About Us
Our income is a blend of revenue, grant funding and donations, giving us a flexible niche in the environmental arena. Ultimately, we’re striving to make Kirklees a better place to live and work. Our projects give people the chance to enjoy better access and understanding of how and why to take action for climate change; access thriving green spaces on their doorstep; take part in active travel and work towards a more equitable, circular economy.
Working in partnership
Through our projects we work with residents, community groups, councils, charities, businesses and employees, schools, colleges and universities to increase environmental awareness and deliver practical environmental solutions together. Our many connections and partnerships enable us to get the best local knowledge, engagement and impact from our projects. We believe this approach is the only way to ensure effective change for the complex challenges facing our environment.
Our history
EPIKS (Environmental Projects in Kirklees) is the working title for Environment Kirklees Ltd, a not-for-profit company based in Huddersfield and operating projects throughout Kirklees.
Our activities go back over 25 years- EPIKS forerunners Kirklees Environment Partnership and Environmental Alliance Ltd merged in 2016 to create Environment Kirklees Ltd. If you’ve been around a while you may remember those organisations or even have worked and volunteered with us in one of our previous incarnations!
Greenstreams
If you’ve been out and about walking by rivers in Kirklees there’s a good chance you’ll have seen the Greenstreams logo (pictured) on information boards.
This was a brand we used for over 10 years for our river stewardship work.
Now when we are creating noticeboards we use the EPIKS logo. It’s all the same organisation, just new logos!
Our future
Realistically, the need for our work isn’t likely to disappear any time soon – EPIKS expects to be involved in tackling environmental issues locally for many years to come. But our vision for the future isn’t just about tackling problems.
We want to create a shared sense of stewardship for the little part of West Yorkshire that we all share. Everyone who lives, works, travels or does business in Kirklees affects our natural environment. We all have a role to play in responding to the challenges of the ecological and climate crisis. And we all have a stake in what lies ahead for us and the many species we share West Yorkshire with.
You can see our team of regular staff and volunteer directors below but our invitation to you is to see yourself, your organisation or your business as part of “the team” that our environment needs in its corner.
Take a look around our website and see what opportunities there are for you to be part of our work, follow us on social media for news of events, activities and information about actions you can take for nature and the climate, sign up to our newsletter, donate if you can and get in touch with your ideas, big and small!
Our Team
Chas Ball
Director/Chair
Chas is lead director on EPIKS active travel projects.
He was founder of City Car Club (now run by Enterprise) and was an early mover in the shared mobility sector in Britain. In 2012 he became Chief Executive of Carplus Trust (now CoMoUK) the UK organisation for “combined mobility” until he retired. He also served on the board of the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership (now Zemo) for three years until 2017.
In the 1990s he worked on innovative recycling and waste projects with Leeds-based community enterprise, SWAP (Save Waste & Prosper). His early experience in the public sector was in promoting rural community cooperatives and worker cooperatives.
A species you can see locally that I love : Snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis)
Jeff Keenlyside
Director
Jeff has been leading on the Greenstreams Project for several years developing the corporate sponsorship scheme, and more recently, the concept of 3 Valleys Nature Park.
With an environmental science background he previously worked for Kirklees Council as an ecologist in the Environment Unit and then the Planning Service before retirement. He has been involved with developing wildlife and recreation projects around the River Colne for over 20 years and believes rivers are a massive economic and environmental asset.
A keen birdwatcher and wildlife enthusiast, most of which is done from the saddle of a bike or the cockpit of a sailboat or kayak.
A species you can see locally that I love : Raven (Corvus corax)
Ali Stopher
Director/Secretary
Ali has a background in planning, community work, environmental policy and projects within local authorities and the voluntary sector.
She enjoys exploring local woodlands, paths and green spaces on foot and by bike, and growing fruit and vegetables on her allotment.
She spent several years exploring the canal and river system in England and Wales by narrowboat (a great way to connect with nature).
Grandparenting increased Ali’s concerns about climate change – she is an active campaigner encouraging pension funds to remove their money from the oil and gas industries that are driving climate change.
A species you can see locally that I love : Speckled wood butterfly (Pararge aegeria)
John Munro
Director
John is an enthusiastic e-biker and walker. With 30 years’ experience in the IT sector he is able to support EPIKS with a range of technical and industry advice.
John grew up in Northern Ireland, only a few miles from the beautiful Causeway Coast but has lived with his family in Huddersfield for the last 30 years.
As well as spending time in the great outdoors, John is a keen musician and plays tenor saxophone with the Honley saxophone choir and Musica Mirfield Swing Band.
A species you can see locally that I love : Roe deer (Capreolus capreolus)
Katy Livings
Office manager
Katy was born in Huddersfield but has lived in many different locations around the world including the French Alps, where she developed a love for being outdoors.
Katy is currently studying towards a BA in Environmental Studies and has a passion for environmental issues with a focus on climate change and the inequalities arising from this. She regularly enjoys wild swimming, hiking and climbing, either with or without her three children.
Katy has previous experience of funding applications, fundraising events and volunteer management with the Motherhub community group which she chaired for several years.
A species you can see locally that I love : Common frog (Rana temporaria)
Rachel Hogley
Programme Manager
Rachel joined the team in March 2025 after several years at Sustrans delivering active travel infrastructure projects across the Midlands & East of England. Her career has included roles in both Network Rail and the Home Office as well as extensive project delivery at a more local scale as a Holme Valley Parish Councillor and Chair of Holmfirth Christmas Team.
She is looking forward to applying her skills to help EPIKS deliver impactful projects across Kirklees.
Rachel loves being active enjoying running and cycling around the Holme Valley or playing hockey with her three children at Huddersfield Dragons Hockey Club.
A species you can see locally that I love : Brown Hare (Lepus europaeus)
Beth Lomas
Active Travel Manager
A keen hiker and lover of the outdoors, she enjoys getting up into the hills and sharing her keen interest in foraging.
She has worked in the charitable sector for the majority of her career with a background in international development and humanitarian protection. Her career and love of travelling and different cultures has taken her to many different countries.
Beth enjoys sharing her passion for the outdoors with others and believes that nature plays a crucial role in maintaining good physical and mental health.
A species you can see locally that I love : Bluebells (Hyacinthoides non-scripta)
Iain Solanki-Willats
Active Travel Engagement Office for Batley and the Spen Valley.
Iain has more than fifteen years’ experience of building his skills, knowledge and confidence for his own active travel and blending this with public transport.
A keen walker in town and country, Iain enjoys using a hand lens to engage with the surroundings at a different scale.
A species you can see locally that I love: Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
Gilly Dukes
Volunteer coordinator (part time)
After gaining a degree in Ecology from Huddersfield Polytechnic, Gilly has gone on to train as a nature reserve manager for the Earth Trust, work for the Field Studies Council (FSC) and the Trust for Conservation Volunteers (TCV).
She is passionate about enabling others to access our urban wild spaces, and in addition to being a Forest School Leader and Bushcraft Instructor, has taken her education to master’s level, obtaining a post-graduate degree in Outdoor and Experiential Learning from Cumbria University.
A species you can see locally that I love : Ginkgo biloba
Lauren Bartle
Communications Officer (part time)
Lauren has a background in creative marketing and communications and enjoys working in the charitable sector on meaningful initiatives.
Outside of work, she loves painting and silversmithing, often using found and recycled materials in her work. She also enjoys getting involved with local art projects whenever she can.
When not in her home studio, she’s usually exploring woodlands, foraging, or getting stuck into life on her new allotment. Time in nature is a big part of her daily wellbeing, and she’s outdoors as much as possible.
A species you can see locally that I love : Wood Sorrel (Oxalis acetosella)
Richard Byrne
Communications Manager (part time)
Richard has lived in Huddersfield for 20 years. He planted a community orchard in Fartown in 2005, helps look after another community orchard in Paddock, and in 2019 he set up Huddersfield Repair Café.
He loves hanging round with creative types- he performed with an improvisation based theatre group for 10 years, hosts house concerts and is part of Marshian Arts, a new arts initiative based in Marsh.
He loves exploring wild places with his dog Scarlett and teenage daughter and also enjoys some aimless psychogeographical wandering and pondering. He joined the EPIKS team in summer 2024.
A species you can see locally that I love : Scarlet elf cup fungus (Sarcoscypha austriaca)