The new Plant Heritage Trustees are will play a key role in supporting the horticultural conservation charity’s mission to protect the diversity of UK garden plants. Amongst them, is Claire Farrer, a former GP of 30 years who co-holds a shared National Plant Collection of Noel Burr’s daffodils and is currently studying an MSc in Biodiversity and Conservation at Kew and Queen Mary University.
Jasmine Jahromi brings nearly 15 years of experience in the humanitarian sector, where she worked on sustainable agriculture and gardening initiatives in Afghanistan and Iraq to improve nutrition and wellbeing. She continues to nurture her own urban garden in London. John Humphreys, with a background in the agricultural industry and a lifelong passion for gardening, was influenced by a relative who was Head Gardener at Cefn Park, Wrexham. He is active member of Plant Heritage’s Yorkshire Group.
Sally Flatman, a former BBC radio producer, brings her storytelling expertise to Plant Heritage. She now produces and presents the charity’s ‘Our Plant Stories’ podcast, sharing the wonders of plants through engaging narratives. David Mathers, with 35 years in banking, including a decade as CFO of a major bank, is Vice Chair of the RHS Orchid Committee and co-founder of The Mathers Foundation. The foundation holds four National Plant Collections and was awarded the 2024 Brickell Award for its outstanding in situ conservation work.
Sir Roderick Newton, a former High Court judge who has been collecting old-fashioned daffodils, bearded irises, pelargoniums, and cymbidiums for over 50 years, is now currently developing a National Plant Collection of pre-1950 bearded irises. Finally, Della Weight, with over 30 years in fundraising and strategic planning brings her wealth of experience of supporting charities worldwide to Plant Heritage. Outside of work, she is restoring her own garden to its original layout.
Each new Trustee will act as an ambassador for Plant Heritage, working closely with CEO Gwen Hines, the charity’s dedicated staff team and volunteers, and existing Trustees and Vice Presidents. They join the existing Board comprising Cecilia Bufton (Chair), Jim Marshall VMH (Vice Chair), Gareth Morgan (Treasurer), Emma Crawforth and Kavita Kapoor. Plant Heritage has also said fond farewell to long-standing Trustees Catherine Penny MBE and sustainable gardening journalist Sally Nex who have finished their terms on the Board but will continue to support the charity in other ways.
“I am thrilled to welcome Plant Heritage’s new Trustees. Their extensive experience in their respective sectors, combined with their passion and knowledge for plants, will be invaluable as we continue to grow and evolve. With their guidance, I am confident that together we will achieve even greater things in the future and truly make a difference,” said Gwen Hines, CEO Plant Heritage.
Founded in 1978, Plant Heritage works to conserve and safeguard the UK’s horticultural heritage and diversity of garden plants by keeping living examples of rare plants in the National Plant Collections scheme, or with Plant Guardians.