About Us
Sean McCormack set up EWG in 2016. Sean is a vet and lifelong naturalist, he has a passion for wildlife conservation and education. After someone enquired about bats in the Hanwell Viaduct, Sean asked if there was any interest in educational bat walks in the borough. Following an overwhelming response from keen locals, EWG Facebook Group was formed and Summer bat walks became the first activity.
Since 2016, EWG has grown steadily in membership. We have secured funding for several community environmental projects and launched a highly successful wildlife photography competition and public exhibition. The main hub of activity and discussion remains the Facebook group. Here members can truly appreciate the diversity of wildness on our doorstep through others’ observations and posts.
EWG Board
Dr Sean McCormack BSc (Hons), MVB, MRCVS
He/Him
Favourite British Animal: Brown Long Eared Bat
Sean McCormack is incredibly passionate about community and nature. Growing up in Co. Kildare, Sean spent his childhood obsessed with birds, bugs and plants – a self-confessed nature nerd.
Dreaming of being a vet, Sean completed a degree in Animal Science followed by Veterinary Medicine, in Dublin. Once qualified, Sean spent 6 years working in various domestic and exotic pet practices and saw him move to Ealing.
Sean combines his passion and extensive knowledge of the natural world to lead EWG – guiding through education and conservation. He has links with many conservation organisations across the UK which enables Ealing to play a part in wider, national studies and programmes.
Photo: Kimberley Miller
Caroline Farrow
She/Her
Favourite British Animal: Beaver
Caroline was born and raised where the prairie meets the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. Living right at the edge of the greenbelt, her love of wildlife started at an early age as deer, marmots, racoons, coyotes, and golden eagles were all frequent visitors to the back garden.
This love of nature did not diminish as she found herself in the deserts and mountains of Arizona and later in the urban jungle of Chicago. Upon moving to England in 2017, she went on her first bat walk with EWG and was hooked. She soon became more involved with the group and is now Vice-chair. She manages EWG@Costons Lane, our nature reserve in Greenford, she also manages the groups data collection of Ealing species, maintains the website, and makes short films for our youtube channel, and helps out whenever needed.
In her spare time she enjoys photography, macrame, kumihimo, beading, hiking, birdwatching, star gazing, and pyrography.
Smelling the spring flowers in Grandma’s garden.
Emma Chard-Cumming
She/Her
Favourite British Animal: Red Kite
Born in industrial South Wales to parents who always taught her to open her "eyes to the skies”, Emma's interest in all wildlife started at a very young age. Emma's passion has always been birds, in particular raptors. She became obsessed with Red Kites at the age of seven when there were only 22 breeding pairs in the UK. Despite regular trips to mid-Wales looking for them, it was five years before sighting a group of five flying together up a valley near Tregaron. Never in her wildest dreams did she think she'd be able to open her back door in Ealing and see them flying above her garden.
Emma has been a member of the EWG Facebook group for over five years, but in those early years she barely posted anything fearing that she didn't get a great photo on her iPhone or she didn't have enough knowledge. How wrong could she have been! She states that the EWG saved her soul when she broke her leg and had to be completely immobilised in bed for three months. Reading the posts and looking at the photos raised her spirits and empowered her to get more involved.
She has only recently taken the plunge to fully engage with the group when seeing the advertisement for volunteer roles. Initially, she felt that the role of Secretary would be too involved or take up too much time until she realised that she lives to organise as she runs her own business as a Fractional COO helping overwhelmed small business owners get their time and lives back.
As Secretary Emma will be organising the Officer meetings and AGM, helping to coordinate the newsletter, managing email responses and generally supporting the leadership team with administrative matters. She lives by the adage that "there's always another way" and will always seek the best solution for all, which saves the most time and energy.
In her spare time, you will find Emma reading, walking or watching some dark Scandi drama or Nordic noir, a good nature programme or Masterchef!
Sandra Adar, Director of Little Cherry Ltd
She/Her
Favourite British Animal: Otter
Sandra has lived in Ealing for over 30 years. She had a corporate background in senior commercial retail before developing an interest in sustainability and setting up her own online company sourcing and distributing biodegradable catering and party supplies.
She is a keen animal lover and has owned many rescue pets including guinea pigs, rabbits and dogs. Sandra has been a volunteer for Ealing Wildlife Group since 2019.
Fiona McIntyre
She/Her
Favourite British Animal: Gannet
I have always been interested in wildlife, but it was COVID that drove me to apply for a role with Ealing Wildlife Group. The idea of grassroots conservation was really appealing, particularly in a world where you can feel you have so little control in stopping the destruction of our wildlife and their habitats. It has been a steep learning curve, but I have loved being involved in helping Ealing’s wildlife and habitats to recover. I can genuinely say that I feel I am making a small difference and that I love working with a great team of like minded people.
EWG Officers
Nadya Mirochnitchenko
She/Her
Favourite British Animal: Kingfisher
Nadya grew up loving animals and was fascinated by nature in different parts of the world. From family of wanderers, she is always happy to take a hike and soak in the nature.
During her first field science job tracking water contamination, she watched how the spiders and birds were eating insects emerging from the contaminated water and realized that she could use science to protect nature. She went on curating a diverse set of ecological research expertise, co-founding an award-winning Ecology and Conservation Association at her university, earning a BSc (Hons) specializing in ecology and conservation, and then earning a MSc (Hons) specializing in applied ecology. She continues studying nature while also helping hands-on conservation projects.
Nadya combines her education, passion for nature conservation, and research expertise to elevate biodiversity monitoring and conservation.
Gemma Holmes
She/Her
Favourite British Animal: Fox
Gemma grew up in Lancashire on the edge of the countryside and has had a lifelong love of nature and wildlife. As a child she always had a variety of pets, loved reading about wildlife, and has fond memories of wandering in the nearby fields and woods.
She moved to Ealing in 2016 and joined the EWG Facebook group soon after. In 2022, whilst on maternity leave, she was able to become more actively involved in EWG and became a regular volunteer at the recently created EWG Costons Lane nature reserve. More recently she has been coordinating some aspects of EWG’s hedgehog highways project.
With 12 years’ experience in programme and project management, Gemma is now keen to use her skills to support local conservation efforts by managing EWG’s programme of projects.
Gemma finds being part of EWG both therapeutic and exciting in equal measures, providing opportunities to spend time in nature and meet like-minded people and helping her to feel she is doing her bit to protect our wildlife and environment.
Sarah Murphy
She/Her
Favourite British Animal: Robin (because they keep her company on the allotment!)
From growing up in the New Forest in Hampshire, Sarah has felt connected to British wildlife all her life and explored this through various volunteering activities with the National Trust, BCTV and WWT. In 2011 she took her interest further to complete a foundation degree in conservation management.
Sarah has lived in Ealing for 11 years and loves the fact that it feels like there is always another magical green space to discover. She currently works in events and project management in the education field and aims to bring that organisational experience to the role of assistant secretary.
Always happiest outdoors Sarah enjoys walking the UK’s national trails and pottering on the allotment.
Pablo Montesinos Rodriguez
He/Him
Favourite British Animal: Pine Marten currently and then the Lynx once they are introduced to the UK.
Pablo, originally from Barcelona Spain, has lived in Ealing for more than 8 years. With a naturalist vocation from a very young age, he graduated in mechanical engineering and specialized in renewable energy with the goal of helping the environment by contributing his grain of sand.
With a strong emphasis on engagement, inclusivity, and skill-building, Pablo works to boost others’ self-assurance and capabilities while fostering a collaborative, adaptable, and inclusive environment while contributing with his technical expertise.
Alex Worsey
He/Him
Favourite British Animal: Bee-fly
Alex is an ecology graduate who undertook his dissertation on the potential for beaver reintroduction in the UK. He has been fascinated by the natural world for as long as he can remember and was never happier as a child (or indeed as an adult) than when peering into a pond or rockpool.
Growing up on the outskirts of Cardiff he was always bringing home a variety of insects, invertebrates, fish, frogs, newts and even slow worms and grass snakes, which his long suffering mother endured with saint-like good grace. He moved to Sheffield to undertake his degree and spent many happy weekends exploring the Peak District National Park and volunteering with various local conservation groups.
Moving to London in 2015, he has been involved with Ealing Wildlife Group for a number of years, attending bioblitzes, undertaking habitat creation and maintenance and has been a regular volunteer at the recently created Costons Lane Nature Reserve. He has also undertaken conservation work with Perivale Woods and Thames 21.
A passionate recorder of the wildlife he sees around Ealing, he began recording the wildlife during lockdown and has now logged over 300 species from his garden, including some nationally scarce species. He is very excited to be undertaking a new role at EWG to assist with the systematic recording and analysis of the biodiversity data that is captured by the group, which we can share with the wider scientific community.
Natasha Gavin
She/Her
Favourite British Animal: Hedgehog
Natasha has worked with Early Years/Primary aged children for 12 years, running a social enterprise which encourages healthy eating by promoting fruit and vegetables. Alongside her business, and due to her Degree in Biology, Natasha also runs environmental education for Ealing Council, Ealing Parks Foundation, schools and nurseries, and conservation charities across London. These can include school workshops, holiday clubs, adult workshops, and public family events. Ealing Council commissioned Natasha to deliver talks in schools about Biodiversity (June-Dec 21) and run free family events throughout August, promoting wildlife, how to help it to thrive and raising awareness of the updated Biodiversity Action Plan (2022).
