Meet The Team

Robert Musgrave MBE - Chairman

I have been connected to East Shallowford since Elizabeth Braund raised the funds to purchase it in 1976. I first worked with Elizabeth when I arrived as a volunteer to Providence House Youth and Community Centre in Battersea, south London in 1973. So I was involved at the experimental stage of the ‘Lung for the City’ project, when Elizabeth and Rosemary rented Bag Park Manor, Widecombe, in 1975 to pilot the scheme.

In subsequent years, as the Senior Youth Worker at Providence House, I have played a central part in organising the groups from London that came for residential stays to East Shallowford. I was one of the first trustees of the Shallowford Trust, and during the last few years I have been privileged to play an increasing role in developing the partnership between Providence and Shallowford, between town and country. All my family, Susan, and our three children have enjoyed, helped and ‘farmed’ at ESF.

I have worn down many minibus tyres over thousands of miles down the A303 over the years, and these visits have consistently been one of the most rewarding aspects of our work with young people and families in London. Despite the recent loss of our minibus, by hook or by crook, we will be returning again and again.

Debbie Sandels - Trust Manager

Debbie was appointed manager of the Shallowford Trust in February 2014.

Debbie graduated in Environmental Biology in 1979 and started teaching Biology in 1980. In 1989, as a Head of Biology in Plymouth, she left teaching in main stream education, to buy a small farm in Hennock, Devon and there develop Longlands Field Studies Centre, with her husband and parents.

Following this successful venture she established an environmental team at Heatree Activity Centre, Manaton, working as their Lead Instructor in Environmental Education from 2001 until leaving in 2014 to take up her current role.

She has developed many outdoor activities to inspire and educate young people in the exploration and understanding of the outdoors, sharing them with young people of all ages and backgrounds.

She has trained many instructors in Environmental Education activities developing an inspirational team. She is now living at the farm with her husband Alastair, working with the Trustees to direct and manage the future development of the work that Elizabeth Braund and Rosemary Bird began.

Rev. Geoffrey Fenton - Trustee

Shallowford is just a mile from Widecombe-in-the-Moor with its beautiful granite church, and where I am the Team Vicar. Widecombe is part of the Moorland Team which covers parishes over much of Dartmoor, and includes Ashburton. I met Elizabeth Braund the day I was licensed as Vicar in 2011, and have been inspired by her vision ever since. She invited me to become a Trustee in 2012.

I’ve arrived here after a varied career – spending 17 years working for a forestry and landscaping company – Fountain Forestry – with 8 of those years living on Dartmoor. I then had a second career as a director of a major Internet company (Easynet). Since my ordination in 2001 I have been combining ministry with running my own IT business which is partly involved in charity fund-raising activity.

I love Dartmoor life and am very interested the moorland flora and fauna (flowers, birds and butterflies mostly!), as well as its farming history and archaeology. I enjoy a bit of trout-fishing and gardening and I’m learning bell-ringing. But foremost I love working in the moorland communities.

Sue Adams - Trustee

I am recently retired from teaching in Germany with Service Children’s Education and now live in Wellington, Somerset.

I met Elizabeth Braund through The Braund Society ( a family history group) and was immediately impressed and intrigued with her life story.I offered to help sort and store her huge archive of photographs and ephemera which I have thoroughly enjoyed doing.Beyond that, I am involved in voluntary work – mainly with SSAFA and OXFAM and of course the continued progress and success of East Shallowford Farm.

Serena Walcot - Administrator

Serena Walcot works in the office as an administrator and cooks for the groups as well as taking part in most of the activities with the visitors.  She first came to Shallowford in 1992 when she joined Elizabeth Braund’s weekly Bible study group. She helped out with groups from time to time when ever possible and eventually came to work for Elizabeth in 2005.

Prior to this Serena has worked as the matron and manager of a Care Home for the elderly, cooked in a restaurant  and worked as a physio assistant in a special needs school.

John Dracup - Trustee

have lived at Broadaford, the neighbouring farm to East Shallowford, since I was six months old, and knew Elizabeth Braund and Rosemary Bird since their arrival in the mid 1970’s.

I worked on the family farm for 10 years after leaving school, and for the last 25 years have worked off the farm in the red meat industry, whilst maintaining a practical and strategic involvement at Broadaford. My family has always supported Shallowford and I had the good fortune of sharing many conversations with Elizabeth during the later stages of her life, which enabled me to develop an understanding of her vision for Shallowford, and her determination that it should continue beyond her lifetime. As such I was delighted to be asked to become a Trustee in 2015, and hope that my local agricultural experience, combined with a very commercial day job, will bring an objective view combined with a very specific dynamic to the trust.

Will Dracup – Farm Manager

I have lived at Broadaford all my life, and after completing my education at Widecombe Primary School and South Dartmoor Community College, I studied an Agriculture Apprenticeship at Bicton Agricultural College. I have now worked on the family farm for 7 years where I am constantly striving to improve our technical efficiency through enhanced grassland management and livestock genetics, whilst further developing the management of our species rich wetlands. I have participated in the South West Healthy Livestock Initiative, sit on the steering group of the Dartmoor Hill Farm Project, and am involved with Widecombe Fair.

When not farming I am a very enthusiastic Young Farmer. I am currently a County Officer for Devon YFC, and for the last 4 years I have organised a group of about 70 Devon Young Farmers to share my other passion of skiing.

I feel that Shallowford has so much to offer in demonstrating where food originates from and how it is produced, and I look forward to sharing my knowledge and enthusiasm with the visiting groups.

Johnny Walker

My name is Johnny Walker.  I live in Bovey Tracey, approx 20 minutes from East Shalloword Farm. I live with my wife, Sally, and 2 teenagers, Seb and Olivia.

We have had connections with the farm since 2015, having known Debbie for many years through involvement in Children’s work at the local parish church.

I work in the law courts in Exeter as the county court manager, but have also a background in primary school teaching.

I was lucky enough to grow up on a farm in my teenage years and loved the outdoor life it provided.

Involvement with ESF brings together many aspects of my background and experience. It is an honour to not only be close at hand to roll my sleeves up and help practically, but also to be involved in decision making, to ensure ESF provides the greatest of opportunities for youngsters to appreciate life in a living and outdoor environment.