Meet our FDRI catchment champions

Who are the catchment champions? What role do they play in strengthening the UK's resilience to hydrological extremes?

Watch this video to find out more about our champions' vital work across the Flood and Drought Research Infrastructure test bed catchments in the Upper Severn, Upper Tweed and Chess.

After recruitment earlier this year, we are pleased to introduce the catchment champions for FDRI’s three test bed locations – Upper Severn, Upper Tweed and the Chess in the Thames catchment.

The roles of the champions will be to engage with communities in the catchment area. This includes:

  • Ensuring that monitoring plans for the catchment are based on local, expert knowledge.
  • Developing strong partnerships for FDRI's future use and innovation.

The catchment champions comprise experts from different research organisations which, alongside the community advisory group members, ensure diverse contributions and representation.

The champions came together for the first time on 8 and 9 May to understand more about their roles, build new relationships and to join up across the catchments.

 

Chess

Science catchment champion/lead – Kate Heppell, Chiltern National Landscapes

Engagement manager – Denise Pallett, UKCEH

Groundwater expertise – James Sorensen, BGS

 

Severn

Science catchment champion – Kieran Khamis, Birmingham University

Deputy science catchment champion/science lead – Catherine Wilson, Independent consultant in nature based solutions for flood and water management  

Engagement manager – Jade Hatton, UKCEH

Groundwater expertise – Laura Holliday, BGS

 

Tweed

Science catchment champion – Simon Moulds, Edinburgh University

Deputy science catchment champion/science lead – Lindsay Beevers, Edinburgh University

Engagement manager – Andrew Black, Dundee University

Groundwater expertise – Laura Holliday, BGS