The Team

Six cygnets (young swans) huddled in a group swimming on water

Group of cygnets Pete Godfrey

Meet the Team

Our Team

Photo of Daveen Wallis, Director of Nature and Wellbeing

Daveen Wallis
Co-founder, GMEF

Daveen brings over 23 years of experience to overseeing the Lancashire Wildlife Trust’s objective ‘to inspire people about the natural world and encourage everyone to take action for wildlife’. Most recently Daveen has led on the Carbon Landscape Partnership that has seen a significant step change in how local people in engage with re-connecting a landscape both for people and wildlife. This includes leading on the development of a habitat bank and carbon offsetting scheme that will see a strategically important part of this landscape restored. This work fits well with the development and management of the Greater Manchester Environment Fund which aims to attract private investment at the scale required to net zero ambitions by 2038.

James Hall
Programme Manager, GMEF

James works with districts in Greater Manchester to advise and support their work to prepare and secure land for offsite Biodiversity Net Gain units.

Photo of Sam Evans, Head of Natural Environment at GMCA.

Sam Evans
Head of Natural Environment, Greater Manchester Combined Authority

Sam leads the work to improve the city region’s natural environment through developing strategy and policy, delivering key projects and working with a range of partners. This includes work to seek to increase and attract alternative sources of investment into greening Greater Manchester. Prior to that, Sam led the development of the Mayor’s 5 Year Environment Plan, launched in March 2019 and before then, worked in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Photo of Grace O'Leary, GMEF Grants Manager

Grace O'Leary
Grants Manager, GMEF

Grace oversees the implementation, review, development and maintenance of the grant programme’s systems and procedures including the Green Spaces Fund and Recycle for Manchester. She works with key stakeholders and delivers impact reports as well as promoting GMEF for future funders and investors.

Rachel Lindsay
Grants Officer, GMEF

Rachel began working for GMEF as a Grants Administrator in 2021 and progressed to Grants Officer in 2022. She loves all things in nature, especially animals and weather systems. Rachel has brought adaptable skills to GMEF to help the newly formed charity to grow and helps many worthy charities and grass roots organisations to progress their activities through the issuing of award money and monitoring/supporting of progress.

Photo of Tom Davies, GMCA Communications Manager

Tom Davies
Communications Lead - Environment, Greater Manchester Combined Authority

Tom manages communications for all things green at the GMCA. This includes the natural environment, where he provides support for GMEF campaigns including the Green Spaces Fund.

Annabelle Brittle
Communications Officer, GMEF

Annabelle is a skilled communications professional with years of experience in social media, marketing and copywriting roles. As Communications Officer for the GMEF, Annabelle is responsible for sharing all the wonderful stories behind the inspiring projects we are funding across Greater Manchester.

Photo of Danielle Rowlands, GMEF's Grants and Support Assistant

Danielle Rowlands
Grants and Support Assistant, GMEF

Danielle has worked in the environmental sector for the past five years. In her role as GMEF Grants and Support Assistant, she supports organisations applying for GMEF funding and helps funding winners make their ambitious projects happen.