PEC (Community Benefit Society)

Michelle Virgo

Michelle has been active in Plymouth’s social enterprise community, and in the wider co-operative movement for many years. She is a director of Plymouth Social Enterprise Network, a member of the steering group for Low Carbon Devon and one of the founder members of Tregovenek (Place of Hope), a land-based regenerative project. At work, she heads up a national team managing entrepreneurship support programmes for the School for Social Entrepreneurs.

Michelle studied climate and oceanography at University and has been a climate campaigner and activist ever since, with a particular concern for the social justice implications of climate breakdown in the UK and worldwide.

Michelle has previously been a Director on the PEC Homes Board and was co-opted to the PEC CBS Board in 2022.

Lee Richards

Lee is a Senior Research Manager at the University of Plymouth. He has previously worked as Regen SW’s onshore renewables lead and managed work within the large-scale onshore renewables, micro-generation and built environment sectors.

He has over 9 years’ experience in the renewables industry and has developed the capabilities of businesses and communities to deploy more renewable and energy efficiency technologies. He has extensive knowledge of sustainable energy and low carbon policy, legislation, supply chain and technical development and deployment. Lee helped to develop and manage the £6.3M Ready for Retrofit programme, one of the UK’s largest European Regional Development Fund business support programmes, installing over 1700 domestic energy efficiency technologies.

Lee is from Plymouth and as keen advocate of developing the low carbon economy he wants the city to lead in community led renewable energy initiatives.

He was voted to the PEC Board in 2017 and was co-opted to the PEC Renewables Board in 2015. He is also the Chair of Ernesettle Community Solar Ltd.

Chris Penberthy

Councillor Chris Penberthy (Labour and Co-operative, St Peter and the Waterfront) was a member of Plymouth City Council’s Cabinet from 2012-2016 and again from 2017- present. His portfolio has included housing, social enterprise development and support, community safety, neighbourhood working, child poverty, welfare policy and financial inclusion. Chris has spent most of his working life in charities including as Chief Executive of Volunteer Development England. He was awarded a fellowship of the Royal Society of Arts in recognition of his contribution to the voluntary and community sector.

Chris has held a variety of trusteeships and directorships in charities and social enterprises. He currently holds the Chair Plymouth Fairtrade Network, Millfields Inspired and the South West Council of the Cooperative Party. He has previously been appointed by Plymouth City Council to the Boards of the Millfields Community Economic Development Trust CIC, and Plymouth Municipal Charities. Chris is a Governor of Plymouth College of Art and is also Vice Chair of the Co-operative Councils Innovation Network and Chair of its Values and Principles Board.

Chris has been an elected member Director of PEC Renewables since 2014 and became a Director of Ernesettle Community Solar Ltd in 2015.