Our team are dedicated to building better food systems in Eastbourne

Johnny Denis is the Co-ordinator at Eastbourne Food Partnership.

He has a wide range of experience in setting up and running community food projects and programmes and has led regional and national food and health programmes in multiple settings.

Although he has previously set up direct sales of home-reared pork and poultry and has made prize-winning marmalade, he remains a novice gardener.

Johnny studied at the Centre for Food Policy and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Public Health.

“It’s so exciting to join the team. There’s so much going on in Eastbourne around improving access to good food!”

Fenella Walsh joins the Eastbourne Food Partnership as Community Food Hub Officer, with an aim to increase and strengthen networks between new and existing projects across the town.

For the past 2 years she has worked as an organic grower, gardener and within a forest school team and is passionate about involving young people in the discussion about food sustainability, whilst teaching them the skills to grow, cook and eat seasonal and foraged foods.

Her background is in food sustainability; she holds a Masters in Sustainable Food and Natural Resources with the Centre for Alternative Technology and she loves to work in nature, feeling deep connection with the land.

Karen Stewart has been very active in the local community for over 20 years, volunteering for local projects including Community Stuff, Eastbourne Foodbank, Eastbourne Friends Of The Earth, Chalk Farm Garden Centre, Sarah Raven’s cutting garden at Robertsbridge, and creating with friends (Eco Gardening Group) the first Community Garden in a small close in Hampden Park. Karen was Co founder of Edible Eastbourne and was a founding member of the EFP, supporting its development and becoming a Director in 2021.  

Karen has gained skills and a National Award in Horticulture and Garden Design at Plumpton college. Other interests include building community, The planet, cooking skills and the chickens in her garden, and an advocate of mental health issues, having completed Mental Health First Aid Training.

Corinna Hattersley is a local organic allotmenteer and gardener. She is passionate about regenerative farming, food sovereignty and ending food poverty. Over the years Corinna has been involved in setting up community gardens, composting sites and a biodiversity expedition in Tanzania to explore the impact of teak plantations on local wildlife. Corinna’s main work focus in her day job is equity, diversity, inclusion and employee engagement for an animal welfare charity. She hopes to combine her passions and skills to support Eastbourne Food Partnership.