Our team

Roger joined the Network of Wellbeing team in late 2014 to take on a leading role in developing our strategy. Roger has over 25 years’ experience of campaigning mainly at Friends of the Earth, including locally, nationally and internationally on issues as diverse as climate change, biodiversity, resource use and economics. Roger is also a Director of the Flameworks Creative Arts Facility in Plymouth, where he lives with his partner, Karen and her three daughters. He is at his happiest exploring the countryside with Karen or working his allotment with his brother, Joe.

Mirella coordinates the Network of Wellbeing’s Share Shed – Library of Things. Before joining the NOW team, Mirella studied Forestry Engineering in Brazil, her home country, and worked on various projects relating to environmental education, waste reduction and sustainable management of tropical forests. Mirella also did her MSc in Holistic Science at Schumacher College in Devon, which allowed her to go deeper into the relationship between music and social transformation. Mirella is happiest when spending time with her lovely young son, Oli.

Mark Jefferys manages the Share Shed, a Library of Things in Devon. He’s also one of only three accredited Earth Education trainers in the UK,

He has over 30 years experience in environmental and earth education, teaching adults and children of all ages in the UK, Finland, Australia and America. He is passionate about bringing the natural world to life and reconnecting people with nature in creative ways. A keen songwriter and guitarist, Mark often uses his music in environmental programmes, and is happiest when singing in the woods around a campfire!

Annabel coordinates retreat bookings, and started working at Eden Rise when it first began! She’s on the end of the email or phone to deal with all the bookings for Eden Rise and answer people’s questions about the venue, as well as managing invoicing and coordinating with caretakers (Hayley and Milton) on any questions on the venue. 

Inner enquiry and meditation are central to Annabel’s life. She enjoys walking in nature with her little dog, pottering and lounging in the garden on sunny days and felt making.  She also loves bodyboarding when she can and reading and relaxing in front of a Netflix or BBC drama after a long day.  And last but not least, spending time with dear friends.

Karen started working for Eden Rise in 2014 taking on the bookkeeping and some admin.  While having done bookkeeping much of her working life, Karen has also long had a strong spiritual and environmental interest.  Undertaking an environmental degree as a mature student, her university placement year brought Karen down to Devon’s Slapton Ley Field Studies Centre where she set up the community composting scheme in the village, and fell in love with Devon.  Spiritual interests were later indulged by training in Creative Kinesiology which Karen loves to work with, either as personal support or giving balances to others.  Walking in nature and spending time with friends is how Karen loves to spend free time.

Milton joined the Eden Rise team in 2018. He is a Caretaker at Eden Rise, looking after the maintenance of the site, and ensuring the venue is well looked after and runs smoothly. In his free time he enjoys making pottery and tending his vegetable garden.

Hayley joined Eden Rise in 2018 and coordinates the housekeeping team – helping to keep the venue wonderfully cosy and clean! Hayley is passionate about exploring the natural dye world, garment recycling and slow fashion. She likes to grow the plants from seed in her pallet garden amongst her veggies, enjoying the seasonal timings of nature’s produce and harvest. Hayley also enjoys swimming in all waters, in most of the seasons, and feels blessed to be in the surrounding local environment – with Dartmoor’s wild rivers and the sea on the doorstep of Eden Rise. She also loves to dance, anywhere the rhythm takes her!