Our Team

Joining Green Synergy in 2025 as the Projects & Delivery Manager, I work with the team to ensure that we meet our project targets, as well as delivering gardening and therapeutic horticulture sessions on the garden for our adult and children’s programmes. In my previous role, I held the position as the Future Talent Programme Lead for a large logistics company where I was responsible for running all of our Future Talent Programmes for the business nationally and supporting its trainees (including apprentices, graduates and T-levels). I have always been extremely passionate about guiding the younger generation through the world of work, helping them develop their knowledge & skills, and seeing them grow. My position at Green Synergy allows me to continue contributing to this passion, and combine it with my keen interest in gardening, crafts and making a difference. In my spare time, I enjoy being in the outdoors, doing photography, and being a volunteer gardener at a local care home.

I have had the pleasure of working in the public, private and third sectors at senior management level for the past 32 years specialising in strategic, operational, marketing and communications, project and resource management of charities, youth, sports, leisure and cultural services including sport, leisure, tourism, visual and performing arts services. Prior to coming to Green Synergy, I held roles as Chief Executive of Headliners (UK), CEO of Cerebral Palsy Sport, a national disability sports charity and formerly RNIB's National Leisure Services Manager. I had the honour of chairing LOCOG's London 2012 Disability Community Engagement Forum as well as being Event Director for the Nottingham 2015 CPISRA World Games and is a current member of Scope's National Assembly. I am the Mum to two young men both who have impairments and I’m a military wife. I love Italian food, gardening, walking, gymnastics, reading and am a closet 80’s music fan. When I’m not working, I can be found on a side of an athletics track or rugby pitch supporting my sons or in my treasured happy place – my garden!

I joined Green Synergy in 2022 driven by an interest of how gardening and green spaces can support people to improve their wellbeing and mental health. My first step into plants and gardens was a degree in landscape architecture. The second was the Kew Diploma in horticulture, where I also wrote my dissertation on restorative green spaces and why and how nature benefits us. Later on I also trained as a forest bathing guide, where I learned how to engage people with nature in the most restorative way. My professional experience includes garden management, indoor and outdoor horticulture, and garden design lecturing. My role at Green Synergy was therefore an opportunity to apply and integrate several of my interests into a single and meaningful role, which also aligned closely with my values. I found Green Synergy gardens to be places where people and plants grow together and contribute to a more sustainable environment. It is the future we should all strive for…

I initially started as an apprentice at Green Synergy and since 2020 I have built up my skills and confidence working throughout all areas of the charity. I have had the privilege of my role evolving with me, I now a Projects Officer and run all our children’s and young people’s programs as well as our young adult programme Layers of Green. I enjoy this role because of the variety of work and the ability to incorporate my different passions and share them with people. Using gardening, craft, and games to educate and support our community has made such a difference to my own life. I get the opportunity to help children and adults alike in their development and get to see their personal growth which is an amazing opportunity. I am continually learning and can’t wait to see what the future holds.

I started in July 2024 as a freelance garden assistant and I’m now also a project assistant. This involves working with the volunteers and participants on the Hillside Garden plot. They’re a great bunch to work with and we have a good balance of learning, working, and having fun. The thing that strikes me about Green Synergy, is how supportive everyone is, and we all learn from and encourage each other. Working outside is great for everyone’s mental health, you can feel your stress evaporate when you’re involved. My confidence has grown in just a short while here, I work as hard as I can, which leaves me with a greater sense of self-worth. I feel grateful for the faith shown in me, and I’m expanding my horticultural knowledge and personal skills. Previously I have worked in the Crown Prosecution Service as a Crown Court caseworker, and more recently as a photographer; exhibiting and attending art fairs. I love football, both watching my beloved Blades, and also I play walking football for the Lincoln City Foundation ladies team. I am a cold water swimmer, I recently swam in Crummock water with my two lovely labradors. I am a photographer, specialising in dereliction. I have an allotment, which is my peaceful creative space. I do grow veg there, but the snails and slugs have moved in. I will keep trying to grow sprouts!!

Through volunteering with Green Synergy I’ve seen first-hand the benefits therapeutic horticulture and community gardening can have. After completing an employability project ran by Green Synergy I was successful in becoming a member of the team. My role is Garden Projects Assistant, I help the Garden Manager and Projects Team to support volunteers and beneficiaries through different projects and sessions we run at Hillside Garden. I really enjoy interacting with the range of people I encounter through my role, as well as the variety of activities and tasks we provide at the garden. I studied Zoology at the University of Lincoln, and have an interest in animals, plants, and conservation. I enjoy trying to learn how to look after new houseplants and teaching my cat new tricks

Following on from struggles with my own mental health, I rediscovered my affinity for growing and started volunteering with Green Synergy in September 2015. This affirmed to me my love of people and my passion to work with communities to improve people’s lives and support them in a positive way. After 12 months as a volunteer, I successfully applied for a role as a Trainee Project Officer with an apprenticeship in Horticulture. I am now a fully-fledged Project Officer and deliver the BBO MOVE and Better Together projects. I enjoy using my coaching skills to support people who are experiencing mental ill health and help them to progress on their recovery journeys. In September 2022, I started a Level 5 Diploma in Social and Therapeutic Horticulture with Thrive. I hope to use these new skills to continue developing Green Synergy’s STH programmes.

I’m Vic and I have worked in Creative Arts and Mental Health and Holistic Wellbeing for over 25 years and have a passion for empowering individuals and communities to explore what makes them feel truly alive! I believe in the power of creating safe, inclusive, spaces where people can explore art, music, movement and mindfulness as a catalyst for self-expression, healing and joy. As humans we live in a busy, demanding society that for many breeds isolation, and disconnect. During our lifetime more than a quarter of us will need support with our mental health and it is vitally important that we have access to spaces where we can reconnect, recharge and reach out for companionship and support. Nature has an incredible power to remind us of our connection to the world and to a sense of belonging beyond the individual self. Green Synergy allows people to gently bud and flower at their own pace and provides the soil for people to grow and flourish alongside like-minded others. I love supporting people to thrive and blossom in the beautiful community garden.

I came to Green Synergy with a long and varied background of experience gained from being a volunteer, as well as from working for and with Charities, Trusts, Communities, Partnerships and Authorities. I also have the experience of life, dealing with adversity and pushing through barriers. Personally, I feel my life has been a journey of me having to prove myself, until I started to ask why and who am I proving myself too? The skills I learnt on that journey I now share with others in order to help them to empower themselves and progress. I also share coping strategies as they are a great way to break through barriers. I returned to education later in life as I believe a door never completely closes. After undertaking a few short courses, I enrolled full time and now have a BA(Hons) in Socio-Legal Studies, as well as an MSc in Sustainable Communities and Environments. These help my work with both the community and on the garden. I have three grown up daughters, two grandsons and a granddaughter. I moved to Lincoln late 2022 but remain a true Yorkshire Lass at Heart! Glass half full / half empty? It’s simple – you have the wrong size glass! Or alternatively its refillable!