Local Access Forum Members' Profiles
Jonathan Bateman
Jonathan is an active countryside user, with over 20 years of mountain biking, climbing and hill walking experience. He has also previously been an enthusiastic horse rider, kayaker and sailor. Jonathan is an archaeologist and currently works for the Archeology Data Service at the University of York. He has a particular interest in the historic character of the landscape and people's living and working relationships with it.
John Batt
John is a North Yorkshire County Councillor, Knaresborough Town Councillor and School Governor. Before retirement, he was an ICT and Management Consultant to blue chip companies and Government Agencies in England and Germany. He is a horse rider and life member of the Arab Horse Society and a keen walker with his dogs. His interests include tourism, conservation and recreation. John is enthusiastic about promoting outdoor activities, ensuring that exploited land is restored to use for green leisure activites and the promotion of green gyms.
John Cavana
John is the Wildlife Ranger at Fylingdales Moor. He is also a dog trainer specialising in gun-dogs.
Paul Cody
Paul Cody is the Recreation & Environment Manager for all of the Forestry Commission's land holdings in North Yorkshire. He has lived and worked in the area for the last 10 years. Prior to coming Yorkshire, Paul work for the Forestry Commission in Norfolk from 1992 and before that worked on a private estate in Wiltshire.
Catriona Cook
Farmer and a traditional food producer. Trustee of the Byways and Bridleways Trust, former trustee of the British Horse Society and present British Horse Society Regional Access Officer. Catriona is also a former Conciliator for complaints against the NHS Primary Care Trust.
Catherine Cussons
Catherine farms land in the National Park near Scarborough including areas under the Stewardship Scheme with access provision, and agreements with the National Park Authority for Woodland and Conservation management. Qualified in Floristry, she has run part time classes. Catherine is treasurer of Scarborough Deaf Children’s Society, past President and current Vice-President of Snainton Young Farmers’ Club and a committee member of Scarborough National Farmers’ Union, also has just been Chairman of Scarborough Farmers Club for 3 years.
George Dawson
George is a qualified Chemical Engineer with 30 years experience of plant construction and operation. He is currently semi-retired, running his own company which provides project engineering support. He has twelve years service as a district councillor in the New Forest and twenty years service as a parish councillor. He is a keen walker and also enjoys cycling and horse riding.
Peter Hay
Peter has over 10 years’ experience of access negotiation as the Access and Conservation representative for the British Mountaineering Council (BMC) for North Yorkshire, Cleveland and Durham. He was a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and has been chair of the BMC North East and the Cleveland Mountaineering Club. Peter regularly climbs, walks, cycles and mountain bikes in the National Park and is a member of the Ramblers’ Association.
Jan King
Jan is the Chair of the North York Moors Disability Advisory Group and the Vice Chair of the Whitby and District Disablement Action Group (DAG) Management Committee. She is also a volunteer access advisor for Whitby DAG and a Trustee and volunteer with Scarborough, Whitby and Ryedale MIND. Jan is also Clerk to Governors for Castleton Community Primary School.
Elizabeth Kirk
Elizabeth was a founder and Trustee of the Byways and Bridleway Trust with, a particular interest in minor highways. She is a keen rider and walker and until 2007 ran a very small farm with holiday cottages at Newton Upon Rawcliffe. A Member of the National Park Committee/Authority from 1991-98 she chaired Park Services Committee from 1997-98. Earlier she was a Countryside Commissioner for 8 years and has held other appointments in forestry and sport. She is a member of the NYM Association and has done voluntary work for the National Trust and various more parochial bodies.
David Leyshon
David has been the Footpath Secretary for the North Yorkshire and South Durham Area of the Ramblers Association for over 10 years. He retired from a senior management position in ICI Teesside in 1985 and walks extensively throughout the National Park, covering most of the rights of way network for path surveys and was a National Park Committee member from 1992 to 1996.
Muriel Mitchell
Muriel worked for several blue chip companies in Business Administration and then moved into further education as a Lecturer, teaching in a variety of colleges in West Yorkshire. She then worked for the YMCA, followed by the Leeds Training and Enterprise Council as a Programme Advisor. She is experienced in contract negotiations, quality development, marketing and bidding for Government and EU Funding. Muriel was also part of the Yorkshire and Humberside Regional NVQ Network. She was heavily involved in Project Development and is responsible for the development of a Vocational Qualification for the socially disadvantaged. She acted as a Consultant for the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry Examinations Board. She is a keen Rambler and amateur photographer.
Amanda Peacock
Amanda works in cultural and natural heritage management for PLB Ltd on both consultancy and design projects. She is particularly interested in intellectual and social/ cultural access to the countryside having worked on a wide range of access and engagement studies. Amanda was part of the consultancy team that worked on the North York Moors National Park Recreation and Access Strategy. She is also a member of York Mountaineering Club and enjoys walking and mountain biking in the National Park.
Steve Scoffin
Druridge Bay Development Manager for Northumberland Wildlife Trust on behalf of the wider Druridge Bay Partnership, and a consultant with 30 years experience in countryside management.
A member of both the Tees Valley and the County Durham Local Access Forums, interests include social inclusion, countryside recreation and access, wildlife, archaeology and cultural heritage, and a strong support of protected landscapes and the rural economy. A Voluntary Ranger with the North York Moors National Park Authority, and an Accredited Assessor for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award on Dartmoor and the North York Moors.
Norma Taylor
Norma has worked in architecture and planning, tourism and recreation and the health service. She has also held a variety of voluntary positions with education including: secretary and chair of a local play group and PTA, a parent helper and 14 years as a school governor including Chair of Governors at a local secondary school. Her interests, therefore, include: tourism, recreation (social and educational) health and the community. She is a keen conservationist with a love of nature and wildlife and a keen walker and cyclist.
George Winn-Darley
George owns and manages a grouse moor in the National Park much of which is registered common. Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and a Fellow of the Association of Agricultural Valuers, he is a partner in a land-agency business specializing in rural estate management in the north of England. Committee membership includes the Yorkshire branch of the Country Land and Business Association, the National Committee of the Moorland Association and chair of the Yorkshire Branch. George is vice-chairman of the National Park Authority’s Primary Land Users’ Group, and member of both the Moorland Group and the Fire Liaison Panel. Governor of the Bracken Advisory Committee, he is also a Council member of the North York Moors Association and a Trustee of the Ryedale Folk Museum in Hutton le Hole.
