John Trimble
Founding Director
John Trimble is a Founding Director of Hereford Community Farm and as General Manager oversees the day-to-day running of the site providing the first point of contact for attendees, families, and visitors ensuring that things run smoothly.
He has a background in Community work having previously co-ordinated inner city playschemes and holiday activities in areas of deprivation in the West Midlands. Following a career change he worked in landscaping at Pershore College of Horticulture and then went on to study for a Diploma in Therapeutic Horticulture at Coventry University. This led him to relocate to Herefordshire where he took up a teaching position in a Further Education college leading the Skills for Working Life horticultural provision and the development of several Community-based horticultural projects.
In 2006 he and Julie established The Barton Hill Centre which became the forerunner of Hereford Community Farm.
Julie Milsom
Founding Director
Julie is a Founding Director of Hereford Community Farm and as Project Manager leads on developmental projects and liaises with funders, commissioners, statutory services, and the public sector.
Having been around animals all her life and with an interest in the Human:Animal bond and its application as a therapeutic intervention, Julie was finally able to explore this professionally whilst teaching Animal Management in Further Education. Her industrial experience includes facilitating a comprehensive work-based learning network in the land-based sector across the West Midlands and contributing as an advisor on Animal Health & Welfare.
In 2013 serving as part of a steering group of the Society of Companion Animal Studies https://www.scas.org developing the first national Code of Practice in Animal Assisted Interventions she met Katie Bristow and in 2015 they co-founded People & Animals UK CIC https://peopleandanimals.org.uk as a forum to deliver collaborative training, seminars and workshops across the sphere of Animal Assisted Interventions in the UK.
Katie Bristow
Director
Katie Bristow joined as a Director of Hereford Community Farm in 2021 and is involved in all planning and decision making bringing particular expertise in the development of Alternative Education Provision.
She has a BSc in Psychology, a qualification in Existential Counselling and a Diploma in Play Work and providing therapeutic play environments. Combined with her studies in Animal Behaviour her professional background includes establishing the PAWS programme (Parents Autism Workshops and Support Services) with Dogs for the Disabled (now Dogs for Good).
After founding People & Animals UK CIC with Julie in 2015 Katie has since established the Wisbech Community Led Therapeutic Farm and contributed to the development of The Green Care Coalition https://greencarecoalition.org.uk
Our Project Support Team
The Project Support Team is invaluable as the ‘boots on the ground’ coordinating resources, maintaining and looking after the site and facilities, and especially in looking after our very special animals who are integral to service delivery. They bring a wealth of expertise from a diversity of professional backgrounds and lived experience of working across different client groups in a range of settings.
They plan and lead activity sessions for people attending the farm and have great versatility in adapting sessions and activities so that they are inclusive, accessible, and achievable so that people are provided with the opportunities and support to achieve their potential.
The Project Support Team also liaises with the daily manager providing invaluable feedback that facilitates monitoring and evaluation of service delivery ensuring that it remains relevant and meaningful and responsive to the needs of the people attending. They actively contribute to project planning and the development of new services and programmes and assist in the day-to-day running of the farm.