Devon Countryside Access Forum Members 2008/9

Alison Clish-Green (Other interests.  2006 – 2009)

Alison has lived in West Devon for thirty years and combines the roles of teaching and Borough Councillor. She is particularly interested in ensuring all user groups have access to the countryside. She chaired the Rural Commission of the Local Government Association from 1997-1999 and has extensive experience of local government. For many years she also chaired the Environment and Health Committee of West Devon Borough Council and was instrumental in establishing Junior Life Skills courses for all year 6 primary school children in the area. She enjoys walking and is a member of a number of environmental bodies including the Dartmoor Preservation Association, RSPB and the National Trust. In March 2007 she was appointed to REPAC, the Environment Agency’s Regional Environment Protection Advisory Committee.

The Hon Charles Fane Trefusis (Landowner.  Re-appointed 2006 – 2009)

The family owns Clinton Devon Estates which has landholdings in North and East Devon with extensive public rights of way and permissive access. Charles lives and works on the Estate and enjoys walking and cycling. He is a member of the Otter Valley Association and CPRE and is Chairman of the Devon Branch of the CLA and Committee member of the Devon and Cornwall branch of the Forestry and Timber Association.

Terry Faull, Chairman (Other interests.  Re-appointed 2007 – 2010)

Terry has a particular interest in landscape history, is a member of the British Agricultural History Societyand, as well as writing and lecturing on the subject, regularly leads field trips exploring aspects of the countryside in Devon and Cornwall. He is a member of a number of environmental and wildlife organisations and also of the Cornwall Countryside Access Forum. He jointly owns a small woodland nature reserve in Cornwall which has public access.

Tim Felton, Vice Chairman (Other interests.  Re-appointed 2008 – 2011)

Tim lectures in law at the University of the West of England and is a barrister in Exeter. He has an academic and practical interest in public rights of way andaccess issues. He has had farming interests and his leisure pursuits include riding, running and walking. He is a member of the CLA, Tiverton Harriers Athletic Club, Silverton Foxhounds, the Agricultural Law Association and The Academy for Higher Education.

Peter Grainger (Access user.  Re-appointed 2008 - 2011)

Peter has considerable expertise in cycling and is area manager for Sustrans, the sustainable transport organisation, and chairman of the Exeter Cycle Forum. He has been involved in the National Cycle Network development in the East Devon, Exeter, Mid Devonand Teignbridge areas. As the Sustrans expert on walking routes he has helped develop the Exeter Green Circle with Exeter City Council and Devon County Council. His interests incorporate health, disabled access and low carbon travel.

Bob Harvey, Co-Chairman (Landowner.  Re-appointed 2007 – 2010)

Bob runs a 150 acre holding which is mainly woodland, but also has land under Stewardship. He is a member of Devon Wildlife Trust, Council for Protection of Rural England and the Royal Forestry Association, with particular interests in woodland regeneration and balancing views on the place of dogs in public access.  He is currently Co-Chairman of the DCAF, having been nominated as one of two SW local access forum delegates to sit on the newly established England Access Forum

Patrick Healy (Other interests.  2006 – 2009)

Patrick has lived in Devon for over twenty years and has a particular interest in promoting the needs of people with disabilities.  As a wheelchair user for almost thirty years he understands the difficulties all disabled people encounter in gaining access to the built and natural environment.  He has experience of working with disabled people, planners, designers and other key people to ensure that the needs of people with mobility problems are given due consideration.  He is a founder member of South Hams Access Group and is also a member of the Spinal Injuries Association.  He enjoys exploring coastal paths and other routes, where these have been made wheelchair accessible.  He believes that his experience will be valuable to the overall aims of the DCAF in making the Devon countryside accessible to a wide range of users.

Robin Head (Landowner.  2006 – 2009)

Robin has lived in the area for 27 years and has a small mixed farm, mainly sheep. He provides bed and breakfast with the additional facilities of a farm trail and 'helping' on the farm. He is keen to ensure tourists have a good experience when cycling, walking or riding in Devon and is on the Devon Farms Accommodation Committee as a project officer/PR officer. He also represents Farm Tourism/Farm Stay UK on the SW Chamber of Rural Enterprise and is on the board of the newly formed DevonDestination Management Organisation, Destination Devon.He is a member of the NFU and CLA and has wide knowledge of the farming community and its activities

Tom Holway (Access user.  2008 – 2011)

Tom is a chartered management accountant who is now semi-retired.  He was brought up in Mid Devon and has lived in the South Hams since 1983.  He is Chairman of Ugborough Parish Council, has been a parish paths coordinator (P3 co-ordinator) since 1998, and has designed and installed ‘dog gates’ to most of the stiles in the parish to improve access for dog walkers while maintaining the security of farm animals.  He leads a monthly informal walking group using parish paths, an activity enjoyed by a wide age range of local residents and visitors.  As well as walking, he enjoys local history, sailing, motor sport and being an active member of a vibrant village community.

Christine Ingram (Access user.  Re-appointed 2005 - 2008)

A former teacher, Christine is actively involved with the South West Riders and formerly with Crediton & District Bridleways Association. She frequently uses local bridleways and footpaths and has a holiday cottage, let to those who enjoy rural activities. Key interests are raising the profile of equestrians and, in particular, provision of off-road riding opportunities and road safety issues related to public recreational access.  Other interests are the development of long-distance bridleways and multi-use of access facilities.

Dr Justin Robbins (Access user.  2008 – 2011)

Justin previously worked as a GP in south Devon and has a professional interest in the relationship between outdoor recreation and health. He is a walker, canoeist and cyclist and pursues these interests actively through work as a Sustrans Ranger and on the Footpaths Subcommittee of his Parish Council. He previously did some work for TROT (Toll Rides (Off-Road) Trust). He is a member of the Dartmoor Preservation Association, the Open Spaces Society, Ramblers' Association, Port of Plymouth Canoeing Association, British Canoe Union, the Camping and Carvanning Club, Sustrans, CPRE, the Two Moors Way Association and the Yealm Estuary Trail Action Group

Julie Rudge (Access user.  2006 – 2009)

Julie is an artist with extensive experience of rights of way and access.  She has been P3 (parish paths) coordinator of her local parish since 1992 and also carries out research for the Definitive Map Review.  At County level she is Secretary of the Devon Green Lanes Group and Secretary for CPRE (Mid Devon).  She is a former representative of the Byways and Bridleways Trust.  She enjoys a number of leisure pursuits including walking, cycling, riding and swimming.

John Skinner (Access user.  Re-appointed 2007 – 2010)

John is an experienced rambler and cyclist and is currently Access Officer for the Devon Area of the Ramblers’ Association.  For the Ramblers' Association he had extensive involvement with the preparatory work and mapping of access landfor the introduction of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act CRoW) in Devon in 2005.  He now monitors closure of land under the CRoW Act, andany matters affecting public rights of way. He expects to provide input to the current proposals for the introduction of a coastal corridor and improvements to the coastline.He is Chairman of Dartmoor Rambling Club and a member of the Ramblers’ Association, Dartmoor Preservation Association, the Open Spaces Society, the National Trust and the YHA. He has been retired for several years but spent his career with HM Land Registry

Sarah Slade (Landowner.  Re-appointed 2007 – 2010)

Sarah is a farmer in mid Devon and National Access Adviser for the Country Land and Business Association. She has contact with a variety of rural businesses in a professional capacity and sits on a number of Forums. She walks and rides and, in managing her own farm unit, balances the needs for land management, agricultural production, wildlife conservation and rights of access

Cllr Joe Tucker (Chairman of the Public Rights of Way Committee)

Joe was elected as County Councillor for Chulmleigh and Swimbridge in 2005. He is also a Parish Councillor for Loxhore and a North Devon District Councillor.  He has lived in North Devon throughout his life and as a keen walker has a particular interest in rights of way. He is very aware of the problems of rural communities and will be championing these concerns.