Linsay Chalmers, Development Manager
As Development Manager, Linsay’s role is to promote and encourage the take up of community land ownership across Scotland and support peer-to-peer learning and networking among community landowners. Linsay previously worked for Edinburgh Social Enterprise Network where she developed the Buy the Good Stuff social enterprise brand and ran Scotland’s first social enterprise festival. Prior to that, Linsay spent nine years working for the Community Resources Network Scotland supporting community reuse organisations across Scotland.
Dr. Carey Doyle, Urban Hub Manager
Carey Doyle is the manager of Community Land Scotland’s Community Ownership Hub: Glasgow and Clyde Valley. A town planner with over 15 years experience in private consultancy, academia, and the third sector, her work focuses on delivering inclusive and sustainable outcomes from land. At the Community Ownership Hub she leads on action research and policy development for land reform in urban Scotland.
Dr. Josh Doble, Policy Manager
Josh’s role for Community Land Scotland is to lead on policy advocacy and development to ensure that the benefits of community ownership and further land reform are understood at a national and regional level. Part of this role is to promote the connections between land reform and various key national policies, such as the Just Transition to Net Zero, the response to the climate crisis, Community Wealth Building, Human Rights and the Wellbeing Economy. Josh has experience in research and policy within government and academia. His research background as a historian of decolonisation, with an interest in the politics of land and race in postcolonial societies, means he is particularly interested in the opportunities for progressive land reform within Scotland.
Meg Taintor, Development Officer
Meg’s role for Community Land Scotland is to provide support for community groups across Scotland who either own or aspire to own land or assets. Meg also oversees Community Land Scotland’s training series for community owners, and organises and promotes an exciting programme of events all over Scotland.
Heather Yearwood, Hub Development Officer
Heather’s role is to support communities in Glasgow and the Clyde Valley aspiring to buy land and assets. Coming from a background of health and wellbeing, and social development, she is interested in building strong and resilient communities in Scotland. She has worked supporting the promotion and implementation of community gardening and community entrepreneurs in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Heather is conscious of the importance of communities creating and owning their own sustainable development projects. She is excited by the opportunity to support communities to grow and evolve through owning their own land in towns and cities. She focuses on taking an inclusivity and equalities approach.
Norrie Maclennan, PR and Communications Coordinator
Norrie’s role is to help lead and develop Public Relation and Media Communications for Community Land Scotland.
Norrie previously worked as Senior News Editor for Gaelic News at BBC Scotland. This included responsibility for international current affairs documentary, Eorpa. Prior to joining the BBC Norrie worked as a freelance for multiple Press outlets.
Brought up on a busy Skye croft, Norrie has a lifelong interest in Land Management issues.
Gavin Cowan, Events Coordinator
Gavin Cowan joined us as a Policy Intern at Community Land Scotland in March 2023 and transitioned to the role of Events Coordinator in October. He is responsible for supporting the creation of a range of events across Scotland as part of the 100 years of community ownership project.
Alongside this role, Gavin is pursuing his master’s in public policy at the University of Strathclyde.
Marit Behner-Coady, Urban Events Coordinator
Marit joined Community Land Scotland in September 2023 to support the team with delivering Community Land Week and is continuing on as Urban Events Coordinator. She has first hand experience of Community Ownership through her work with her local Community Woodland and is excited by the opportunity to connect with many different type of Community Owners, learning about their stories and celebrating their successes.
Alongside this work, Marit is studying for a Master’s in Agricultural Professional Practice and chairing the Glengarry Highland Games Committee.
Luke Pyke-Terrett, Administrator
Luke’s role in Community Land Scotland is to provide internal support for members of staff and our board. He is involved in making sure that everything works as intended allowing those working with communities to do so with as little friction as possible.
Before joining us, Luke worked in education for close to a decade with the explicit goal of helping bring immigrants in Ireland, and later Scotland, out of informal labour by improving their English Language skills. Following this he was Head of the School of Humanities for an online school focused on providing education to students with severe mental health issue, and those suffering from crippling gender dysphoria.
He is deeply passionate about being involved in social change, in particular the pursuit of a more equal distribution of wealth, and means of wealth generation
Emma Margrett, Information Officer
Emma’s role is to provide additional administrative support to Community Land Scotland for a variety of projects. Emma is currently working on an education project aimed at raising awareness of community landownership in schools. Other projects have included supporting the Annual Conference, Community Land Week and research projects. Emma has written case studies – most recently, how community landowners tackled the pandemic and looking at the South of Scotland for a celebratory report. Emma has worked in the third sector in Scotland/internationally since 2001. She has first-hand experience of community landownership having worked and volunteered at Comrie Development Trust.
