FSF Team
Trustees
And lastly……
Let’s not forget the big fishies!
Interested in joining our team? Pop over to our recruitment page to see our current vacancies.
Staff
Bianca Carr, Founder & CEO
I started the Final Straw (Emsworth) after noticing more and more litter along the beautiful south coast beaches and shores and in the countryside in my local area. One day in January 2018, I went to a cafe with my son and our drinks arrived with disposable plastic straws in them, which struck me as being so unnecessary and linked so closely to the immense amount of ‘pointless plastic’ that was littering our local shores. I decided that I wanted to do something to change this, so I started up a small local campaign to run local beach cleans and encourage local businesses to cut back on this kind of unnecessary disposable plastic. The Final Straw has grown and grown ever since that fateful straw! I’m really proud of how much the campaign has grown, becoming a registered charity in 2020. We have reached a lot of communities and individuals with our message over the last few years and have started to see some really positive changes, but there is still a long way to go!
I originally trained and worked as a radiotherapist for the NHS, before my children came along and I ended up travelling the world in support of my husband David, an America’s Cup sailor. These travels enabled me to see how other countries were dealing with the problem of plastic pollution on their beaches and made me want to bring some of those ideas back to the UK. I hope that this work will improve the health of our local seas by removing some of the plastic waste blighting the waters and beaches for future generations.
Lissie Pollard, COO
I joined Bianca early in 2018 shortly after she had started up the Final Straw Emsworth campaign, when we were simply aiming to run a few beach cleans and persuade local businesses to cut back the amount of single-use plastic used in our area. The campaign has grown hugely since it started, and we never expected the levels of engagement and encouragement it has received by local communities and individuals, which has been incredible. We are really proud of the organisation it has become, it was brilliant to transition to a registered charity in 2020 and we are looking forward to where we can take it next. It’s been fantastic to see so many schools and community groups get involved and to witness the passion that so many people have for our environment.
I come from a marine background, having completed a degree in Marine Sciences at Southampton University and worked at National Oceanography Centre there for a few years on a deep-sea research project, but have also worked in marketing and design. It’s great to be able to bring my (slightly eclectic) work experience together to work on a campaign that is trying to help protect our oceans from pollution for future generations.
Georgina Maw, Head of Educational Outreach
I joined the Final Straw Foundation after a successful 13-year career in Primary Education as a teacher and senior leader. I have been lucky to teach in different schools within Hampshire and Internationally, where I lived in Malaysia- a beautiful part of the world!
My earliest memories are located by, in or on the sea and as I grew, a strong sense of duty to act as a steward to the oceans grew too. At 14 I was diving the Solent and, on every dive, I collected rubbish, squishing it into my BCD! I qualified as a PADI scuba instructor at 18 years old in Australia and had the privilege to work with conservation projects and raise awareness of pollution within our seas to the public.
I now have 2 young children who I give every opportunity to explore and learn about this precious world we live in, all to make sure I nurture that natural curiosity and awe and wonder. Therefore, the opportunity to spread this vital message by working alongside like-minded people who believe that we can make a difference to our environment for future generations is a real privilege. I hope that by using my skills and experience from education, teamed with my passion for reducing plastic waste we can empower and inspire future generations.
Kate Martin, Outreach Assistant
I worked for Portsmouth City Council for 12 years; 8 of those spent as a Recycling Education officer. I’ve always personally been very keen to recycle, reduce waste and look after the environment, so it was hugely rewarding being able to go into schools to share my knowledge and passion with children – the future generation! Sadly this role ended when Covid hit as I was no longer able to carry out these visits, but I knew I wanted to continue in this line of work as it’s what I loved doing. And that is what led me to this role within the Final Straw Foundation. I now get to use my previous experience and work as part of an incredible team educating schools and community groups on how to reduce plastic waste and look after our oceans.
My family and I absolutely love the outdoors. Most weekends you will either find us going somewhere in our beloved campervan, paddleboarding, bike riding, or taking our very hectic spaniel for a walk.
I joined the Final Straw Foundation after a successful 13-year career in Primary Education as a teacher and senior leader. I have been lucky to teach in different schools within Hampshire and Internationally, where I lived in Malaysia- a beautiful part of the world!
My earliest memories are located by, in or on the sea and as I grew, a strong sense of duty to act as a steward to the oceans grew too. At 14 I was diving the Solent and, on every dive, I collected rubbish, squishing it into my BCD! I qualified as a PADI scuba instructor at 18 years old in Australia and had the privilege to work with conservation projects and raise awareness of pollution within our seas to the public.
I now have 2 young children who I give every opportunity to explore and learn about this precious world we live in, all to make sure I nurture that natural curiosity and awe and wonder. Therefore, the opportunity to spread this vital message by working alongside like-minded people who believe that we can make a difference to our environment for future generations is a real privilege. I hope that by using my skills and experience from education, teamed with my passion for reducing plastic waste we can empower and inspire future generations.
Amy Rushton, Social Media Officer
I grew up on the coast! Born in Gosport, I was lucky enough to get into sailing and kayaking from a young age, spending every moment I could by the sea. I find myself drawn to the sea, it’s my happy place!
After leaving school, I spent some time in the Royal Marines Band Service before an injury ended my career. I have had lots of different roles since then including Army driver, customer services, teaching assistant, taxi controller, education welfare assistant and complaints manager! I eventually went to university to study music with the view of going into teaching, but the birth of my boys Evan & Luke sent me on a different path, and so after graduating, I began a career in social media marketing! I saw Bianca advertise the first Final Straw clean in 2018 and took my eldest son along, attending as many as possible ever since.
Living in Emsworth, Final Straw is a well-known and loved charity, so when a position came up, I jumped at the chance! I absolutely love working with the Final Straw Foundation as it combines my passions for the sea and looking after it with engaging with our followers. I am very proud to be part of such a forward-thinking and hardworking team. I still kayak and love to explore our coastlines with my husband Jon (picking up any litter I find along the way!).
Hannah Cooper, Campaigns Assistant
As the Campaign Assistant at the Final Straw Foundation, I get to experience a wide range of the charity’s work and projects. I’m particularly focussed on the community engagement side of things.
I’m also studying Environmental Science at the Open University. I originally became involved with FSF as an intern, after I approached the charity having seen the amazing work they do in my hometown of Emsworth – I’ve loved every minute so far! I’m so excited to be working with an amazing team to reduce the use of single-use plastics and keep our seas clean and I hope this will be my first step into a career in environmental conservation.
I love walking, especially in the south downs or along the coast. I also love cooking for my friends and family. On a personal level, I would like to reduce my single-use plastic use in the kitchen where there seems to be so much pointless packaging. I am trying my best to buy produce that has no plastic packaging and I am reusing old containers and jars for storage.
Trustees
Wendy Bessant
Wendy joined the board of trustees in 2022 with a focus on safeguarding. Wendy lives in Emsworth with her husband and 3 children. She loves the outdoors and in the summer you can often find her in Emsworth by the shore paddleboarding. In the other seasons, she is often out exploring the nature around us. Wendy is a firm believer that helping to keep our environment clean is an important way of life and a lesson that all children should learn. Wendy’s own children often get involved with activities the charity runs. Wendy is thrilled to be a trustee for FSF as she believes it is imperative to support the local community whilst being an active supporter to protect the public and our staff, should any concerns be raised about safety and welfare. She is looking forward to being part of the charity and helping to promote its important message to protect our environment.
Tom Handley
Tom has lived in Emsworth for the past 12 years with his wife and 3 kids. He loves the outdoors and feels blessed with opportunities that the local area presents for exercise and sport: he loves running and mountain biking in the South Downs, and is at his happiest on a paddleboard in Emsworth Harbour. Tom is passionate about the environment and sustainability and is keen to keep Emsworth beautiful. Tom hopes to support FSF by building partnerships with like-minded organisations and developing programmes with the corporate sector.
Paul Hawkins
Paul lives in Westbourne with his family. He’s concerned about plastic pollution and local sewage pollution in the harbours. Paul’s role as a trustee focusses on helping with funding applications and behind the scenes running of the charity.
He’s also involved in a local community group to run fun music events in the summer (when possible) and sails from Thorney Island.
Ian Jubb
Ian is a keen sailor, based in Emsworth, with a passion for the oceans and watersports. He has been instrumental in developing and building the big fish sculptures that the charity uses to raise awareness of plastic pollution with his team at Sailboat Trailers.
A talented engineer with an artistic eye, although he’d be the last one to admit it, he is eminently practical and has helped the charity in a number of ways from building the fish to helping with storage solutions for kit.
Polly Smithson
Polly joined the board of trustees in 2023. As the General Counsel for Checkatrade, Polly is well-placed to help the charity with her legal skills and knowledge.
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