We can provide interviewees who, not only, know their stuff but who are experienced in working with broadcast journalists , understand the pressures you are under and are able to bring your story to life.
Where possible we will help you find ideal locations that illustrate a story and we are ready to get the right person to the best place for you. We can also deliver radio interviews on ISDN.
Shaun Spiers, Chief Executive
Shaun has led CPRE since 2004 and is naturally one of our most senior spokespeople. Before joining CPRE Shaun was Chief Executive of ABCUL, the credit union trade association. From 1994 to 1999, he was an MEP, serving on the European Parliament’s Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee.
Shaun is an experienced media hand and can discuss any issue CPRE campaigns on as well as acting as an ambassador for the charity.
Expertise: CPRE; environmental NGOs; charity governance; general CPRE issues, policies and campaigns
Neil Sinden, Director of Policy and Campaigns
Neil has been CPRE’s Director of Policy and Campaigns for the past eight years and has a deep understanding of the issues affecting rural England.
With long standing experience in campaigning on behalf of the countryside, Neil is a respected authority on all of our campaigns, with a particular flare for all matters relating to planning and housing.
Expertise: All CPRE policy areas and campaigns
Ben Stafford, Head of Campaigns
Ben is one of the organisation’s senior spokespeople. As manager of our rural policy and campaigns team, he has a detailed understanding of how decisions in Whitehall and Westminster will affect the countryside.
As well as the political landscape, Ben can also discuss all areas of rural policy, including litter, food, farming, tranquillity and protected landscapes and habitats.
Expertise: political impact on the countryside; general rural policy issues; litter; food; farming; tranquillity; protected landscapes and habitats
Fiona Howie, Head of Planning
Planning is a key area for CPRE and Fiona is our foremost planning campaigner. She leads CPRE’s work on spatial planning. This includes policy on housing, transport and major infrastructure projects.
As a senior CPRE spokesperson, Fiona is an experienced media hand and can make complex issues accessible to the public.
Expertise: planning; spatial planning; housing; transport; major infrastructure projects
Samantha Harding, Stop the Drop Campaign Manager
Sam manages CPRE’s flagship ‘Stop the Drop’ anti-litter campaign. Sam is an expert on all aspects of the UK’s litter problem and is also an internationally recognised authority on deposit refund schemes for drinks containers.
She can talk confidently and fluently on any aspect of the subject.
Expertise: litter; deposit refund schemes; recycling; fly tipping; waste
Graeme Wills, Senior Rural Policy Campaigner, Food and tranquillity
Graeme joined CPRE in 2006 when he worked with Caroline Cranbrook to publish The Real Choice report, which highlights the importance of local food webs.
Now Graeme manages an expanded project to chart the importance of local food networks in a number of diverse communities.
Graeme is also our foremost authority on tranquillity.
Expertise: local food, tranquillity
Paul Miner, Senior Planning Officer
A very experienced campaigner on planning, there is little Paul does not know about Green Belts, spatial planning and the nuances of the planning system.
Paul is also CPRE’s main spokesperson on pylons as well as being able to discuss countryside clutter.
Expertise: planning; green belts; pylons; clutter
Ralph Smyth, Senior Transport Campaigner
Ralph is CPRE’s lead transport campaigner. He was a key player in the successful legal challenge that stopped Heathrow's Third Runway and is an expert on plans for high speed rail. He has a detailed understanding of rural transport issues facing local communities.
Before coming to CPRE, Ralph worked full-time as a barrister and is accustomed to making complicated issues easy to understand for a wider audience.
Expertise: Rural Transport, (high speed) rail, road building, traffic sign clutter, road safety
Ian Woodhurst, Senior Rural Policy Campaigner, Farming
The English rural landscape has been shaped by farming, and agriculture will have a key role in influencing the character of our future landscapes.
Ian leads CPRE’s work on all farming matters from the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) to sustainable dairy farming.
Expertise: Agricultural issues, CAP reform, Environmental Stewardship green farming scheme
Emma Marrington, Rural Policy Campaigner
Emma is a rural policy specialist in our campaigns team and works on some of the most treasured features of our countryside. Emma can discuss National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and landscape issues.
She also leads our work on the protection of trees and hedgerows and our campaign to curtail light pollution.
Expertise: National Parks, AONBs, trees, hedgerows, light pollution, polytunnels
Kate Houghton, Planning Officer, Housing
Kate is CPRE’s primary spokesperson on housing in England. An expert on the delicate balance between meeting housing needs, while preserving the landscape; Kate can also discuss all aspects of the local planning system.
Expertise: Planning, housing, affordable housing, second homes, house building
