as a second language.

madeline.gunn@cse.org.uk | 0117 934 1428

Bridget joined CSE in September 2009 and works as a Community Projects Manager, running and developing community energy and fuel poverty projects across Avon and Somerset.

Her work addresses a range of energy issues at local level. Current projects include providing support for community groups (Warm Streets Communities, CSE Communities, Bristol Community Energy), tackling fuel poverty (WISH), development of community scale renewable (Levels & Moors Energy) and promoting affordable warmth and energy efficiency (Somer Housing Development Trust, Bristol Energy Advice Network).

Bridget has more than ten years experience in project management and development work in the public, private and voluntary sector, which includes community projects and sustainable development initiatives.

She has an BSc in Environmental Science from Southampton University.

bridget.newbery@cse.org.uk | 0117 934 1413

James began working for CSE in September 2009 as an Energy Advisor and moved into the position of Senior Project Worker in April 2012. He works primarily on CSE’s community projects, including supporting groups in the Somerset Levels and Moors area who are interested in community owned renewable energy projects, and also on PlanLoCaL. He also supports the Household Energy Services team, working on the Warming Bristol Communities project and providing domestic energy efficiency and renewable technology advice on the CSE Home Energy Advice Line.

He was previously employed at Bristol City Council, where he was involved in helping single, homeless people find housing. James has also worked as a windsurfing instructor on the Isles of Scilly for many years as well as working for Radio Scilly.

James has an English degree from Plymouth University and a MA in Professional Writing from University College Falmouth.

james.watt@cse.org.uk | 0117 934 1424

Anna joined CSE in April 2005 and provides bespoke training to a wide range of clients, including the public sector, private companies, and community groups. Courses range from half-day workshops to long-term contracts to provide ongoing training and support over several years. She also regularly delivers the popular City and Guilds 6176 Energy Awareness course on behalf of National Energy Action.

Anna led the training and awareness-raising elements of projects such as Our Big Energy Challenge, a three-year project which aimed to reduce energy usage in the Bath and North East Somerset Local Strategic Partnership by 10%, and was a valued member of the Green Communities team, regularly delivering a suite of courses to groups across the UK.

Before joining CSE, Anna worked as an in-house trainer for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), and her role included developing and delivering training to managers, trainers and external consultants throughout the South West.

Anna is an experienced and well-qualified trainer, holding the CIPD Certificate in Training Practice and the Certificate in Education (Post Compulsory Education and Training). She also has a BA (Hons) in Geography and Sociology.

anna.watts@cse.org.uk | 0117 934 1429