Natalie Aldrich
Conservation Casework Manager
Natalie holds a BA(Hons) in History and Politics and a FdSc in Architectural Conservation and is a full member of the Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC) and Practitioner member of the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists (PCIfA). She has over 10 years experience as a Heritage Consultant working with, and advising on, heritage assets of all kinds across England. She works for a private heritage and planning consultancy based on the South Coast alongside her role at the Gardens Trust. As a Heritage Consultant she is responsible for researching building records, historic mapping and investigating physical evidence, to inform proposals for change and to support Heritage Statements and Statements of Significance when applying for alteration, redevelopment and change of use in historic buildings and landscapes. Natalie’s experience includes 20 years in various volunteer roles, including working on behalf of the National Amenity Societies, undertaking research across a number of local record offices, reviewing Historic Environment Records, and numerous archaeological, fieldwork projects. She has a particular interest in farm buildings and historic parks and gardens and joined the Gardens Trust in 2026.
Alison Allighan
Conservation Officer
Alison has a BSc (Hons) and MSc in Environmental Sciences from Sheffield and Manchester Universities, focussing on Landscape Management. She is also a Chartered Member of the Landscape Institute (CMLI). She was the Garden History Society’s Conservation Officer for Scotland from 2004 to 2013 and later Scotland’s Garden and Landscape Heritage Consultant from 2015 to 2023, dealing largely with planning and forestry-related casework, and historic landscape survey and recording work with volunteers. Initially the GHS Conservation Casework Manager, she has undertaken the same role for the Gardens Trust since 2015.
Daniel Bowles
Conservation Officer
Daniel joined the Gardens Trust in 2020 as a volunteer social media editor after graduating from university studying History and French, with a focus on working within the heritage sector. He joined the conservation team in 2021 to assist with conservation casework whilst also continuing his voluntary editorial role.
Hayley Bickerstaffe
Conservation Officer
Hayley has a Masters in Spatial Planning from Oxford Brookes University and has spent over a decade working as a Planning Inspector dealing with planning appeals at all levels. From her work in planning, she developed a love of built heritage and conservation work and subsequently studied for a Post-Graduate Diploma in Conservation of the Historic Environment at Birmingham City University. Hayley has always been a keen gardener, helping to organise Open Garden events in her area and volunteering at The Merchant’s House Trust in Marlborough, where she is currently leading on the restoration of its 17th Century style townhouse garden. Hayley is also soon to move into a conservation role at Winchester City Council. She is passionate about the historic environment and, in particular, the protection and enhancement of historic gardens and open spaces.
Teresa Forey-Harrison
Finance Officer
Teresa joined the Association of Gardens Trusts in 2011 as the AGT Co-ordinator. She has a local authority/Health Service background in management support, leisure and event management and ISO auditing.
Catherine Ford
Administration and Membership Officer
Linden Groves
Director
Linden has worked in the landscape conservation sector for almost 30 years, starting as Assistant Editor of Historic Gardens Review, before becoming part of the conservation team of the Garden History Society, and then taking a role with the Association of Gardens Trusts on its volunteer capacity building project in 2013. She has additionally worked as a freelancer specialising in children in the historic environment for organisations such as English Heritage, the National Trust and Historic England. Her co-authored book ‘The Gardens of English Heritage’ won the Garden Media Guild’s ‘Inspirational Book of the Year’ award in 2010 and she is now working on a history of playgrounds for Liverpool University Press.
Tara Tanjga
Fundraising Development Officer
Tamsin McMillan
Lead Volunteer Support Officer
Tamsin studied physical geography and landscape archaeology at university. Her PhD, examined the arboriculture of West Country parks, post-1660. Tamsin worked on the English Heritage Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Gloucestershire, then spent five years as an Historic Environment Adviser at Hilary Taylor Landscape Associates Ltd in Nottingham. She started her new role with the Gardens Trust in 2016.
