Our programme of monthly meetings and other activities is organised by a Core Group of willing volunteers who meet once a month.
Core Group members include:
![]() | Tom Draper-Rodi (Treasurer) is a tap-dancing, singing cellist with a physics degree who taught music and ran a drama group for Oxfordshire Music Service for eight years, before becoming a full-time stay-at-home parent in 2018. He was born in Abingdon and has lived in Madrid and Paris. He is interested in food and permaculture, and believes the key to our collective future is keeping the remaining fossil fuels in the ground. |
![]() | Sally Reynolds (Secretary) is a Quaker, an allotmenteer and a grandmother, and hopes her grandchildren at least grow up knowing where their food comes from and how much work has gone into growing it. She retired as a GP in 2013 and now spends her time sending carbon-cutters emails, adding pictures to the website, and helping out with Edible Abingdon. |
![]() | Richard Riggs has lived in Abingdon for 40 years. He formerly worked in physics and electronic engineering, so he is comfortable with energy issues and worked on the Abingdon Hydro project. He is a member of Christ Church Abingdon, which has joined the Eco Church award scheme, and he hopes that will make a real difference. |
![]() | Caroline Townsend (Chair) works in secondary education and is mother of two teenagers. She has chaired the Core group since 2018, is involved in reducing plastic in the town and chairs the “Trees” group. Caroline would like to see a healthy and sustainable environment for our young people to grow up and flourish in. |
![]() | Susie Howard is a grandmother who was originally a midwife before running a B&B for the last few decades. She is interested in local, organic food and is the collection point in central Abingdon for Tolhurst Organic Produce every Thursday. She helps with the Bee Beds by the children’s playground in the Abbey Gardens, is part of the Carbon Cutters Food Group and helps organise hiring out of the apple juicing equipment. |
Madeleine Trivasse, originally from the US but a resident of Abingdon since 2022, is currently a stay-at-home parent, part of Abingdon Quaker Meeting, and the leader of the Abingdon Silent Book Club on the side. She has lived in various countries and worked for academic institutions, charities, a bookstore, a vineyard, an archaeological excavation, . . . a little of a lot of things! She designs posters and creates newsletters for ACC.’ | |
The full list of core group members is as follows:
Richard Riggs, Lucille Savin, Sam Bowring, Susie Howard, John Killick, Sally Reynolds (Secretary), Tom Draper-Rodi (Treasurer), Caroline Townsend (Chair), James Wigmore, Madeleine Trivasse, Kim Jones, Katharine de Villiers