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Lena Karsten (Director)

Lena grew up in Germany but moved to the UK many moons ago and now lives near Tintagel. She has been the proud co-owner of a small documentary production and video editing company for nearly two decades but is also a true renewables nerd at heart. After making her own home as close to energy self-sufficient as possible, she decided to delve even deeper into the endless potential of renewables by completing an MBA Renewables programme. She is particularly interested in community-owned renewables and the social benefits renewables can bring to regions like Cornwall.

Simon Miller (Community Engagement Director)

Simon is a tree planting, certified cycling enthusiast/bore. He would love to see more people, young and old utilise this most efficient, healthy and environmentally friendly form of transport. Born and raised in Cornwall, he has spent nearly all of his adult working life as a professional photographer travelling far and wide but now prefers to remain closer to home with his family near Wadebridge. With 3/4 of his home energy usage being generated by the sun having installed solar panels almost 10 years ago, he is keen to promote both the financial and environmental benefits that can made by embracing locally sourced renewable energy.

Kevin Smith (Chair/Treasurer)

Kevin is a physics graduate and qualified accountant. He worked for the international oil company Shell for many years, latterly specialising in process improvement and change management, before retiring to Wadebridge. He joined the board in 2014 as communications director, later taking  on the responsibility for finance. Having acquired solar panels, an electric car and a domestic storage battery, he is now contemplating how to better insulate his house.

Victoria Smyth (Director)

Vicky has been a long-term friend of WREN. She first heard of the group back in 2011 when she moved to the Wadebridge area after her Masters in chemistry where her final project investigated new architectures for solar PV technologies. Having worked at the BRE National Solar Centre with our Technical Director, Chris Coonick, she brings a wealth of knowledge on how the feed-in-tariff accelerated PV uptake and has seen the change as policies have shifted over the past decade. Her career has moved into the circular economy, but she remains passionate about grass roots movements to reduce the human impact on the planet. Within her role on the WREN Board she is actively involved in engaging with communities across Cornwall to share insights on effective action within the realm of energy efficiency and system changes. In her spare time Vicky can be found walking, cycling or scuba diving around the Cornish coast.

Leonie McGregor (Operations Assistant)

Leonie read Law at the University of Nottingham, practiced as a solicitor in Reading, and has since then held a variety of administrative and related posts. 

Ian Welch (Director)

Ian came to Wadebridge in 2014. He is keen to explore community energy and neutralising our environmental impact, and he is excited by the prospect of Wadebridge people benefiting from a local economy built around "energy equality". He is a power engineer, an IET Fellow and Chartered Engineer, having led Innovation at National Grid, and he became a Wadebridge Town Councillor in 2018.

Frances Williamson (Director)

Frances has worked in the energy sector for nearly two decades, working with the industry, government and charities to implement new initiatives such as the Feed In Tariff scheme; smart meter and in-home display role out; the digitalisation and decentralisation of the sector; championing local activities to install low carbon energy solutions and to help people on low income.

She is a keen collaborator and is enthusiastic to support WREN to increase the adoption and sharing the benefits of renewable energy within the Wadebridge and Padstow network area.