Who we are and the work of the Trust

The Core Project Team

Dr Craig Shuttleworth (Project Manager): Craig has twenty years experience working in red squirrel conservation. He is the Scientific Advisor to the Red Squirrel Survival Trust (Patron HRH The Prince of Wales) and to the Red Squirrels Northern England project, and is a Patron of the Countryside Restoration Trust.

Email: Craig@redsquirrels.info

Frank Binyon (Grey squirrel control co-ordinator): Frank has a passionate interest in nature conservation and field sports. The secretary of the Anglesey Wildfowling Association he is a keen deer stalker and both breeds and trains gun-dogs. Born on Anglesey and a fluent Welsh speaker, he has been involved in woodland management for many years and co-ordinates the fieldwork within the grey squirrel eradication program.

Email: Frank@redsquirrels.info

Branwen Hughes (Red Squirrel Ranger): Branwen has spent much of her working life in the wilds of Canada co-ordinating biological sampling and habitat assessments. She has also worked on Anglesey where her family run farm and fencing businesses. She has taught English in China and has a passion for teaching and wildlife conservation. Branwen is co-ordinating small mammal, red squirrel monitoring, and community engagement on Anglesey.

Email: Branwen@redsquirrels.info

Alan Bennett (Grey squirrel Control): A weapons and mountain survival expert, Alan served for twenty five years in the Welsh Guards. With a passion for fieldsports, on retiring from the military he established a Pest Control Business and also manages a number of rough shoots on Anglesey.

 

Red Squirrels Trust Wales Directors

The Red Squirrels Trust Wales (Friends of the Anglesey Red Squirrels Trust) is a company limited by guarantee (Company Number 6248674). The Board typically has 8-12 members and holds an annual AGM.

Dr Raj Jones (Chair)

Mr Tom Carpenter

Mrs Ann Hesson

Mr Philip Snow (Secretary)

Mr Clifford Basterfield

Mr Edward Harvey

Mr David Morrison

Mr Robert Macaulay (Accountant)

Mr Stephen Neale

Ms Ffion Llwyd-Jones (Newsletter Editor)

 

 

The History of the Trust

The Trust have always believed that local action and support would deliver local success, and it was this ethos that has provided the platform for the red squirrel conservation program we see today.

The successful restoration of red squirrels on Anglesey was a task that has only been possible because of the hard work of many volunteers and passionate conservationists.

Judith Moss and Dr Raj Jones founded the Friends group with the support of Ralph Oxley (North Wales Wildlife Trust), Hugh Knott (Menter Mon), Rebecca & Gareth Pritchard, Martin Bailey (Wildlife & Countryside Services), Robert 'Bob' Lowe (Countryside Council for Wales) and Dr Craig Shuttleworth.

For over a decade we have pioneered public participation in red squirrel conservation; developing a suite of educational materials, leading guided walks, advising local woodland owners about management and building opportunities for people to see wild red squirrels.

Much of this educational work was fostered by Raymond Reynolds and Bethan Wyn-Jones and has been recognised with national awards (e.g. Ward Cup).

In 2008 we recognised that the long-term future of the practical conservation work would require significant core-funding and by the summer of 2011 we had raised almost £400,000.

The same year, the Trust rebranded as "Red Squirrels Trust Wales" and rolled out a landscape wide project to remove grey squirrels from large areas of Gwynedd.

Key Partners

Nick Jackson MBE - Director of The Welsh Mountain Zoo Colwyn Bay

Martin Gould / Robert Williams - Forestry Commission Wales

Bryn Jones - National Trust Wales

David Cowley/ Simon Hunt - Anglesey County Council

Sir Richard Williams Bulkeley - Country Landowners Association

Audrey Watson - BASC

Chris Wynne / Anna Budesha - North Wales Wilife Trust

Stephen Roberts - Anglesey Aluminium

Andy Wright - Parys Training

Nigel Brown - Treborth Gardens

Anthony Tavener - Plas Cadnant Estate

Tim Bowie - Meyrick Estates