ABOUT THE PEOPLE

Mark grew up at the farm and now enjoys welcoming young people to it, where they can enjoy the benefits from learning and working in a farm setting. Before coming back to the farm full time in 2012, Mark spent periods volunteering with young people in Brazil and Bolivia, supporting youth and agricultural development projects. With an agriculture degree and PGCE from Newcastle University, Mark spent two years teaching in a middle school in Northumberland, before going onto work for DART Training as an agricultural tutor. Mark delivered programs for 14-19 year olds and went on to co-ordinate the land-based provision across schools in Derbyshire.

Mark hopes to develop Lowberdale Farm, so that he can work alongside more young people on the farm in the future and see them develop and grow.

Angie initially enjoyed coming to the farm with her daughter Emily, who has cerebral palsy and learning disabilities. Angie saw how the therapeutic nature of the farm setting supports emotional regulation, encourages social interaction, and provides a powerful sense of routine and purpose. 

Angie lives near Leek, where with her husband, she has brought up four children. She has over 30 years of experience working as a nurse and service manager supporting young adults with learning disabilities and neurodiversities, within health and social care and educational settings.

Angie started supporting a young person who attends the farm in March 2025, with a high level of success, due largely to her caring, emphatic and fun nature. She is excited about supporting more young people to benefit from attending Lowberdale in the future.

Liz retired to Hartington in 2018 and was delighted to join the board of trustees at Lowberdale Farm. 

With 34 years of experience as an educational professional, having worked as a geography teacher, humanities advisor, Ofsted inspector and headteacher during that time, Liz is perfectly placed to support the Lowberdale Farm project and is looking forward to working with the team to develop more opportunities for young people on the farm.

Dorothy has had three careers – first as a Software Engineer, then as a full-time mum bringing up four children and finally as a Maths teacher working in Further Education and Sixth Form. In 2018 she retired from teaching and moved to an old farmhouse near Hartington where, amongst other things, she and her husband welcome guests to their holiday accommodation. 

She has always enjoyed being involved with children and young people in a voluntary capacity and hopes that as a trustee she will be able to help Lowberdale develop, particularly in an administrative role.

Henry moved to a farm in the Peak District on turning 50 and left behind his successful career in Chartered Accountancy to begin a new chapter in the countryside. 

 Having established a farming lifestyle with a flock of sheep, a herd of rare breed cattle and holiday cottages for let, Henry wished to use the knowledge he had gained within the local community and saw the Lowberdale Farm project as an ideal opportunity to become involved.

Andy has enjoyed helping at the farm for a number of years, particularly at lambing time. He loves getting stuck into cleaning out pens and dealing with problems as they arise – bringing with him a good deal of positive energy and fun. 

Andy originally trained as a construction manager and went onto run multi million pound projects in London for around 10 years, managing all aspects of the work from planning, project management, safety, coordination and handover. 

Following a year out working on water and sanitation projects in South Sudan, Andy trained as a water manager and now manages wastewater networks across the Midlands. Andy is very keen to support young people to come to the farm in whatever way he can, including as secretary.

Philip loves being practically involved around the farm. After a career around the agriculture industry, in consultancy and banking, helping farmers and their families to make their businesses better, sustainably and environmentally, for them and their future generations. Philip has recently retired to live in Hartington.

Philip says, ‘It's now great helping Mark, getting my boots dirty and helping the young people reap the benefits of being involved with Lowberdale and seeing what the agricultural industry has to offer.'

Fiona was a primary school teacher for 18 years and also worked as a learning support assistant. She has run a wide variety of school clubs and activities, from STEM and Code Clubs to gymnastics and skating and is a great believer in presenting children with wide-ranging opportunities beyond the usual curriculum to help equip them with skills and interests for their future lives. 

Now retired, Fiona and her husband have acquired a small wood near to Lowberdale. They are keen to use this as a backdrop to scientific investigations, art, literacy or practical woodland skills. It also provides a calm space to reconnect with the natural world.

Tamara is currently working as a Welfare and Safeguarding Officer at Derby College. Prior to this she worked as a Residential Warden at Derby College, and Cover Supervisor at Derby Moor Academy. 

Tamara has been involved in youth and children’s work for 21 years, especially with the Girl’s Brigade, where she is currently Captain of the 23rd Derby Brigade. Tamara studied Agriculture at College, and has worked on various farms, but particularly enjoyed volunteering at Lowberdale Farm, over a number of years. Tamara was very excited to be asked to join the board of trustees in 2021.

Malcolm was born in Zimbabwe and spent his childhood between rural missions and boarding school in England. After graduating as a physicist he worked in planning, designing, building and operating chemical plants across 5 continents. He qualified late in his career as a secondary science teacher and as well as working in schools has helped as a volunteer and leading youth clubs and Pathfinders in different churches. 

In 2018 he retired and moved to an old farmhouse near Hartington where he and his wife welcome guests to their holiday accommodation and have a small flock of hebridean sheep. He enjoys working with children at Lowberdale, where he continues to learn more about sheep.

Jacqui recently moved to Hartington and joined the Lowberdale team as a general volunteer in April 2025, just in time for a first experience of farm life in lambing season.

Jacqui is retired from many years working as a medical editor and is enjoying rediscovering life outdoors.

Jacqui has enjoyed seeing the progress of the farming year and of the energetic young people as they develop their teamwork and skills. She says, ‘working with the young people, who dig in to every task asked of them and have so much knowledge of farming, is so impressive—I learn something every day here, too.’

Jo is passionate about supporting young people and has dedicated most of her adult life to helping them thrive. She began through sports coaching and, in recent years, has progressed into coaching, counselling, and youth work.

With a professional background in sales and marketing management, Jo has raised two daughters and two stepdaughters, giving her first-hand experience of the challenges and rewards of teenage life.

After returning to Derbyshire, Jo focused her efforts on supporting young people who need additional guidance and support. She worked as a Family and Child Support Worker in a local primary school and currently works with young people aged 10–16 through a local youth charity. Outside of work, she enjoys developing her small holding with her family.

Since volunteering at the farm in December 2025, Jo has particularly enjoyed helping young people become active, connect with the outdoors, and build confidence through working with animals. Seeing them develop new skills and self-belief, and then carry that confidence into their everyday lives, is one of the most rewarding aspects of her role.

Ruth worked on her family’s Chatsworth Estate farm at Shottle after leaving school. She married John and came to the farm in 1973. They were blessed with two sons and two daughters. Mark is the second eldest. 

Ruth has always enjoyed working with animals and appreciates the satisfaction of feeding and caring for them. Ruth also finds it rewarding to share and care for the young people who come to the farm to work and learn and seeing them grow in confidence and ability.

George has recently discovered a strong passion for working with young people in outdoor environments, inspired by his experience delivering educational outdoor activities at local YHA centres.

Having grown up in the local village of Warslow and attended local schools, George went on to study History at Keele University and is now pursuing a Certificate in Creative Writing at the University of Cambridge, whilst writing a dystopian novel.

Diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 22, George has gained valuable insight into many of the challenges he faced throughout his education and in social settings. Though highly motivated, he often found revision, asking questions, and exams particularly difficult—experiences that have helped him appreciate the importance of earlier specialised support.

George now enjoys volunteering at the farm, aware of many of the challenges that young people with neuro-diversities and associated anxieties face, whilst connecting with them in a calm, friendly and fun way.