Vanessa is a mental health Occupational Therapist whose work integrates trauma-informed, creative, and embodiment practices in response to systemic injustice across communities. As a frontline worker, she has advocated for systems change to address racial, cultural, and class inequities, leading Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion initiatives across NHS services. Rooted in radical inclusion, her work is shaped by experience across marginalised contexts, including drug and alcohol support, advocacy for survivors of human trafficking, and roles within adult forensic and young people’s mental health services. Vanessa’s work is guided by an ongoing embodied movement practice rooted in ancestral nature connection.

Max is Co-Founder and Director of The Visionaries Collective, a UK-based network of youth practitioners and young people bringing a more relational, ecological and reparative justice lens to the ways we support and work alongside young people. He is a Strategic Advisor to The National Trust, working to increase nationwide access to and participation in the stewardship of nature. Max’s work draws on systems change theory, eco-psychotherapy, embodiment practices, collective imagination and deep nature connection. He is a trauma-informed practitioner, wilderness rites of passage guide, qualified Mountain Leader and Bio-Leadership Fellow.

Hellen is a Rwandan-Zambian social artist, nature guide, and creative producer raised in Greater Manchester. Her multidisciplinary work weaves together community, ecology, and ancestral knowledge through creative nature connection. She has facilitated workshops, events, and public programmes across the UK, spanning herbal medicine, community gardening, foraging, cooking, visual storytelling, and participatory art.

Rooted in a commitment to place-based programming for ecological justice, her practice centres the voices and leadership of marginalised communities. She is co-owner of a family-run organic farm in Masaiti, Zambia, an Associate Artist and third-term Board Member at Squash Liverpool CIC.

Christine is a community arts activist and multidisciplinary artist, working across sound, performance, ecology, and ceramics. Her practice explores how collective listening, movement, and creative collaboration can generate spaces of care, grounding, and environmental awareness.

As a ceramic artist, she holds a deep connection to clay as a medium for community-building, ritual, and shared making. Christine is an Artist Associate and Community Producer with Sounds Like Chaos, and a Co-Director at Soundcamp, where she works internationally on sound-led ecological projects. She is also actively campaigning with No Borders In Climate Justice and participates in the Climate Migrant Organising group, advocating for an intersectional climate movement.

The live-in community at The Beeches is the backbone of the project and a vital part of The Beeches’ ecosystem. Comprising ~10 people, this small but mighty group of residents live on site alongside the Main House and include some members of the operational team.

As well as providing a warm welcome to groups who use the space, the live-in community helps the project thrive in so many other ways - from growing food on site, hosting volunteer days, assisting with land projects, renovating the property or leading on local community initiatives.