the team

Enhancing green spaces in London where all natural pollinators can thrive, and their habitats can be enjoyed by all.

Board Members

John Burton

Chairman

Liveryman, Worshipful Company of Wax Chandlers & Freeman in the Company of Entrepreneurs

John is a Liveryman in the Worshipful Company of Wax Chandlers, a Freeman in the Company of Entrepreneurs and became Chairman of Pollinating London Together in 2020. John has spent his career in supporting developing world small scale fisheries. He is Chairman and major shareholder of World Wise Foods whose principal business is the supply of canned Pole and Line caught tuna to leading retailers around the world. John is a founding trustee of International Pole & Line Foundation and Sustainable Fisheries and Communities. John is also Charman of E-Cargobikes providers of cost effective zero emission delivery services to retailers in the UK, he is also an Honorary Fellow in the School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society at Heriot-Watt University.

Dr Heather Barrett-Mold OBE

Vice Chair

Past Master, Worshipful Company of Gardeners

Heather is a Chartered Scientist, Horticulturist, and Environmentalist. Currently a consultant. Heather is an ecologist/environmental scientist. She was Principal/CEO of Pershore Group of Colleges. She was a member of the Government Advisory Panel on Sustainable Development Education for its lifetime of 5 years, and Advisor on the Secretary of State Sounding Board. Heather was an expert with the Commission for Sustainable London 2012, and Secretary of State Board member for the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. She is a Fellow of the Linnaean Society, Vice President of the Institution of Environmental Science, and Past President of the Institute of Horticulture and was Chair of the Science Council.

Anthony Bickmore

Deputy Master, Worshipful Company of Wax Chandlers

Anthony’s career in property and long term interest in creating sustainable places has led him to take an interest in the importance of, but decline in, pollinators. During his career he held a number of senior positions including at The Crown Estate (Director of Urban Estates), Transport for London (Head of Property) and the Cabinet Office (Property Expert). Anthony is a Trustee of the Land Trust, a national charity managing 3,000 ha of green space.

Anthony is a Past Master of the Worshipful Company of Wax Chandlers and a beekeeper.

Steve Emmins

Past Master, The Worshipful Company of Security Professionals

Steve has been in the security industry for over 34 years, holding several senior security positions within the private sector, currently with JCI-Tyco Integrated Solutions as an account Director, specialising in the Bio Chem and Life Sciences sector. The Past Master of The Worshipful Company of Security Professionals 2021/2022, prior the chair of marketing and fundraising committee for 3 years. An active member of ASIS since 2000 and finishing his board term in 2021. Steve is also on the Committee of the City of London Crime Prevention Association for 12 years and is also a Trustee of CoLCPA charity. He has supported PLT for a numbers of years and joined the fundraising committee in 2022, becoming a board member in September 2022.

Steve Smith

Court Assistant, Worshipful Company of Information Technologists

CTO of Astro Technology Group a business co-founded by Steve in 1984. Steve is passionate about IT and telecommunications apprenticeships having developed a successful apprenticeship programme in Astro. Steve was made an Honorary Fellow of the Institute of Telecommunications Professionals in 2018 in recognition of his service to the industry and in 2019 he became an Apprenticeship Ambassador for the London Apprenticeship Ambassador Network. Steve joined the WCIT in 2014 and is Court Assistant. In 2023 Steve received The Institute of Telecoms Professional Special Recognition Award for 50 Years of Outstanding Service and Commitment to the Industry.

Virginia Bond

Past Master, Worshipful Company of Cooks

Virginia is a Past Master of The Worshipful Company of Cooks, the first lady master in the company’s history since 1482. She is an active member of the Livery world including being a member of the Cook’s Trustees advisory Panel, a member of the City Livery Club and The Royal Society of St George. A keen supporter of Treloars School and a member of their Gala Committee Virginia is also a Representative Governor of Christ’s Hospital School supporting the Cook’s two presentees. Recent additions are being a committee member in The Lady master’s Association and part of the executive committee for a potential candidate for the Non-Aldermanic Sheriff.

David Sales

Past Master, Worshipful Company of Insurers & Elected Member of the City of London Common Council

David is a Chartered Insurance Broker and has worked in the London insurance market since leaving school. He specialises in the aviation sector of the industry and is a Certified Aviation Insurance Professional (CAIP). . Having spent his entire working life in the City of London, David is extremely passionate about the City of London and proudly promotes it. David has an active engagement with the City Civic and had the honour of being Master of the Worshipful Company of Insurers from 2020 to 2022. In March 2022 David was elected as a City of London Common Councillor for Aldgate Ward. Other City of London related interests include membership of the City Livery Club and the Aldgate Ward Club, where David is past President.

Mark Huxley

Past Master of the Worshipful Company of Entrepreneur

Mark has dedicated his entire career to the City of London, building and supporting businesses within the iconic Lloyd’s insurance ecosystem. Over the last 30 years, he has been an active entrepreneur, founding several organisations serving the risk and insurance sector. His deep-rooted passion for the City’s future has grown to include climate action and social inclusivity. After informally supporting Pollinating London Together, he is now proud to serve as a trustee—using five decades of experience and connections to help restore biodiversity, bring back lost pollinators, and inspire environmental awareness across generations.

Paolo Cuomo

Paolo Cuomo, Court Assistant, Worshipful Company of Insurers, and Liveryman, Worshipful Company of Engineers

Paolo has worked at the heart of the City in the insurance industry since 2009. He focuses on business growth and technology-enabled innovation. He’s been part of teams that have set up multiple Lloyd’s syndicates as well as the Lloyd’s Lab, and co-founded InsTech, the world’s largest Insurtech association. Paolo initially studied engineering beginning his career with Arup and is a Chartered Engineer and Fellow of the Institute of Engineering and Technology. As well as a Liveryman Paolo is a member of the City Livery Club, the United Wards Club and the Guild of Freemen. Paolo grew up in a farm in Kent, surrounded by wildlife, with an unhealthy interest in identifying birds and mammals from their dung and droppings.

Support Team

Dr Konstantinos Tsiolis – Pollinator Ecologist
Gemma Waugh – Operations Manager
Joris Rockx – Communications Assistant

Working Groups

Science Working Group

Dr Heather Barrett-Mold OBE (Chair) The Worshipful Company of Gardeners
Ass. Prof. Katherine Baldock, Northumbria University

Anthony Bickmore, The Worshipful Company of Wax Chandlers
Rob Casey, The Worshipful Company of Water Conservators
Becky Clover, Natural History Museum

Prof Martin Collins, The Worshipful Company of Educators
Dr Tim Cutler, The Worshipful Company of Barber Surgeons
Andrew Gibb, The Worshipful Company of Wax Chandlers
Alex Hirtzel, PLT Artist Ambassador
Dr Abigail Lowe, Natural History Museum
Joris Rockx, Pollinating London Together
Dr Andrew Salisbury, RHS

Dr Konstantinos Tsiolis, Pollinating London Together

Gemma Waugh, Pollinating London Together

Events Working Group

Anthony Bickmore (Chair), Worshipful Company of Wax Chandlers
Dr Heather Barrett-Mold OBE, Worshipful Company of Gardeners
Roy Blackwell, The Worshipful Company of Educators
John Burton, The Worshipful Company of Wax Chandlers
Kathy Crockford, The Worshipful Company of Educators
Patty Grant, The Worshipful Company of Plumbers
Jonathan Matheson, The Worshipful Company of Gardeners
James Purchas, Worshipful Company of Grocers
Gemma Waugh, Pollinating London Together

Fundraising Working Group

Andrew Blaxland (Chair), Worshipful Company of Wax Chandlers
John Burton, Worshipful Company of Wax Chandlers
Dr Heather Barrett-Mold OBE, Worshipful Company of Gardeners
Anthony Bickmore, Worshipful Company of Wax Chandlers
Martin Kerslake, Worshipful Company of Wax Chandlers
Steve Emmis, Worshipful Company of Security Professionals
David Sales, The Worshipful Company of Insurers
Julie Griffiths, The Worshipful Company of Actuaries
Cameron Gardner, Gravis Capital Management
Gemma Waugh, Pollinating London Together

Communications Working Group

John Burton (Chair), The Worshipful Company of Wax Chandlers
Louise Starling (Vice Chair), The Worshipful Company of Educators
Dr Heather Barrett-Mold OBE, Worshipful Company of Gardeners
Dr Anne-Marie Brennan, The Worshipful Company of Educators
Patty Grant, The Worshipful Company of Plumbers
Joris Rockx, Pollinating London Together
Andy Sillett, The Worshipful Company of Communicators
Nicola Savage, The Worshipful Company of Communicators
Luda Svystunova, Guild of Investment Mangers
Fay Thomsit, The Worshipful Company of Glass Sellers
Gemma Waugh, Pollinating London Together

Education Sub Working Group

Dr Heather Barrett-Mold OBE, Worshipful Company of Gardeners
Rob Casey, The Worshipful Company of Water Conservators
Dr Konstantinos Tsiolis, University of Reading
Dr David Lawson, University of Bristol
Alex Hirtzel, PLT Artist Ambassador
Dr Anne-Maria Brennan, Worshipful Company of Educators
Jonathan Matheson, Worshipful Company of Gardeners
Jo Anna Reed Johnson, University of Reading
Gemma Waugh, Pollinating London Together

Membership Working Group

Steve Emmins (Chair), The Worshipful Company of Security Professionals
Dr Heather Barrett-Mold OBE, The Worshipful Company of Gardeners
Anthony Bickmore, The Worshipful Company of Wax Chandlers
Virginia Bond, The Worshipful Company of Cooks
John Burton, The Worshipful Company of Wax Chandlers
Simon Camomile, The Worshipful Company of Chartered Surveyors
David Jinks, The Worshipful Company of Chartered Surveyors
Jennifer Schwalbenberg, The Company of Watermen & Lightermen
Gemma Waugh, Pollinating London Together
Mark Williams, Barings