About us

Chair: Steve Mewes

Steve was born and brought up in Wedmore and now lives nearby in Heath House. He is the Local Nature Partnership Coordinator and Advocacy Manager at Somerset Wildlife Trust involved in restoring nature and preparing for the Climate Emergency in this stunning county. His background is in policy, quality assurance and project management in the renewable energy, internet, education, charity, food, politics and travel industries. He is a founder of Green Wedmore, formed in 2006.

Steve is also a founding director and previously chair of Wedmore Community Power Co-Operative which has a 1MW community solar farm in Wedmore. Former board member of the Food Forest Project charity who run Wedmore Village Farm. Founder and Chair of Somerset Climate Action Network.

His passion is working towards a positive low-carbon future in the county he loves.

Vice-Chair: Vanessa Becker Hughes

Vanessa, a dedicated environmental advocate born and bred in Wedmore, with a professional background in green energy consultancy and administrative roles. She has lots of outdoor interests that take her quite literally off the beaten track!

Over the years she has channelled her expertise into fostering sustainable initiatives at the grassroots level. As a previous Chair of Green Wedmore, a vibrant and ambitious environmental group, she has played an important part in driving the organisation's mission toward achieving zero-carbon goals for the local community. Her commitment to this shines through in setting up innovative projects like the Solar 1000 Project and other Wedmore based green projects.

Vanessa is an associate of the Natural Beekeeping Trust, formalising her commitment to the honeybee and the important part this creature plays in pollinating our food, her areas of interest are in the natural side of bee-hosting and looking at the impact of the mass laboratory breeding of bees and the effect it has on the resulting reduced gene pool and how we can teach our children the wonders of natural bee nests in traditional habitat. LINK https://www.naturalbeekeepingtrust.org

Vanessa has become a model for community-driven sustainability, with emphasis on education, outreach, and practical action most recently demonstrated in her work as Director of Engagement with the Somerset Eel Recovery Project (SERP), a conservation effort born from Green Wedmore's 2023 Wilder Wedmore Nature Festival.

Collaborating with the Europe-wide Sustainable Eel Group of which Vanessa sits in the leadership team of the Brussels based Not-for-profit, SERP focuses on migration barriers for the critically endangered European eel in local waterways and rivers. She spearheads community workshops, including traditional straw rope-making sessions and oral history projects, to weave cultural heritage with modern conservation, inspiring broader participation in nature advocacy.

Her work demonstrates her commitment to progressive education and outreach, blending high-impact media coverage and leadership with a deep-rooted dedication to preserving both the environment and community spirit in Wedmore. Through these efforts, Vanessa advances amongst other things local ecology, and the vital part mother nature has to play. She hopes to empower local people to adopt eco-friendly lifestyles, making her a true inspirational force in Somerset's green movement.

Secretary: Liz Burton

Liz moved to Wedmore 10 years ago with her family. She is an active member of numerous local groups and fundraising committees.

Liz worked formerly in the charities sector and has a passion for re-using and upcycling. Prior to that she worked for many years in the public transport sector both in operational management and HR and recruitment.

Treasurer: Gail Millard

Gail lives in Wedmore and is Green Wedmore's Secretary..