We are a passionate group of community members, working together to make sustainability easy, inspiring, and fun for everyone.
Take a scroll to meet the folks behind SBV—we’re here to support, collaborate, and make a difference with everyone who shares our passion for a greener, brighter future.
Katie Dixon
Chair Person
My maternal family, for four generations, has had soil fertility and compost as part of its life since the beginning of the 1950’s. There was never a place in the garden for pesticides, just a compost heap and a vegetable plot, with home-made brown bread in the kitchen. This background has made me so aware of the need to work with natural resources not against them.
Caroline Hoyes
SMB Lake, Toad Patrol, Hirst Meadow and Recycling
I moved to St. Mary Bourne in 1979 working locally as a physiotherapist while my three children grew up. As soon as I retired I was able to get more involved in all the other things I cared deeply about, such as the countryside, wildlife, the environment and gardening for wildlife. From a very small child, I spent much of my time kneeling over a pond and now I have four of my own and a rather too wild garden.
Nicholas Cross
Cosy Homes Bourne Valley, Energy, Renewables and Repair Cafe
Nik has had a long-term interest in renewable energy, both small and large scale. He is also passionate about reducing waste. He joined the Sustainable Bourne Valley Group as he felt this could help him share that passion with the local community through activities and sharing information.
Through SBV he began the St Mary Bourne Repair Cafe with the help of some very dedicated volunteer repairers. In his spare time, he runs an off-grid campsite in the village, farms Alpacas and makes sustainable craft tools from wood. He also runs a not-for-profit company, RenSMART, that provides wind and solar data to the renewable energy industry and has just started helping to develop a sustainable bus service in Sheffield!
Charlotte Rimmer
Hedgehog Street, Conservation, Environment and Wildlife
I moved to St Mary Bourne in 2022 and was keen to get involved with the village community. Professionally I work as a Senior Countryside Officer for Test Valley Borough Council and am passionate about all things wildlife and conservation. In my spare time I am secretary for Hampshire Dormouse Group and carry out monitoring surveys on a number of sites. I am keen to share my knowledge and passion to help people live more sustainably and am conscious to try and live as waste-free as possible at home with my young family choosing plastic-free alternatives, reusable/refillable containers and cloth nappies.
Janet Morsman
Treasurer
I moved with our family to Hampshire in the mid-90s and Saint Marybourne in 1997. We have enjoyed living in this beautiful valley and I wanted to help preserve it by doing what I can from toads to wildflowers. I was a theatre nurse, then when my family were more independent, my friend and I opened a quilt and embroidery shop teaching these skills using recycled materials when possible.
Lesley Sarson
Social Media and Website
I have lived in St Mary Bourne since 1993. I joined SBV because I love our beautiful valley and want to be able to do my part in keeping it beautiful for my children, who still live here, and for generations to come. I love gardening and work hard to encourage wildlife into my garden, with long grass, wildflowers, bee-friendly plants and a pond.
Kate Coldicott
Secretary
I have lived in SMB since 1991 and have always had a passion for the natural world and environment. My children enjoyed an idyllic childhood playing in this beautiful valley water meadow and Winterbourne learning about the wildlife that lives here and how to look after it.
I am a cook by trade and very keen about reducing food waste and recycling the packing it arrives in!
I am a keen gardener and try to encourage as much nature into my garden as possible, growing without chemicals etc.
Rose Plinke
Repair Cafe
I am delighted to have joined the SBV group. I have always been interested in our environment and the world about us even as a child and I think this group is a worthwhile way of trying to make people aware of the ways that we can contribute at a local level to improve the situation.
Adam Rimmer
Site Works and Repair Cafe
During my childhood, I developed a strong connection to nature. A love for anything mechanical or electrical led me to pursue a career in engineering. Despite this, I still have a deep appreciation for the outdoors and engage in various sports allowing me to escape into nature. Spending time bivvying and camping is a significant part of my enjoyment of the countryside. I am committed to preserving the environment and ensuring that future generations have access to natural spaces. While I may not be an expert in environmental management, I am willing to contribute by digging holes, chopping and moving heavy things and getting to spend a long day emersed in the outdoors.