Corporate Affairs, Social Value, Climate Change & Net Zero Lead

clare@grasshopper-comms.co.uk

What I do at Grasshopper:

I make sure everyone is on board with the Grasshopper mission.  And that we deliver every day for our clients as well as the communities we work with.

Why I do what I do:

After having my first child, I realised that I wanted to have more say over the work I was doing. I loved communications but wanted to focus on delivering projects that make a positive difference. So decided to set up Grasshopper.

Areas of expertise:

Public affairs, crisis comms, strategic campaign planning, event facilitation, social value

Main projects / campaigns:

• Welsh Government – Climate Action Wales
• Swansea Council – Swansea Climate Adaptation (Resilient Swansea)
• Welsh Government – Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) consultation circular economy
• Marubeni – Hybont Green Hydrogen Production Facility, Bridgend
• Equinor – Parc Adfer political engagement for HyNet Floating Offshore Wind project
• National Grid – strategic oversight of project portfolio
• FOR Cardiff – ESG strategy engagement

Responsibilities:

CIPR Co-chair: Public Affairs Group

Something you don’t know about me:

I have previously played touch rugby for Wales.

Energy & Infrastructure, and Transport Lead

hannah@grasshopper-comms.co.uk  

What I do at Grasshopper:

I head up our Welsh team, helping to build trust with local communities and ensuring they get to have their say on changes to where they work and live.

Why I do what I do:

I’m a chartered town planner and love helping developers and the community through the complex development process.  I’m dyslexic so I’m an advocate simply and easy read communication for everyone to understand.

Areas of expertise:

Strategic communications, stakeholder and community engagement, facilitation, public and private sector

Main projects / campaigns:

• Welsh Government – Significant infrastructure projects (SIP): Welsh infrastructure consent pre-application consultation best practice guidance
• Bute – Delivery of portfolio of projects in Powys – Nant Mithil Energy Park, Banc Du and Rhiwlas Energy Parks, Aberedw Energy Park
• Lightsource bp – Plas Power Solar farm, Wrexham
• RML – Withyhedge crisis comms, Haverford West
• Transport for Wales – Active Travel Act Guidance
• NRW and Arup – Tan Lan Embankment, Llanwrst
• Vale of Glamorgan Council – Oakfield Primary School Community Hub, Barry
• Welsh Government – Deposit Return Scheme – Pre-consultation early engagement

Responsibilities:

Wales Best Practice Working Group for Engagement lead

B Corp certification lead

AI and data analytics

Something you don’t know about me:

I love exploring new places and recently completed the Welsh Three Peaks Challenge – climbing Pen y Fan, Cadair Idris and Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) in a single day.

Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) lead

beth@grasshopper-comms.co.uk

What I do at Grasshopper:

I head up everything finance and people related.

Why do I do what I do:

I see finance within an organisation as a dual role – fulfilling all the standard finance functions and adding real value.  I love being efficient and helping to shape and support an organisation.

Something you don’t know about me:

I won Welsh Cycling’s volunteer of the year – I clock up quite a few hours helping out the junior section at my local cycling club.

Placemaking & Communities, and Environment Lead

What I do at Grasshopper:

I use my built environment expertise, and private and public sector experience to develop strategies and plans for large scale engagement projects.

Why I do what I do:

I practised as an architect for 15 years and enjoy problem solving, facilitating and improving the environment around us. Designing communication and engagement strategies and plans which use local knowledge and insights,  enhances the development outcomes.

Areas of expertise:

Built environment, public and private sector, strategic communications, community and stakeholder engagement, multi-year complex programmes

Main projects / campaigns:

• National Resources Wales – Coastal Adaptation Programme Projects – Strategy and toolkits, engagement plan delivery
• NRW – Porthmadog, Borth to Ynyslas Coastal Adaptation, Borth
• National Infrastructure Commission for Wales – Resilience Vision for Wales
• Mining Remediation Authority – Wales Metal Mines Programme – Progress Report
• Bridgend County Borough Council – Porthcawl Waterfront Regeneration engagement strategy and delivery, Porthcawl
• Landsec – New City Square, Cardiff

Responsibilities:

Frameworks lead

Something you don’t know about me:

I was National and European Sailing Champion for the Spitfire catamaran class.

England Lead

What I do at Grasshopper:

I design and manage communications and community engagement programmes for clients across a range of sectors and have supported planning applications from inception through to construction. Having started my communications career at Grasshopper as an Account Executive, I now also support with business development and bringing in new business.

Why I do what I do:

The UK is in the midst of a climate emergency, housing crisis, and renewable energy revolution, I’m glad our work helps to address this.

Areas of expertise:

Stakeholder and community engagement, strategic communications, Placemaking, urban extensions, energy and infrastructure at both NSIP & TCPA level.

Main projects / campaigns:

• Island Green Power –Grange Energy Park, Grimsby
• National Grid – NGED & NGET
• Taylor Wimpey – Barham, Stowupland, Syston
• Statkraft – Speedwell Solar Farm, St Ives

Something you don’t know about me:

I won my most prized item, a blue electric guitar, at a battle of the bands when I was seventeen.

Health & Wellbeing, and Welsh Language Lead

What I do at Grasshopper:

I draw on my extensive project management experience to deliver consultation programmes across a diverse range of projects, from major renewable energy developments to community wellbeing hubs. By building strong relationships with local stakeholders and fostering trust through meaningful engagement, I help clients deliver successful projects and maximise social value.

Why I do what I do:

As a fluent Welsh speaker, I am passionate about promoting the language and culture. Speaking Welsh enables me to engage effectively with local communities and communicate complex information in a clear and accessible way.

Areas of expertise:

Project Management, stakeholder and community engagement, bilingual workshop facilitation.

Main projects / campaigns:

• Public Health Wales – Social Value E-guide for Public Health
• Vale of Glamorgan Council – Oakfield Primary School Community Hub, Barry
• Bridgend County Borough Council – Community Service review
• TotalEnergies – Candwr Solar Farm, Caerleon, Newport
• Trydan Gwrydd Cymru – Carreg Wen Wind Farm, Aberdare

Responsibilities:

Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) lead

Something you don’t know about me:

I was a Welsh and British International 400m hurdler (back in the day) and Captained my Country.

What do I do at Grasshopper:

I lead our political monitoring service, helping to keep clients up to date on the developing policy landscape and the wider political context in Wales and beyond, ensuring they have all the tools to deliver effective campaigns and projects.

Why I do what I do:

I believe informed engagement with politics leads to better decisions, and I want to make politics accessible to ensure those who want to make a positive impact are in the best position to do so.

Areas of expertise:

Political intelligence, public affairs, public policy and legislation processes, political trends and issues

Main projects / campaigns:

• Bute Energy – Political monitoring in Powys
• Senedd environment, energy and infrastructure monitoring
• Platfform – Senedd monitoring

Something you don’t know about me:

I got a tattoo of Swansea’s St Helen’s ground big floodlight after hearing it was Europe’s tallest. When that claim proved questionable, I even prompted a BBC investigation, but the mystery remains unsolved.

What do I do at Grasshopper:

I work with clients to deliver successful consultations and community engagement, including engaging Members of the Senedd and Parliament for projects, as well as developing Grasshopper’s AI offering.

Why do I do what I do:

Growing up on the East Yorkshire coast, I saw firsthand the positive impact of regeneration and renewable energy. What I enjoy most about my work is its variety—from engaging with local communities to visiting sites and exploring places I wouldn’t otherwise see. I’m passionate about helping preserve our environment for future generations while supporting sustainable development.

Areas of expertise:

Stakeholder and community engagement, research and data analysis, event organisation

 Main projects / campaigns:

• Island Green Power – Grange Energy Park, Grimsby
• Bute – Delivery of portfolio of projects in Powys – Nant Mithil Energy Park, Banc Du and Rhiwlas Energy Parks, Aberedw Energy Park
• Wind Farm Grid Connections – Upper Ogmore and Foel Trawsnant, Treorchy
• Urbanists – Cwmbran Town Centre Master Plan, Torfaen

Something you don’t know about me:

I took part in a 10-day trip to the Atlas Mountains in Morocco in 2012; hiking round the mountains and helping a local Berber community.

What I do at Grasshopper:

I work on a range of projects which include media/political monitoring, community engagement and translation (into/from Welsh).

Why I do what I do:

I strongly believe that both local and national communities have a right to be educated regarding development projects that may affect them.

Areas of expertise:

Translation and writing! I’m a polyglot, having been raised bilingually (Welsh and English) and having recently graduated with a degree in French and Arabic.

Main Projects / Campaigns:

My main project is currently Candwr Solar Farm for TotalEnergies, but I’m also aiding in projects run by National Grid and Trydan Gwyrdd Cymru!

Something you don’t know about me:

I played a soldier in the award-winning film Palestine 36 while I was living in Amman, Jordan as part of my undergraduate year abroad!

What do I do at Grasshopper?

I create images to bring to life written text so people can access and retain that information more easily.

Why I do what I do:

I am an illustrator, 3D modeler and character designer. I often enjoy creating things that don’t exist in the real world and bringing them to reality. The only limit to illustration is your imagination.

Areas of expertise:

Website design, creative illustration and design of communication materials, multimedia narratives

Main projects / campaigns:

• Taff Housing – rebrand
• Landsec – project mini brand
• Welsh Government – Significant infrastructure projects (SIP): Welsh infrastructure consent pre-application consultation best practice guidance
• Landsec – New City Square, Cardiff – project rebrand

A hobby of mine:

I collect miniature figurines. They don’t have a use, I just put them on a shelf and look at them.

What I do at Grasshopper:

I support the business operations, from HR and compliance to the smooth running of the office.

Why I do what I do:

Having worked in PR and stakeholder engagement for over 15 years, I switched to a back-office role at Grasshopper while focusing on my own writing.

And one last thing:

I recently published my first children’s book.

Why I do what I do:

I enjoy disseminating complex information, so it is accessible to a range of different people, and facilitating discussion.

What I do at Grasshopper:

I work with a talented and diverse team to create, manage and deliver bespoke communications and engagement campaigns for a wide variety of different projects.

What is your favourite thing about Grasshopper?

Its dynamic, innovative and flexible approach to work.

Random fact about you:

I recently converted a white van into a camper van and am planning to explore the UK with my partner and dog.