Forestry Commissioners' Register of Interests
Updated 12 August 2026
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Baroness Barbara Young (Non-Executive Chair)
| Directorships | ||
|---|---|---|
| Company | Date of appointment | Date of resignation |
| Woodland Trust | July 2015 | July 2024 |
| Labour Climate and Environment Forum | November 2023 | January 2026 |
| Peers for the Planet | October 2025 | Current |
| Royal Veterinary College | July 2019 | July 2025 |
Any other matters
- Member of the House of Lords October 1997 to present
- Ambassador, Woodland Trust July 2024 to present
- Vice-president, RSPB
- Honorary Fellow, Chartered Institute of Water Management 2004 to present
- Patron, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire Wildlife Trust 2021 to present
- Honorary Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Water Conservators 2024 to present
Richard Stanford (Executive Commissioner)
| Directorships | ||
|---|---|---|
| Company | Date of appointment | Date of resignation |
| Haramel Group LLP | February 2021 | 19 November 2024 |
| British Omani Society (Trustee Director) | December 2021 | Current |
| Other public appointments | ||
| Role | Date of appointment | Date of resignation |
| Chair, Welsh Guards Charity | July 2015 | August 2021 |
Any other matters
Fellow of Royal Geographical Society, Chartered Management Institute.
Memberships:
- British Deer Society
- Defence Deer Management
- Liveryman of Merchant Taylor’s Company
- British Omani Society, Royal Forestry Society
- Institute of Chartered Foresters
- Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust
Pamela Abbott (Non-Executive Commissioner)
| Directorships | ||
|---|---|---|
| Company | Date of appointment | Date of resignation |
| Citizen Zoo CIC (Chair) | March 2016 | Current |
| Close relations and friends | ||
| Name | Company | Relationship |
| Gabriella Abbott-Gribben | RSPB | Daughter |
Any other matters
Citizen Zoo was awarded species recovery funding from Natural England and receives Forestry Commission permission and Natural England consents to survey and collect large marsh grasshoppers (Stethophyma grossum) from New Forest sites for breeding and reintroduction to designated wetlands sites across the east of England as part of the Hop of Hope project in collaboration with Norfolk Wildlife Trust, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire (BCN) Wildlife Trust, Ted Ellis Trust and Natural England.
Chair of IUCN UK Ecosystem Restoration Working Group.
Assessor and Professional Mentor for University of Cambridge MPhil in Conservation Leadership.
Independent member of IUCN UK National Executive Committee. Also a member of:
- IUCN UK Protected Areas Working Group
- IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas
- IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management
- Cambridge Conservation Forum (CCF) (and former Chair)
- CCF Women in Conservation Leadership (and co-founder)
- Cambridge Past, Present and Future (and former trustee)
- BCN Wildlife Trust
- Friends of University of Cambridge Botanic Garden
- Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) Athletics Club
- Cambridge and Coleridge Athletics Club
- Enfield and Haringey Athletics Club
- Eastern Masters Athletics Club
- Civil Service Sports and Social Club
Regular Run Director and Member of Fulbourn Hospital parkrun core team.
Consultancy for Natural Cambridgeshire to create a delivery plan for the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough local nature recovery strategy on behalf of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough combined authority.
Registered volunteer stock checker for Natural England at Chippenham Fen.
Currently seeking Natural England consent and Norfolk Wildlife Trust research permits to add surveying and collection of bog bush-crickets (Metrioptera brachyptera) for head-starting and breeding as an extension to the Hop of Hope Project.
Licenced England Athletics Track and Field Coach.
Arthur (Jo) Bradwell (Non-Executive Commissioner)
| Directorships | ||
|---|---|---|
| Company | Date of appointment | Date of resignation |
| Shelmore Timber Limited | 2018 | Current |
| Betula Investments | 2012 | Current |
| Juglans Investments | 2012 | Current |
| Platanus Investments | 2012 | Current |
| Salix Investments | 2012 | Current |
| OQS Investments | 2012 | Current |
| Calstock Estates Limited | 2009 | Current |
| Immunepeptides Limited | 2008 | Current |
| Binding Site Ltd | 2018 | January 2023 |
Any other matters
Partner of Norbury Park:
- owner of 2,200 acres including 1,400 acres of woodland, recipient of Forestry Commission woodland creation, maintenance and capital grants
- commercial sawmill trading as Shelmore Timber
- development and sale of squirrel traps trading as Guarantree
The University of Birmingham: member of Birmingham Institute of Forestry Research (BIFoR) advisory group.
Funder: The JABBS Foundation (registered charity number 1128402), which is the major funder of BIFoR (The University of Birmingham) and other forestry related research.
President: Birmingham Medical Research Expeditionary Society (registered charity number 277893).
Trustee of: The Arthur Bradwell Discretionary Settlement 2012.
Professor of Immunology 1999 (retired), DSc (Hon), University of Birmingham.
Honorary Doctorate, University of Liege, Belgium.
Honorary Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Foresters.
Member of:
- Royal Forestry Society
- Dutch Barge Association
- Royal Yachting Association
Paul Brannen (Non-Executive Commissioner)
| Directorships | ||
|---|---|---|
| Company | Date of appointment | Date of resignation |
| European Confederation of the Woodworking Industries and European Organisation of the Sawmill Industry | 2020 | Current |
| Confederation of Timber Industries | January 2025 | Current |
| Timber Development UK | 2020 | January 2025 |
Any other matters
Member of:
- Labour Party
- GMB
- National Trust
- Woodland Trust
- European Parliament 2014 to 2019
Kate Cheetham (Non-Executive Commissioner)
| Directorships | ||
|---|---|---|
| Company | Date of appointment | Date of resignation |
| Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales | December 2023 | |
| Close relations and friends | ||
| Name | Company | Relationship |
| Neil MacDonald | Orchard Park Farm | Friend |
| David Barbour | Corner Farm, Stalbridge planting grant received from the Forestry Commission | Friend |
Any other matters
Chief Legal Officer, Lloyds Banking Group and Company Secretary of Lloyds Banking Group plc, Lloyds Bank plc, Bank of Scotland plc and Halifax Bank of Scotland plc.
Member of:
- Dorset Historic Churches Trust
- Fauna & Flora and JUSTICE
- National Art Collection Fund
- National Gallery
- National Trust
- Royal Academy
- Wallace Collection
- Maperton Parochial Church Council (and secretary)
Dr Becky Heaton (Executive Commissioner)
| Directorships | ||
|---|---|---|
| Company | Date of appointment | Date of resignation |
| Rebecca Heaton Ltd | September 2024 | Current |
| Other public appointments | ||
| Role | Date of appointment | Date of resignation |
| Non-Executive Director, Port of Milford Haven | Announced in July 2026, will commence in September 2026 | Current |
Any other matters
Occasional Advisor to KPMG UK, Stonehaven Group, Planet First Registry and Severn Wye Nature Partnership.
Member of:
- Crown Estate Welsh Forum
- Member of the Institute of Chartered Foresters
- National Trust
- Royal Horticultural Society
- Radnorshire Wildlife Trust
Mike Kapur (Executive Commissioner)
| Directorships | ||
|---|---|---|
| Company | Date of appointment | Date of resignation |
| Signum Corporate Communications Ltd | 2002 | Current |
| National Space Centre | 2009 | Current |
| Leicester City Football Club Trust Ltd | 2017 | Current |
| National Forest Company | 2017 | 2025 |
| Guardian Risk Ltd | 2026 | Current |
| Other public appointments | ||
| Role | Date of appointment | Date of resignation |
| Pro Chancellor De Montfort University | 2012 | Current |
| Independent Panel Member Defra | 2020 | Current |
Any other matters
Statutory Member of the National Forest Company since December 2025.
Clair Jennifer Price (Non-Executive Commissioner)
| Directorships | ||
|---|---|---|
| Company | Date of appointment | Date of resignation |
| Agates Price Ltd | March 2019 | Current |
| Close relations and friends | ||
| Name | Company | Relationship |
| David Teasdale | Goodform – Chairman and minority shareholder. Company providing data and membership services to a range of clients mainly in the sport and charity sectors | Husband |
Any other matters
Trustee, Canal and River Trust.
Expert Advisor, Portas Consulting.
Chair, supervisory board, International Tennis Integrity Agency.
Occasional expert advisor, the World Health Organisation.
Consultant to MHR, HR payroll and software providers.
Consultant, Goodform Limited.
Member of:
- National Trust
- Sport Honours Committee
Neil Sachdev (Non-Executive Commissioner)
| Directorships | ||
|---|---|---|
| Company | Date of appointment | Date of resignation |
| Association of Chartered Certified Accountants Global (Non-Executive Director) | December 2025 | Current |
| Arnolfini Arts Centre (Independent Chair of Trustees) | December 2024 | Current |
| Chair Hornby Plc | ||
| (Independent Chair) | July 2024 | July 2025 |
| HM Land Registry (Independent Chair) | September 2022 | Current |
| East West Rail Co (Independent Chair) | March 2021 | Current |
| Defence Infrastructure Organisation for the Ministry of Defence (Independent Chair) | March 2020 | Current |
| London Continental Railways | February 2021 | Current |
| Network Rail Property Ltd | July 2016 | Current |
| Repair and Restore Palace of Westminster | April 2020 | December 2024 |
| Nuffield Health | November 2018 | July 2024 |
| Westonbirt FOWA | September 2023 | October 2024 |
| Cake Box plc | July 2018 | November 2023 |
| Exclusive Contracts Ltd | March 2015 | November 2023 |
| Connecting Places Catapult | November 2025 | July 2026 |
| Other public appointments | ||
| Role | Date of appointment | Date of resignation |
| Magistrate (Family Courts) | February 2024 | Current |
| Chair of Governing Council of the University of Warwick | August 2025 | Current |
| Close relations and friends | ||
| Name | Company | Relationship |
| Helen Sachdev | Wife runs a coaching and consulting business: Work, Me and the Baby | Wife |
Any other matters
Owns an advisory business: Querkus ltd. Joint ownership with wife Helen Sachdev.
John Varley OBE TD (Non-Executive Commissioner)
| Directorships | ||
|---|---|---|
| Company | Date of appointment | Date of resignation |
| Blackhill 2023 Limited | November 2023 | Current |
| Ferum Limited | July 2023 | Current |
| Braundshill Holdings Limited | March 2017 | Current |
| Granary Ford Management Limited | July 2016 | Current |
| Liverton Solar Ltd | May 2014 | Current |
| Huntshaw Ltd | May 2014 | Current |
| Liverton 2014 Limited | January 2014 | Current |
| Clinton Renewables Limited | January 2014 | Current |
| Pencleave 2 Limited | August 2013 | Current |
| Liverton Business Park 2012 Limited | July 2012 | Current |
| Pencleave 1 Limited | October 2011 | Current |
| Pencleave Limited | August 2011 | Current |
| Liverton Business Park 2011 Limited | July 2011 | Current |
| Clinton Devon Estates Limited | July 2011 | Current |
| Littleham 2010 Limited | June 2010 | Current |
| CCH Europe Limited | August 2007 | Current |
| The Natural Game Company Limited | August 2005 | Current |
| East Devon Heaths Land Management Company Limited | April 2005 | Current |
| East Devon Pebblebed Heaths Conservation Trust | April 2005 | Current |
| The Natural Meat Company Limited | March 2005 | Current |
| FilmIt Locations Limited | November 2002 | Current |
| CCH Property Company Limited | December 2000 | Current |
| Lord Clinton’s Charitable Trust | April 2000 | Current |
| Other public appointments | ||
| Role | Date of appointment | Date of resignation |
| Non-Executive Director, Countryside Agency | 2022 | 2006 |
| Non-Executive Director, Commission of Rural Communities | August 2006 | April 2009 |
| Non-Executive Director, Environment Agency | September 2009 | April 2021 |
| Non-Executive Director, Natural England | March 2015 | May 2017 |
Any other matters
Chief Executive of Clinton Devon Estates, which owns and manages around 1,900ha of woodlands in Devon. The estate benefits from Forestry Commission related grants for the woodlands in its ownership. John Varley is a salaried employee and does not benefit directly from any grant or other income or ownership of any asset.
Chaired the Varley Review (Network Rail Vegetation Management Review) for the rail minister in 2018. This review considered Network Rail’s management of trees at the lineside. John Varley is currently undertaking a further review on behalf of Network Rail into its management practices, which includes management of lineside trees.
Chair and trustee of the East Devon Pebblebed Heaths Conservation Trust, which manages heathland within a national nature reserve. This involves tree felling under licence from the Forestry Commission.
Member (and former Chair) of the Estate Business Group, a membership organisation of larger private UK estates. Some with significant forestry interests.