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Meet The Team

Robert Bamforth

Robert Bamforth: Trustee
Now officially retired, Robert has had a very varied professional career in civil engineering, strategic planning, marketing, and management consulting. It took him to all parts of the UK and internationally, but he has always lived in the Yorkshire Pennines, close to where he was born and raised on the family farm. Married with two adult sons, he has an eclectic range of interests ranging from geology to genealogy, from heritage to science fiction. The crossword puzzle is always the first job of the day.
Robert is a Trustee of West Yorkshire CPRE and a strong advocate of working in partnership with other like-minded organisations, community groups and individuals. His simple aim is to do what he can to achieve long-term economic, social and environmental sustainability for our communities and countryside.

Chris Foren: Trustee
Chris is a retired lawyer and lives in Leeds. He has been a member of CPRE for more than 20 years. Chris’s family enjoyed farm holidays as a teenager, and he attributes his love of the English countryside to those formative years.

In recent months, he has been busy campaigning against the expansion of Leeds Bradford Airport. Chris is our most recent trustee to join the team and is also a trustee for an organization that provides counselling to refugees and victims of torture.

Michael Church: Hon. Secretary, Treasurer and Trustee
Michael was born in Surrey and moved to West Yorkshire 36 years ago after living and working in England and France. He’s a retired Accountant and a widower with four grown-up daughters..

It wasn’t until he moved to West Yorkshire and got involved with the Ramblers that he renewed his interest in the countryside. He became the countryside officer for his group and finally the area countryside officer for the West Riding Area. His work with CPRE started when he was asked to represent the Ramblers, leading to him becoming a fully paid-up member of CPRE.

He is also the Chairman of the West Riding area of the Ramblers, Deputy Chair and Treasurer of the Heavy Woollen branch of CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) and a Trustee of the Morton House Club and Institute.