Ullswater Breakfast Talk - Saturday 5th February 8am

About Anne Clarke

Anne is a retired biology and environmental science teacher with a passion for life-long learning and learning in and through the natural environment. She have worked in Tanzania, Ethiopia and Belgium as well as the UK. Alongside her teaching she has been an online mentor for teachers and led professional development courses both online and face to face. Anne have also worked as a writer and educator at the Natural History Museum in London. Her, and Tim's, home in Patterdale has been their UK base for over 25 years, during the time overseas. Now retired, they are thrilled to be able to live here permanently and become more involved in community life.

About Tim Clarke 

Tim has spent virtually all his working life in different posts within the European Commission/European Union. From his student days he has had 3 primary interests: Europe, Africa, and the Environment. His childhood heroes were: Rachel Carsen (Silent Spring), Fritz Schumacher (Small is beautiful), and Nelson Mandela (everything).

After being a Wildlife Campaigner in the late 1970s with Friends of the Earth (Saving Whales, Habitats, Endangered Species) Tim started his career in the EU in 1980 as a Fisheries/Aquaculture programme officer managing 80 EU-financed projects globally, which involved visiting 45 countries in Africa. He gradually moved up the ranks dealing with NGOs, Human Rights, Good governance, Election observation, West Africa, and the Caribbean. He established EU Manuals on Environmental Impact Assessment, Good Governance, Election Observation, Conflict Prevention and Resolution. During 8 years, from 2004-2011, Tim was appointed the EU Ambassador to the Africa Union, Ethiopia and Djibouti based in Addis Ababa, then to Tanzania and East Africa based in Dar es Salaam, responsible for all political dialogue and development co-operation. From 2011-2013 he was responsible for developing EU partnerships with the UN, US, Japan, China, Russia, India and others to help resolve crises in conflict zones. He loved the multi-cultural environment and stimulating, highly responsible work. Tim profoundly believes UK membership of the EU is worth more than the cup of tea/person it used to cost the UK every day.

Tim retired in 2013 and became actively involved doing voluntary work with a range of NGOs and universities in areas where he has maintained a life-long interest: Conservation, Africa, Climate change, Eco-Innovation, Culture and Community-led development.

He has been an Honorary Fellow and Strategic Advisor to Lancaster University’s Centre for Global Eco-Innovation and the Confucious Institute; Founder and President Jane Goodall Institute Europe; Board member of GAIA Education; Senior Adviser KMG Ethiopia; Global Eco Village Ambassador; Chair, Friends of the Ullswater Way; and Honorary Adviser, Inter-University Council for East Africa. I wrote a book for our grandson on African Memories in 2021. He has been a Delegate from 2015 to 2021 at various COPs (COP21 to COP26, from Paris to Glasgow).

Tim's current activities include helping to developing FOUW’s Ullswater Heritage Knowledge Bank and Website; putting together FOUW Understanding Ullswater Evening Talks; developing a Pan African online education programme for all African University students on Climate Change and the Sustainable Development Goals; being a Trustee of AFAF Ambleside and member of SITU; woodwork, kayaking, fell-walking and enjoying community life in Patterdale. It’s a great place to grow old and stay young.