Cherwell Larder: Thursdays 11am, and Fridays at 4pm while supplies last at WISH, 4 The Parade, Kidlington. Ask to join our WhatsApp group for regular updates on additional distributions.

Meet the team

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Dr. Emily Connally

Managing Director
cherwellcollective@gmail.com
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Hailey Larson

Head of Marketing and Communications
marketing.cherwellcollective@gmail.com
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Jane Thurlow

Evaluation Lead
evaluation.wish@gmail.com
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Amanda Groom

Bicester Harvest @ Home Lead
harvestathome.bicester@gmail.com
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Sam Wheeler

Banbury Harvest @ Home Lead
banburyharvest@gmail.com
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Michael Hines

Director of Content & Research
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Cathy Howard

Research and Development Officer
research.dev.wish@gmail.com
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Victoria Russell

Programme Manager
program.manager.wish@gmail.com
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Migle Didzgalvyte

WISH Administrator
wasteinnovationstation@gmail.com

Board members

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Nancy Willis

Director, Cherwell Collective
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Alan Hardy

Director, Cherwell Collective
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Dr. Emily Connally

Managing Director
cherwellcollective@gmail.com

Dr. Emily L. Connally uses lived experience from her childhood in rural New Mexico to guide her vision of communities living within the planet’s resources. Before founding Cherwell Collective, Emily was an experimental psychologist with expertise in how the brain learns and how people’s behaviour changes.

She uses that knowledge to create spaces that are truly open to all, where people from any walk of life can connect without judgement or pressure, and where people build the infrastructure they want and need for climate resilience.

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Hailey Larson

Head of Marketing and Communications
marketing.cherwellcollective@gmail.com

After spending 8 years as a wedding photographer in the USA, Hailey chose to pursue a master’s in Sustainable Development from University of London SOAS. She joined the Cherwell Collective team at the start of the WISH pilot project in early 2022 as the part-time Creative Director, and transitioned into full-time Marketing and Comms in 2023. She loves to put together her artistic and eco-passions as she oversees branding, communications, campaigns, and marketing at Cherwell Collective.

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Jane Thurlow

Evaluation Lead
evaluation.wish@gmail.com

Jane is the Qualitative Evaluation Officer for WISH, working with partners and programs to evaluate the effectiveness of our work and inform strategy development. With a background in qualitative research, strategy, and innovation, Jane has worked across a diverse range of global and UK-based environmental and development NGOs and social enterprises, supporting them with developing evaluation frameworks and insight.

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Amanda Groom

Bicester Harvest @ Home Lead
harvestathome.bicester@gmail.com

Amanda looks after our three greenspace gardens in Bicester. She hosts weekly volunteer sessions, community groups, and corporate volunteers.  She holds a Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) qualification and is studying garden design.  She loves reading, writing, and travelling with her husband and dog in their Winnebago.

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Sam Wheeler

Banbury Harvest @ Home Lead
banburyharvest@gmail.com

Sam has always loved being outdoors and among nature. She has been a Community Lead with Harvest @ Home for three years. Helping others to enjoy the outdoors and learn about permaculture methods has been very rewarding.

Sam spent many childhood years in her granddad’s garden helping and learning.

Beyond Cherwell Collective, she is also a Home Help and Support person for older people with dementia, and loves working with the community. She volunteers at The Cornhill Centre, Banbury, and runs a weekly social club for older people. In her spare time she gardens at home and loves to go on walks. She spends time seeing her three grandchildren and her little dog is never far away.

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Michael Hines

Director of Content & Research

Michael Hines is a New York City-based freelance contractor who researches and writes on sustainability issues and the Carbon Cost of consumer behaviours. He is certified as Carbon Literate by the Carbon Literacy Project and has course certifications on climate change action, sustainable diets, e-waste reduction, and food waste from the UN Climate Change (UNCC) Learning Partnership. When not writing about sustainability, Mike also finds himself writing about media and entertainment, technology, finance, and healthcare for a variety of global companies.

 

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Cathy Howard

Research and Development Officer
research.dev.wish@gmail.com

Cathy provides research to support the team in promoting WISH’s objectives.

Her background is in information technology (IT) and the voluntary sector, including running a food waste charity. Outside of work, Cathy loves being with family, cooking and politics. She’s also a keen cyclist and tennis player.

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Victoria Russell

Programme Manager
program.manager.wish@gmail.com

Victoria brings over 15 years of experience in finance, operations, and business support to the team. With a background as a finance analyst and operations coordinator, since 2016 has led Aplin Accountancy Ltd, a growing bookkeeping firm with a small team. Victoria also volunteers as a business mentor through the government’s Help to Grow scheme, supporting small business owners across the UK.

Alongside her work at Cherwell Collective, she recently founded Inspired Minds UK Consulting, a business mentoring service designed to support individuals in ways that suit their unique needs and learning styles. She is passionate about inclusive work environments, accessible learning, and sustainability—a core value she shares with Cherwell Collective and actively promotes within her own businesses. Victoria is keen to support Cherwell Collective’s mission to build stronger, more sustainable and connected communities.

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Migle Didzgalvyte

WISH Administrator
wasteinnovationstation@gmail.com

Migi moved from Lithuania to the UK at age 11. With a background in psychology, she thrives in dynamic roles that call for adaptability and quick thinking. As the full-time Administrator for WISH, she oversees daily operations, manages the building space, and leads events and programmes. Migi also supports wider Cherwell Collective initiatives like the Oxford Party Library and community engagement, playing a vital role in keeping everything running smoothly.

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Nancy Willis

Director, Cherwell Collective

Nancy Willis is one of the directors at Cherwell Collective. She assists in holding management accountable, overseeing finances, and approving business plans and strategy. She lives with her husband and two children in Michigan, USA and works as a mental health therapist. Nancy is grateful to be part of the important work that Cherwell Collective gets to do!

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Alan Hardy

Director, Cherwell Collective
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Meet the Team

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Meet the Team