Neil Gentleman-Hobbs – CEO and Co-Founder
Cultivating Community, Nurturing Growth A dedicated advocate for community empowerment and sustainable living, Neil brings a wealth of experience and a passion for “giving back believing in the power of practical, hands-on initiatives, a philosophy that drives his work in developing community-focused environmental projects to unlock Social value. The “Sow Study Sustain” programme fosters community resilience by connecting people with food production and the natural environment, a testament to Neil’s vision of creating accessible green spaces that benefit everyone.
With a background that combines entrepreneurial spirit (3 IPOs and multiple exits) with a strong desire to contribute to a more sustainable and equitable future, Neil is enthusiastic about leading Ecolearn’s efforts as a team in Lincolnshire. He is passionate about helping people of all ages and abilities to learn, grow, survive and thrive together, building stronger, healthier, and more engaged communities from the ground up. Through Ecolearn and its partnerships, including Lincolnshire Outdoor learning for schools, Neil is dedicated to creating lasting legacies of environmental stewardship and community wellbeing. Sow Study Sustain folks!
Ashley Butterfield – COO / Co-Founder
With a passion for sustainable living and the natural world, Ashley has over 28 years of experience of engaging local people with their local environment for a wide variety of charitable and local authority organisations. This is achieved through consultation with the public, project partners, stakeholders and other interested parties ensuring projects are safely delivered on time and on budget. As such Ashley founded Lincolnshire Outdoor Learning in 2011 and later co-founded EcoLearn CiC with Neil in 2021.
Ashley has a detailed knowledge of how species interact with their habitat and how the flow of natural systems work to provide efficient pollution control and water management to ensure that humans can live in harmony with their local environment.
Due to a strong background in Teaching and Learning for colleges and as an associate Moderator for City & Guilds, Ashley is used to setting up new qualifications and training courses in sustainable horticultural techniques for food production and embedding this in environmental conservation practices for biodiversity and maintaining Quality Assurance processes. Ashley is an active member of the Institute for Outdoor Learning and Board Member of their Curriculum Based Outdoor Learning & Field studies Specialist Sector Group.
Overall, Ashley understands that even in this modern age that people are utterly dependent on the natural world for all of their needs and that is why we all need to ‘Sow, Study, Sustain’.
Russell Dewis – Head of Community Projects
Russell helps with the management and installation of our current projects.
Formerly he spent twenty years working in technology launching software products into the financial services sector.
A little over ten years ago he set up a small construction company which has spent quite some time helping charities and community projects.
Harry Ferguson – Head of Community Partnerships
At the age of 15 I Co – Founded the Conservation Committee at my school, an organisation that sold FairTrade Easter Eggs and Advent Calendars to fellow pupils and used the revenue to bring plants to communal areas and cultivate land to produce fresh vegetables, without knowing it I had started a lifelong passion in Environmental Social Enterprise.
At the age of 17,after working as a lifeguard I was promoted to Duty Manager at a Local Swimming Pool, which led to multiple Managerial Roles in Multiple Industries, including Leisure, Retail, Catering and Fast-Food Retail. In my Late twenties I was the Sales Manager for a Website and Business Consultancy Firm that was soon attracting international Clients.
Around a decade ago I had moved to Lincolnshire, whilst working as Senior Store Manager for a Healthy Eating Cafe, and Teaching Disabled adults Meditation, I attempted to start a communal growing group with a friend, but after having certain organisations put more obstacles in my way, rather than helping me, I postponed this activity.
More recently I worked as part of Lincolnshire Outdoor Learning, delivering education by enquiry in and out of term time, as well as building environmental constructions such as polytunnels, raised beds and a Micro farm.
During Covid I volunteered in key role for a food bank/service connecting people to food resources, medications and providing Health and Wellness checks, this work forced me to realise the fragility of our food networks, so I took the initiative to build raised beds in a local park and created a Green Group. Three years later the Green Group provides Mental health support, with an emphasis on community as well as providing locally grown food and taking part in Environmental Projects on Multiple Sites. I now work with many local charities and teach meditation at an SEN School.
Martin Murphy FRGS – Head of Community Resilience
FRGS | Wilderness Instructor | Environmental Studies
Martin Murphy is on a mission to develop community resilience in a fast-changing world.
A former military professional with a degree in environmental studies, Martin blends field experience, wilderness survival and regenerative practice to support people-powered solutions through complexity.
As a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and author of From Mercenaries to Missionaries, Martin specialises in learning and community development — helping groups adapt, connect, and thrive by aligning human intelligence with the intelligence of nature.
Kathleen Smith – Head of Community Arts
Kathleen is our Head of Community Arts that oversees all of our arts provision, artists and community arts work.
She has 20+ years of working in the sector and has a first class degree in Jewellery and Object and a MA_Design (Three-dimensional) and has worked in community arts throughout the region and nationally. She is also a public art artist in her own right, and has worked on 26 public arts trails throughout the UK and produced many murals and community murals including the Project Manager for the highly successful Paint the Town Proud project within North East Lincolnshire.
She also has a proven track record in arts project management including grant funding, evaluation, and consultation, including commissioning and managing artists for a variety of projects and commissions.