About Us
“A passionate team blending permaculture, arboriculture, design and community action to cultivate regenerative living and sustainable innovation.”
Lessons from the Ground
Across the A Wild Life team, our work grows from years of practical experience in community projects, farming, market gardening, regenerative education, design and the land itself. Lessons from the Ground brings together stories and reflections from that journey, from growing food and designing gardens to building sustainably and creating spaces for learning and connection. Each case study explores what we have learned about how change happens in real places with real people, and how those lessons continue to shape the way we work today.
Meet the Core Team
Steve Charter
MA Environmental Planning; Diploma in Applied Permaculture Design
Steve is a specialist in sustainability education, regenerative design and sustainable construction, with 30 years’ experience across grassroots and mainstream sectors. He has worked as a consultant, director of an ethical enterprise, and partner to local government, the non-profit sector and universities.
A skilled facilitator and trainer, he has led Permaculture Design Certificate courses and design projects in the UK and Spain, co-leads the Permaculture Association’s Community Climate Coaches programme, and lived off-grid in Spain for 5 years. He is also the author of Eat More Raw (2005) and numerous reports and good practice guides on a variety of specialist sustainability themes.
Permaculture Association Profile
Rachel Owen
MSc Arboriculture & Urban Forestry; BSc Landscape & Design
Rachel is a specialist arboriculturist with significant experience as an independent landscape designer, running her own landscape construction business and also as a garden and landscape design educator.
She has experience across the private, public and education sectors.
Nir Halfon
MSc Advanced Environmental & Energy Studies
Nir is a specialist in sustainable horticulture and regenerative farming education, who has worked extensively in both consultancy and in education. He has led the market garden at Plawhatch biodynamic community farm, delivered the Biodynamic Agriculture Diploma, and established the Foundation degree in Sustainable Horticulture Management at Plumpton College.
Other specialties include public speaking, community work and modelling of sustainable buildings.
Marianne Lindfield
MA Electronic Art; BA Hons Information Management
Marianne is a sustainability practitioner with over 20 years’ experience in community engagement, digital strategy and information management. She co-founded Crawley’s long-running WordFest and The Pod Project in Northern Ireland, a permaculture and wellbeing initiative combining PDC training with community development.
Our Wider Circle
We are part of a wider circle of practitioners whose work complements and enriches our own. Together we share practices that connect land, body and community in regenerative ways.
Stevie Watts
Stevie has been living at Coed Hills since 2009 and is the driving force behind the community gardens. He directs both the Ediculture charity and Coed Ffest, bringing together regenerative land practice, community growing and creative eco-culture. At Coed, Stevie leads the forest garden, market garden and teaching spaces that embody ‘edible culture’ — integrating food growing, foraging, seasonal awareness, herbal knowledge and community connection into a living system of learning and practice.
Gemma Mallol
Gemma is a somatic educator, researcher and Somatic Experiencing practitioner with over 20 years of experience in yoga, mindfulness and embodied movement. She is currently completing a Research Master’s in Dance at the University of Plymouth, focusing on Somatics and Butoh. Through her ‘Elemental Body’ approach, Gemma integrates movement, ritual and nature to support resilience, healing and connection. Her work invites participants to experience the body as part of the wider web of life, weaving inner and outer regeneration.
Mathu Bloom
Mathu Bloom – has lived at Coed Hills for almost eight years, in a tiny house she designed and built herself, and works closely with Stevie to maintain the gardens. She grows vegetables for the community, prepares salads for events, and cultivates flowers to decorate shared spaces. Originally from the Netherlands, Mathu was shaped by many years of travel before settling at Coed Hills. During the course, she will offer practical support wherever needed and share seasonal, place-based learnings gained through everyday life at Coed.