Introducing our new trustee, Sarah Wilson

We are delighted to introduce our new trustee, Sarah Wilson. Sarah has lived in Barnes since 2007 and, together with her family, enjoyed walking on Barnes Common and around the Leg O Mutton Reservoir. She has a keen amateur interest in the natural world, supporting biodiversity, and the ways this can help us all thrive. She joined the Community Growing Project as a volunteer in 2025.

As a trustee and then Chair of The Barnes Fund 2016-24, Sarah developed a wide appreciation of the local community. Her earlier career as economist and regulator was followed by being Deputy CEO at Voluntary Service Overseas, a charity which – like Barnes Common – benefits from the work of very many volunteers. As non-exec / trustee, Sarah has held roles in further and higher education and on the board of a large childcare social enterprise. She is currently Deputy Chair and Chair of the Audit Committee at National Citizens Advice.

To introduce Sarah, we asked her a few questions in a short Q&A.

How do you hope to contribute to Barnes Common?

I have worked and been a trustee at other charities and hope the experience I have gained can prove useful to Barnes Common as it develops. I was Deputy CEO at Voluntary Service Overseas, a charity which is also lucky enough to benefit from the work of very many volunteers. As trustee, I have had roles in further and higher education and on the board of a large childcare social enterprise. I am Deputy Chair of national Citizens Advice and I used to chair The Barnes Fund. Like Barnes Common these organisations brim with ambitious ideas which staff and trustees try to implement with limited resources. I hope I can help BCL to carry on growing and innovating.

What made you want to be a trustee for Barnes Common?

I have become more and more interested – as an amateur – in the natural world, in supporting biodiversity and in all the ways we now know that this helps us thrive. As I have got to know Barnes Common, I have moved from a local resident who enjoys walking across it to one that also appreciates the habitats that it holds and the quality of the science and conservation that BCL does here and on other sites too. And recently I’ve loved getting involved in the community growing project. The wild places BCL cares for are very special, more so than many of us realise, and the opportunities for the whole community are exciting. I’m very happy to be able to play a part.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I enjoy reading and music. I’m learning to garden.