About PEC

Since 2013 Alistair has led PEC’s development from a council initiative, into a big-thinking multifaceted venture delivering targeted support to the fuel poor, and community-owned alternatives to fossil fuels.

With a degree in Geography from Plymouth University, Alistair has a background in biodiversity and sustainable development projects for local authorities and third sector organisations in the UK and overseas.

Originally hailing from Essex, Alistair has raised his family in Devon and enjoys cycling, climbing, sailing and adventure.

He was named ‘Community Energy Champion’ at the 2016 Community Energy England Awards and ‘South West Sustainable Energy Champion’ at the 2017 Green Energy Awards. In 2017, he attended the Queen’s Garden Party in recognition of his contributions to the sector. Alistair sees Plymouth leading the way in the community energy revolution and is proud to be part of it.

Becky brings years of experience in administrative roles across both higher education and the energy sector. Her passion for community values and making a meaningful impact led her to join PEC, where she’s found the perfect mix of job fulfilment and purpose.

Outside of work, Becky is a self-proclaimed dog lover! She’s always eager to hear about people’s furry friends, and she’s just as excited to hear about her friends and colleague’s latest adventures or favourite hobbies.

A music enthusiast and a fan of holidays and travel, you’ll often find her at gigs or off exploring new places with her family - either in their VW van or further afield. When she’s not on the move, she’s likely reading, watching a new series, or staying active while making time for the things she loves most—good food, good company, and meaningful conversations.

Ben's background is in sustainable food. He worked on an organic farm for 4 years and then co-founded Falmouth Food Co-op, a social enterprise that has built a community focusing on the production and consumption of agroecological food. This experience made him realise the enormous potential for communities to drive positive change. Ben joined the PEC team so that he could contribute to an equitable energy and retrofit revolution that is owned and directed by the local community.

Ben has been fascinated by renewable energy since he installed his own off-grid PV system to power his hand-built cabin in Cornwall where he lives a simple rural existence tending to a forest garden.

Christine is originally from Cranwell, and spent her formative years moving around the UK before settling in Plymouth at the age of 11. She was delighted to join PEC in October 2020, after gaining considerable experience supporting those most vulnerable in society in her previous roles.

Having always felt passionate about the impact of government policies on families and individuals lives, she completed a degree in Social Policy, gaining a First Class Honours with the Open University. She then went on to work in numerous roles, including in a Women's Refuge, volunteering at Plymouth Mind, working as a Life Enhancement Advisor at Twelve's Company, working for the Alzheimer's Society and has spent the last 4 years working within the management team of a domiciliary care agency.

In her spare time Christine likes to play music, is in a band playing saxophone, and has several guitars and ukuleles that she plays, without an audience! She also endeavours to keep fit by swimming, being a gym member, and loves waling in nature with her much loved pug!

Clare is the Advice Lead at PEC, managing major projects to tackle fuel poverty alongside residents and partner frontline organisations. She is immensely proud of the team, their work and its services, which include community drop-ins, crisis support, income maximisation, and supplier mediation.

Clare has lived in Plymouth since 2011 and came to the area from Norfolk, where she led campaigns for biodiversity organisations, local authorities and charities. She is one of PEC’s experts on funding bids and partnerships, and also develops creative climate action programs in the city.

When it comes to work, she is passionate about joining up local services to reach the people in need of them. Outside of work, she’s a little green fingered and handy with a paint brush.

“I’m lucky enough to go out each day and meet people who want to make life better for themselves and for those around them. What more could I ask?“

Dan has worked with PEC since 2022. He is a Project Manager in the Future Fit team and supports a variety of other activities for the organisation ranging from business development to IT support. 

Dan lives in the countryside east of Plymouth with his wife and 3 kids. In his spare time, he loves being on the beach, enjoying good food and wine with friends and making things, including silver jewellery. 

After completing the PEC Pals programme in 2017, Didier joined the team in May 2019 as PEC Assistant Advisor. He has a degree in Ocean Sciences from the University of Plymouth. After a brief spell working at the University, he spent more than 17 years working in the language industry. 

More recently, Didier retrained and obtained a Masters in Marine Renewable Energy with the aim to contribute to a fairer low carbon world and in the belief that he can “make a difference” however small it is. 

Milestones in his personal eco-journey include installing his own solar PV system, a wind-turbine, as well as building a garden “eco-pod”. Lately, Didier also built a small electric boat powered solely by renewable energy! 

In his spare time, Didier enjoys cycling, running and walking his dog.

Donna has lived in various places around the country but has lived on the edge of Plymouth for the last 27 years. It is such a wonderful place with lots to do on the doorstep. This is only her third ever job, the first being with the DWP, and the second working in mental health as a welfare rights worker.

She is now looking forward to new challenges that working at PEC will bring whilst being able to use the skills to help lift people out of fuel poverty.

She enjoys spending time with her family and cats. It is rare that you will see Donna without Dr Marten boots of various colours!

Raised in Cornwall, Emma moved to Plymouth to study at Marjon University, where she achieved a First-Class Honours degree in Education Studies and Psychology. She lived in the heart of the city for three years and quickly fell in love with Plymouth’s vibrant community.

With previous experience in both retail and education, Emma has always had a passion for helping others. Making a positive difference in people’s lives has been at the heart of everything she does, which naturally led her to join the PEC team in a Project Support role. She thrives on building connections, supporting meaningful projects, and being part of a team committed to creating positive change within the local community.

Outside of work, Emma loves nothing more than going for walks at the beach with her dog, spending quality time with friends, and staying active through reformer Pilates.

Gill has provided the finance and governance backbone for PEC since its inception in 2013 and more recently is also responsible for human resources. Gill has vast experience in both private and public sector and is a qualified Company Secretary.

Gill is passionate about PEC as an organisation and strives to ensure that PEC is the best we can be.

With a background in education, Jacob shares PEC’s values of social empowerment, community, and sustainability.

Originally from Essex, Jacob lived in Kenya before moving to Plymouth in 2015 to complete his degree in English with Creative Writing at the University of Plymouth. He then worked as an English Teacher in Cornwall before joining PEC in 2024 as Project Support.

Jacob is an avid bookworm and in the time that he isn’t reading he enjoys bouldering, hiking, sea swimming and playing music.

Justin joined the PEC team in September 2017. He coordinates PEC’s energy team to install simple energy efficient measures and provide advice. He also works behind the scenes to develop new opportunities.

With a Natural Sciences degree from the University of Bath, he enjoys communicating technical information in an uncomplicated and engaging way. He has used these skills delivering fuel poverty projects at the Centre for Sustainable Energy in Bristol between 2013 and 2017 and before this worked briefly for Good Energy.

After a 9 year stint of dabbling with living on the fringes of the South West, in Bristol, Justin has returned to Devon where he was born and grew up. Living in Dawlish, he is enjoying being able to live and work right next to the sea.

Kate joined PEC in 2021 as Project Support in the Energy Advice Team.

Kate feels strongly that work should give you a warm glow and a sense of purpose. Her role at PEC ticks all the boxes!

Kate’s a dedicated recycler, a regular litter-picker and always looking for ways to live more sustainably.

When she’s not working, you’ll find her enjoying time with her family and friends, walking her dog ,or happily getting lost in a charity shop.

Katie has lived in several places around the UK and New Zealand, but spent most of her childhood in Surrey. After many happy childhood holidays in South Devon, she moved to Plymouth to study Psychology in 2011. She immediately knew she wanted to make the city her home, and has lived here for most of the last decade. Katie has worked in the dementia care sector, and while studying she took a variety of summer jobs including the London Olympics and (her favourite) Tinside Lido. Katie joined PEC from Citizens Advice, which is where her desire to help people manage their energy use was born. Katie loves to find ways to save money or bring more money in, hunting out the best deals in order to help people change their lives for the better.

Outside of work, Katie enjoys computer games, wild swimming, going to gigs and spending quality time with her cats.

James joined PEC as Communications and Engagement Coordinator in 2022, having previously worked as a filmmaker since 2008. He previously worked for Plymouth-based social enterprise Fotonow CIC and lead their film production services, becoming a Company Director in 2015. 

James has led an extensive portfolio of projects that use creative media to engage Plymouth citizens in important issues and enable them to tell their personal stories. He was also a Director of the Plymouth Social Enterprise Network between 2016 and 2021 and has strong connections with many influential community and social enterprise organisations across the city.

Jason joined PEC in 2020 and is part of the Future Fit team facilitating retrofit installations in Plymouth. He gets a buzz from helping people and fighting the climate crisis, combining his retrofit knowledge with his experience in property renovation.

With an Environmental Studies degree and a HND in Agriculture, Jason has always been drawn to the outdoors and worked in biological pest control before it was trendy.

He grew up in Hertfordshire with Lancastrian parents and continued to move around, settling in Plymouth in 2011, after spending a year teaching English in the Northern Spanish region of Asturias.

Born and raised in Plymouth, Liam has a strong connection to the city and the South West in general. He studied history at Cardiff University before returning to his hometown, where he worked Front of House at the National Marine Aquarium, sharing his enthusiasm for the natural world and community engagement.

Liam joined PEC in September 2023 and now works as an Energy Advisor within the Energy Advice Team. His role allows him to support residents with energy advice, helping people reduce their energy costs and live more sustainably.

Outside of work, Liam loves trying new foods, finding old pubs, and travelling as much as he can.

Liz joined the team in 2017, initially as Technical and Business Support Officer working part-time for PEC but her role has grown with the growth of the organisation. Liz’s role for PEC became a full-time in 2020-working across the family of PEC organisations, assisting the Business Manager with finance and governance matters. 

Liz is always keen to ensure that accurate records are kept and in particular that the energy generated by our solar PV rooftop sites and solar farm is correctly processed to maintain the ongoing income streams for PEC Renewables. She is excited and honoured to work for PEC and to be able to play a small part in the great work that the organisation does.

Liz counts herself very lucky to work in Plymouth. When not in the office, she loves to get out walking, off-road running and swimming off the Hoe.

With a background in Applied Theatre, Marcella moved to the UK from Italy in 2013 to volunteer with Plymouth-based social enterprise, Fotonow, learning about community engagement through film and photography. She moved to London where she worked for the charity Made In Hackney and helped run community cookery classes.

She has worked in customer service roles and both in formal and informal education roles for various organisations in Plymouth, including teaching Italian language to adult learners. She has worked for different organisations supporting senior citizens by arranging social activities. That's where her interest towards dementia started.

Marcella is really excited to combine her background in arts and community engagement with PEC's retrofit project, Future Fit, bringing communities together, creating connections and helping people.

In her spare time, she is interested in illustration, socially engaged art and food. She also loves practicing Tai Chi and discovering beautiful walking paths in Devon and Cornwall.

Maria loves the community-centred approach PEC has and is passionate about the environment and mitigating climate change. She is grateful for the opportunity to support members of the community and contribute to the city’s environmental wellbeing.

Paul has been working in, on, and with PEC since its creation in 2013. Having spent the last 15 years fighting fuel poverty and bringing net zero solutions to the city for the Council, he joined PEC full-time in 2023 as their Renewables Development Manager.

Paul moved to Plymouth in 2001 after completing a geography degree at Cheltenham College and has embraced the City’s offerings ever since. He lives in the city with his wife and 3 girls and is kept busy by the dynamism of family life – if he does sneak in some time for himself you might find him on a run, playing the guitar, or attempting to fix the campervan.

Rae has been working with vulnerable people with multiple and complex needs for many years. She has worked in residential, custodial and community settings and is dedicated to ensuring that those who are isolated, marginalised and / or living in poverty are fairly represented and supported to enhance their quality of life, manage their affairs to the best of their ability and become integrated members of their community.

Despite being a Line Manager, Rae still holds a small caseload as she particularly enjoys the challenges of working alongside wonderful colleagues on the front line. This, along with a passion for environmental issues, makes Plymouth Energy Community a fantastic place to work.

In her personal time, Rae enjoys being in nature, cooking (and eating), travelling, listening to music, writing, collage and embroidery. She also enjoys comedy and laughs – a lot!

Sophie is a passionate advocate for the planet, people, and education. She loves to travel and spend time by the ocean, exploring coastlines while championing sustainability as an Energy Advisor with Plymouth Energy Community. As a proud mother of two, she is committed to creating a healthier world for future generations and actively supports principles of truth and justice. Her creative side shines through her love of music, art, and community projects, helping her stay empathetic and connected. With 14 years of teaching experience, she’s always seen education as a key to growth and understanding.

Her time working at the Eden Project really inspired her, deepening her appreciation for the beauty of nature. She believes that we’re healthiest when we live in harmony with each other and our environment, and that education is crucial for raising awareness and inspiring positive change for a sustainable future.

Sophie joined PEC in September 2023 as Project Support and more recently moved into the role of Communications and Engagement Support. She previously worked for another local social enterprise and was also a Director of Plymouth Social Enterprise Network from 2021 to 2024.

Sophie grew up in a coastal village on the outskirts of Plymouth and loves all that the city and surrounding countryside and beaches have to offer. In her spare time, she enjoys getting out and about with her husband, young daughter and two stepsons – they all enjoy camping, especially in more remote places, ideally with the opportunity to light a campfire!

Taz was born and raised in Devon and has been part of the PEC team since 2021, providing vital support across our projects. She holds a First Class Honours BSc in Geography from the University of Sussex.

Before joining PEC, she worked in a range of people focused roles including care, dental health, and community organisations. These experiences deepened her commitment to supporting others and addressing social and environmental challenges.

Outside of work, Taz is kept busy by her two young sons. When she gets the chance, you’ll find her outdoors: on wheels, in or on the water, or running off the beaten track.

Tom has lived in the Midlands most of his life, studied chemistry at the University of Leicester and worked in labs for a couple of years before travelling South East Asia. He came back due to the pandemic and decided he wanted to live by the sea and so moved to Plymouth to study Applied Marine Science. He has always had a passion for the environment and wanted to make a difference in the world but never knew how, so is hoping PEC will be the perfect avenue.

Tom's hobbies include playing the piano, reading, and rock climbing.

Born and raised in Plymouth, Tom brings a varied background in Solar PV, IT and construction to his role as a Retrofit Advisor with the FutureFit team. He’s proud to be giving back to the city he grew up in, helping people live in warmer, more energy-efficient homes through practical support and advice.

He’s passionate about renewable energy and using technology to solve real-world problems — often proudly identifying as a bit of a nerd. Outside of work, he’s most at home outdoors, whether that’s sea swimming, cycling or camping. He also loves cooking for friends and is usually busy with some kind of hands-on creative project or DIY build.

He’s proud to be part of an organisation where his work not only helps people but also aligns with his values and interests.