Who we are
A small team of Charity Trustees and an ‘Operations Team’ (previously known as the Core Group), ensure MAC-CAN runs smoothly as a grass-roots organisation; everyone involved volunteers their time, skills and knowledge to contribute to the decision-making required.
The Trustees, for example, put together the Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO) application so that MAC-CAN would be on a stronger foot to continue to develop and work on action for climate change, they discuss what projects and organisations MAC-CAN supports and provide encouragement and support for individuals and groups to put their climate action ideas in to practice.
MAC-CAN was successfully registered as a SCIO on 25th August 2022. Our charity number is SC051955
In 2023 MAC-CAN was successful in receiving funding from Awards for All which enabled us to hire a freelancer (Christy)for a year to work as our coordinator, and in January 2024 following a successful interview she started, and was with us until early 2026!
(from left to right) MAC-CAN Core Group in 2021
Scott Jones, Anne Connick, George Pattison, Mary Pattison, Nick Walker, Jenna Cains and Julia Farrington.
Not pictured is Jennifer Hendry…. she was probably taking the photo!
We hear you scratching your heads a bit and pondering……
‘What’s the difference between a Trustee and an Operations Team member…..?’
Well, a Trustee is just that, and it is a role that is prescribed and must follow the official Charity regulations.
Trustees are sometimes a part of the Operations Team, which meets regularly every month. Alternatively, Operations Team members don’t actually need to be Trustees and can be members of MAC-CAN or other interested parties with local climate action at heart.
Everyone involved can contribute with activities, ideas etc. within MAC-CAN.
All contributions and suggestions are very much welcome.
If you would like to join in with your local climate action network, sign up for free with a quick and simple membership form here….
If you would like to join in with your local climate action network, as a group
Meet the current team
- Trustees & Operations -
We are very pleased to be adding to this list very soon – at our recent November 2025 AGM we recruited a handful of new Trustees, as some of ours stepped back. Keep an eye out for finding out who they are……
You’ll find more information about her and what she gets up to throughout this website!
Helen Wollaston
At the January 2025 AGM Helen became co-Chair of MAC-CAN, and is full chair in 2026.
Hi! I’m Fiona!
I am a MAC-CAN member, I run clothes swaps and am involved in lots of climate action projects where I live, in Creetown.
George Pattison, Mary’s husband is a very experienced and practical member of the Board of Trustees and Operations Team.
Like Mary, please see more about him throughout this website!
Joining me in the picture is my co-adventurer, Darcy the Beagle.
Hi! I’m Jenna, I moved to D&G in 2021 and became involved with MAC-CAN pretty much straight away.
Hi, I’m Lucy and I am a member of the MAC-CAN Operations Team; you’ll usually find me in wellies, outside and probably with leaves in my hair and dirt under my fingernails!
In 2024 I became a paid freelancer, working on Communications for MAC-CAN.
Rebecca has been a Trustee since the 2022 AGM and is a member of the Operations Team.
Scott has been the Chair of MAC-CAN for basically the organisation’s entire life, but at the first AGM as a SCIO in November 2022, he took a step back from the helm and let someone else step on board and chair the (now) Board of Trustees.. but he remains a valued Trustee and has been involved as part of the Operations Team.
At the AGM in January 2025 he stepped back in at the helm, as co-Chair alongside Helen…. and he has now stepped away once more.
Gill long-time MAC-CAN member, past Trustee, member of the Operations Team and leader on The Croft project has sustainability always close to her heart, especially when it comes to running her local land-based business.
MAC-CANNer Nicola
Who helped design The Croft, is an active Croft volunteer and member of the Operations Team.
In the November AGM 2025 Nicola stepped back from being a Trustee and the Treasurer to spend more time with her newborn grandson.
Trustee Susan grew up on a smallholding in western Kenya where growing food for family subsistence and local sale was part of her daily experience.
She graduated from Kisii University with an environmental science degree and now works from Nairobi, teaching Swahili and pursuing a career in conservation and ecosystem health.
She works on some projects with Scott.
Join in with other MAC-CANers!
MAC-CAN is all about what people like YOU can do for each other, their communities, their local area, nature and the environment.
If you would like to find out more about MAC-CAN, want to join in or find out what you can do about climate change….
“ I am so pleased to be able to connect with others in my local area who share the same interests and I've met so many nice people through MAC-CAN. It has really helped me better my mental and physical health .”
A MAC-CAN group member
