Dr Keith Powell is a seventh-generation Black Mountains farmer and a vet.

He studied veterinary medicine at Cambridge University and lives with his family off-grid in the Brecon Beacons. He has planted tens of thousands of trees since childhood and once drove from Wales to Madrid with a car boot full of conkers, which he planted by the roadside (he ran out in Cognac). In 2017, he initiated the project to plant on Bryn Arw common, adjacent to the Powell family farm.

Robert Penn, former lawyer, round the world cyclist, journalist, best-selling author and broadcaster, moved to a house beside Bryn Arw, fifteen years ago.

He wrote The Man Who Made Things Out of Trees, about the ash tree and Woods: A Celebration, published by the National Trust. He wrote and presented Tales From the Wildwood, a series for BBC4 about woodland management. He is patron of the Small Woods Association and he set up a local community woodland group.

Hugh Colvin has planted or overseen the planting of 250,000 trees.

Since 1980, he has been directing, advising or raising funds for a wide range of forestry, environmental, community and arts projects, and looks after his own small woodland in the Brecon Beacons.

Phil Middleton worked in event management in Indonesia during the 1990s.

He returned to the UK to work in the conference industry, co-founding The Insurance Network in 2004, which company he stills runs with particular responsibility for sponsorship.

Jill Miller joined us in November 2020 as a freelance Executive Assistant.

Jill helps to keep us organised and ensures the smooth-running of our projects, she brings over 15 years experience as a Board level EA across various organisations in the public and private sectors.  Jill is a keen walker, gardener and nature lover who relocated to the Brecon Beacons with her husband and their dogs in 2019.

Andrew is a finance professional, woodland owner-manager and woodworker. He has spent most of his working life in and around finance. 

Gravitating naturally to the ‘commercial’ end of the sector, Andrew holds a number of Finance Director posts with small UK businesses and start-ups.  Additionally, he has been appointed to manage the financial, contractual and commercial side of specific major projects.  His background is in media and communications and also UK Furniture Designer-makers.  More recently, Andrew has brought his experience to Charities and Community interest Companies: he is engaged in supporting a number of social enterprises in southwest England. A ‘youthful’ 58, Andrew lives in the Cotswold household with his wife and two sons.