Our people

Clare Freeman

Director

Clare leads and manages NHSN, shaping NHSN’s strategic direction and ensuring it continues to inspire wonder in the natural world. 

Working alongside NHSN trustees, Clare ensures the charity is well-governed, developing strategies, fundraising, building relationships with partners and delivering plans to ensure NHSN achieves its aims for people and nature.

Email Clare at: NHSN.Director@newcastle.ac.uk

James Common

Senior Naturalist

James organises opportunities for people to experience and enjoy North East nature through events, trips, courses and talks.

Working closely with volunteers, he oversees NHSN’s citizen science programme, wildlife recording, volunteer rangering and student projects at Gosforth Nature Reserve, and writes across NHSN’s communications channels.

Email James at: james.common@newcastle.ac.uk

Anna Ward

Finance and Office Manager

Anna provides administrative support to the team, ordering materials, managing the NHSN office and administering financial procedures. She ensures the smooth running of NHSN activities and that members’ donations are used where needed most.

Email Anna at: nhsnfinance@newcastle.ac.uk

Sarah Seeley

Membership Support Officer

Sarah is the friendly face behind the NHSN email account, answering your queries and administering the Student Award Scheme. 

She works to ensure NHSN memberships run smoothly and offers support to volunteers and staff across the organisation. 

Email Sarah at: sarah.seeley2@newcastle.ac.uk

Ellie Davison

Urban Naturalist

Supported by funding from the Reece Foundation, Ellie works to connect people with nature along the Ouse Burn Way. Working with volunteers, she leads on NHSN’s work in the city’s wildlife corridor and deals with venue hire and group visits to Gosforth Nature Reserve,

Email Ellie at: urbannaturalist@newcastle.ac.uk

Hollie Muir and Emily Anderson

Assistant Naturalists

Hollie and Emily are responsible the delivery of Gosforth’s Wild Web and, working alongside NHSN Education Rangers, support educational visits to Gosforth Nature Reserve.

Email: nhsn.naturerangers1@newcastle.ac.uk (Emily) and nhsn.naturerangers2@newcastle.ac.uk (Hollie)

Amelia Jenkins & Lekshmi Vijay, Student Naturalists

Volunteer Student Naturalists

Lekshmi and Amelia are placement with NHSN from Northumbria and Leeds Universities. Together, they work to deliver NHSN activities and educational work, supporting talks, courses and school visits, and offer project support to Gosforth’s Wild Web.

Email: nhsn.volunteer1@newcastle.ac.uk (Amelia) and nhsn.volunteer2@newcastle.ac.uk (Lekshmi).

Paul Drummond

Reserve Warden

Paul is responsible for practical work at Gosforth Nature Reserve including woodland management, reedbed clearance, monitoring water levels, controlling the sluice gates and path clearance.  Paul leads Wednesday and Saturday conservation volunteer groups. Paul lives at Lake Lodge at the entrance to Gosforth Nature Reserve. 

Meet our Trustees

NHSN is grateful to our Trustees, who share their time and considerable expertise to oversee the strategic direction of NHSN.

Hancock Forum

A group of retired trustees that meet biannually to share their experience and insight and keep in touch with NHSN activities.  The non-executive Forum is joined by current Chair of the Trustees, Director and staff.  It meets in NHSN’s home, opened in 1884, and named the ‘Hancock Museum’ after brothers John and Albany Hancock in 1891, continuing to bring together a community of naturalists today.