MLWW ADVISOR PROFILES
MLWW has a team of independent advisors to support our enterprises develop and grow. They provide advice on a range of topics including business planning and incorporation, governance, woodland management, income streams, fundraising, HR and much more. For MLWW participant groups who would like to receive support from any of these advisors please email the project team at woodlands@plunkett.co.uk.
Steve Donagain is CEO of Hill Holt Wood, an award-winning environmental social enterprise in Norton Disney, Lincolnshire. Steve joined the company in 2005 as a Ranger, working his way up to become CEO in June 2016.
Steve has years of practical experience working in boreal forestry all over the world, including Russia, Canada and Finland. In his time at Hill Holt Wood, Steve has overseen the creation and management of numerous contracts and as CEO is responsible for the productive day-to-day running of the company, deriving income streams from the woodland to ensure the continuation of a lucrative business in an alternative setting.
Key skills Skills, leadership and livelihoods, Enterprise development, Forest management
As Director for Forestry and Rural Enterprise at the Sylva Foundation, Paul Orsi is an expert both in woodland management and supporting woodland social enterprises to establish and become sustainable. Paul has worked with a number of our groups from small, urban woodlands (Glue Collective) to larger, rural cooperatives such as Argyll Small Woods Coop.
Paul supports groups to map out their woodland assets, identify short- and long-term goals and develop a tailored woodland management plan. Paul’s professional experience encompasses forestry, farming, conservation and rural enterprise. He is also a professional land manager and in a previous role managed seven hundred hectares of woodland at Blenheim Palace.
Key skills Skills, leadership and livelihoods, Enterprise development, Forest management
Mark Simmonds is an experienced co-operative and community entrepreneur, delivering advice and support around all aspects of co-operative and other social enterprise development, management and governance. A member of Co-op Culture Mark has particular expertise in the following areas: designing legal and organisational structures, participatory planning with large groups, governance health checks – bespoke governance audit of your organisation and community finance and sustainable non-grant dependent finance.
