New leadership brings renewed focus on research, education, and future rural landscapes
The Allerton Project is proud to announce the appointment of Alice Mead as its new Head. With an extensive background in sustainable agriculture and regenerative practices, Alice brings over a decade of hands-on experience helping farmers adapt to environmental changes and implement more sustainable, collaborative approaches.
Dr Alastair Leake, whose 25 years of unwavering commitment have been instrumental to the project’s success, will continue as Project Director while extending his broader role as Director of Policy for the GWCT.
Commenting on the appointment, Alastair said: “The project’s research and outreach activities have grown substantially in recent years, and with it the number of people involved in our work. I am delighted to hand over the reins of management to Alice to take the project forward to the next stage at a both exciting yet challenging time for farming and the environment. There is no better person to take up this challenge!”
A proven leader in sustainable agriculture
Alice Mead has spent more than a decade working in the agricultural sector, guiding farmers in their transition to environmentally responsible practices. Before joining the Allerton Project nearly three years ago, she spent seven years with LEAF, where she played a key role in uniting stakeholders and championing the benefits of regenerative agriculture and integrated farming. During her time at LEAF, Alice collaborated closely with the Allerton Project, sharing her expertise to expand innovative research methods across a wider network of farmers and land managers.
Her diverse experience also includes working with the Small Robot Company, where she explored the future of farming through technological innovation, and with the Food, Farming and Countryside Commission, where she contributed to piloting a Land Use Framework in Cambridgeshire — an initiative that assessed land use at a landscape scale to support sustainable rural development. Alice has an MBA from Cranfield University and an MSc in Environmental Sciences in a Changing Climate from Warwick.
Leadership at the Allerton Project
Since joining as Assistant Manager in 2022, Alice has played a pivotal role in overseeing daily operations, improving communication across teams, and delivering training and educational initiatives. A passionate advocate for knowledge exchange, she has worked closely with Alastair to strengthen the project’s research outreach and operational efficiency.
“I’m thrilled to take on the role of Head at such a pivotal time,” says Alice. “With a brilliant team and many exciting new projects on the horizon, I look forward to driving forward our work — developing new initiatives, filling knowledge gaps, and enhancing communication so that our research leads to tangible improvements on farms and in the broader countryside. Our work is critical; as weather patterns shift and farming challenges grow, nature must recover, and our land must do more for everyone.”
Looking to the future
Under Alice’s leadership, the Allerton Project will continue to expand its research and educational outreach, fostering collaborations that drive real-world change in farming and land management. As challenges like climate change, food security, and land use intensify, the Allerton Project stands committed to shaping a future where farming and conservation work hand in hand to create thriving rural landscapes for generations to come.
Notes to editors
The Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust is an independent wildlife conservation charity which carries out scientific research into Britain’s game and wildlife. We advise farmers and landowners on improving wildlife habitats. We employ 22 post-doctoral scientists and 40 other research staff with expertise in areas such as birds, insects, mammals, farming and statistics. We undertake our own research as well as projects funded by contract and grant-aid from Government and private bodies. The Trust is also responsible for a number of Government Biodiversity Action Plan species and is lead partner for grey partridge and joint lead partner for brown hare and black grouse.
The GWCT’s Allerton Project: The GWCT’s Allerton Project is an 800 acre commercial farm business attached to a Research and Educational charitable trust. The Project was established in 1992 with the objective of demonstrating how modern efficient farming and environmental conservation can co-exist. The development of the education objectives of the Trust has expanded substantially to several thousand visitors a year including school groups, politicians and farmers, thus necessitating the construction of a larger visitor centre. The challenge of converting a disused brick cowshed into a sustainable building was given to architect Sylvester Cheung from Melton Mowbray. 60 per cent of construction costs were obtained as a grant from the Rural Development Programme for England.