About Us
Photo Credit: Emily Nash
Who We Are
Sustainable Bradninch was set up in 2019 by Katy Mackenzie and Lucy Mottram to run events and projects that will help make Bradninch greener, cleaner, and a better place to live.
In 1987, sustainability was defined as 'meeting the needs of the present without compromising the needs of future generations'. Every country in the world signed to uphold the Sustainable Development Goals which form a framework for making sure every project, plan or programme around the world is sustainable. Many organisations around the world are trying hard to reverse the environmental damage we have already done and stop it getting worse, but this sometimes feels like an uphill battle. You can read more about how these bigger issues affect Bradninch here.
We are supported by CAG Devon, who help us with advice, insurance, fundraising and collaborating with other groups around Devon.
Our Committee
Our members are active community members who want to make a difference to the lives of people in Bradninch.
I am a maker of silver jewellery, clothing both knitted and sewn. I am passionate about gardening and enjoy growing flowers and vegetables. I have always appreciated the countryside and developed many of my design ideas from looking at natural objects. I was a teacher of Design and Technology for thirty years in Devon, Torbay and Somerset. I always felt that one of the most valuable elements of the Design and Technology curriculum was Sustainability and for this reason I welcomed the opportunity to be involved with setting up the Food Shed and resourcing surplus food and helping establish the Repair Café. I thoroughly believe in the ethics of repair rather than throwing away a broken product or even using elements of the broken item to repair another of the same. Sustainability is very important to me and fundamental to the way I live. I hope that through the work of Sustainable Bradninch that these principles will be passed onto the generations to come.
I spent most of my childhood wandering the fields and lanes of rural Somerset and playing in farmyards which instilled a love of nature and an understanding of farming and rural issues. Later on, my family and I lived in northern Italy for 7 years. The village we lived in had a really strong community, so when we moved to Bradninch in 2010 I knew almost immediately that we had arrived in a special place, with a great creative energy. I have 15 years experience working in the fields of sustainability and ecology. I retrained as a primary school teacher in 2016, but decided I love environmental education more than classroom teaching. I have an honours degree in Biology and a masters in Environmental Impact Assessment. I work in the waste team at Devon County Council, where I specialise in waste education and behaviour change. I was a Cub Leader in Bradninch for 8 years, and I also volunteer as a Town Councillor. My professional life has shown me that there are lots of amazing things happening at community level that can help us live more sustainability and help our town be more resilient and cope with climate change impacts. I enjoy bringing new projects and initiatives to Bradninch.
My parents were from the generation that lived during the war. Making things last by looking after and repairing them came naturally. Clothes were handed down from a brother or sister and furniture were passed from one generation to another, repaired where necessary. Things were built to last, the word consumables hadn’t passed into common usage. When I took up my career as a furniture maker I continued in the same vein by building furniture that was intended to last in excess of 100 years. This ethos of durability and quality was also the driving force behind the William Garvey Ltd, the company where I worked and helped run for 33 years. Although my work became office based where my focus was on ensuring that the finances were in order and the staff were happy my passion for fine furniture and the spirit of craftsmanship that created those unique pieces of work remained as strong as ever.
