Our People
Meet the NIRN Board
Michael Sloan, Area Manager – East Belfast Mission (EBM)
Michael oversees the management & development of EBM – an award winning Social Enterprise with stores selling preloved clothing, refurbished furniture and and repaired bicycles. As a board member of Community Resources Network Ireland, he has a wealth of experience in reuse & repair in the Social Enterprise and Community sector.
Heidi Clarke, Project Officer – Strategic Investment Board (SIB)
Heidi has a background in sustainable development, with over 10 years’ experience in the town planning sector across UK. She currently works for SIB supporting the Department for the Economy in the development of a Circular Economy Strategic Framework – the government’s first commitment to a CE, providing vision for collaboration and greater circularity across business and society.
Liam McNally, Practitioner – International Synergies
Through his work, Liam engages members in practical and innovative application of Industrial Symbiosis within their businesses to achieve positive economic benefits, environmental compliance and positive social responsibility when utilising resources. Liam is adept at problem solving to assist businesses seeking to apply Circular Economy and IS principles, which supports them on the first steps towards Net Zero Waste.
Nuala Griffiths, Environmental, Social & Governance Manager, Heron Bros
Nuala oversees construction projects in Northern Ireland and Scotland, and is experienced in the public & private sector, delivering events and engaging with organisations to showcase a wide range of careers that the construction industry offers. Her focus is on a wider circular economy and how the construction industry can make an impact in the communities in which they work.
Sara Dryer – Sustainability Consultant
Sara is a passionate advocate of environmentalism and sustainability. She established her own Sustainability Consultancy to engage and support businesses embedding sustainability within their organisations. In her personal choices she commits to a lifestyle which has minimises environmental impacts and engages in activity to positively promote sustainability.
Steering Committee
NIRN is supported by a Steering Committee made up primarily of volunteers from the membership base and representatives from Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA).
The Steering Committee supports the development of NIRN and fostering the growth of reuse and repair in this region.
Méabh Austin – Development Manager, FareShare NI
After studying Politics at Queen’s University, Méabh worked with the BBC, before focusing on community development work with Féile an Phobail, the West Belfast Festivals. Since 2010, Méabh has remained a committed player within the Voluntary and Community Sector, undertaking the development and strategic management of FareShare NI, which is managed by Council for the Homeless NI regionally. With a genuine passion for food security, waste reduction and the protection of the environment, Méabh is a member of the All Ireland Food Poverty Network, and The Resurgam Trust Steering Committee.
Rachael Hook — Environmental Policy Lead, Department of Agriculture, Environment & Rural Affairs
Rachael has collaborated with Community Resources Network Ireland on the development of a reuse and repair network in Northern Ireland since the initial feasibility study. An advocate of sustainability and waste reduction, she is Policy Lead for Single Use Plastics, Waste Prevention and Recycling and championed the removal of single use plastic across NI governmental departments. Her upcoming projects include textiles, food waste and plastic pollution.
Marian Farrell — Chairperson, Zero Waste North West
Marian has been an active member of ZWNW since the beginning. She coordinated the Green Team at the Stendhal Festival 2017 – 2019 and was one of the team leading on the ZWNW Enough Stuff Festivals in the same years. She is co-director of The Use Less Shop. Marian is looking forward to working with the other NIRN members in building the groundwork for re-use practice – starting with the 2021 ZWNW Cloth Nappy Library.
Chris McCartney — Cofounder and Organiser, Repair Cafe Belfast
After several years as a journalist and charity campaigner, in 2017 Chris established Repair Cafe Belfast, the first repair cafe in Northern Ireland. Since then she has supported the development and growth of other Repair Cafes across NI. A board member of Belfast Tool Library, she is passionate about the reuse and repair sector and excited to see people share stuff and skills and support community development. She advocates working with communities that bring people together and make it easier for us to live better and more sustainably.
Paul McGranaghan — Policy Advisor, Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
Paul works within the Single-Use Plastic, Waste Prevention and Recycling Team DAERA with responsibility for recycling, resource efficiency and food waste prevention.
Anthea Owens – Recycling Education Officer, Fermanagh and Omagh District Council
Anthea engages with householders, businesses, community groups and schools across the Fermanagh & Omagh District. Implementing and promoting recycling schemes through communications and promotions to enhance participation in kerbside recycling schemes, recycling centres and bring banks. She is actively engaged in waste reduction initiatives including lovefoodhatewaste, reusable nappy scheme, single use plastics and the Councils reuse scheme proactively working with local charities to uplift and extend the life of second hand furniture and paint reuse.
NIRN Executive
Eimear Montague — Northern Ireland Project Manager
Eimear is responsible for developing the Reuse & Repair Network in Northern Ireland to establish a membership base targeting community and third sector organisations. She holds a Bachelor of Social Science Degree in Law and Politics and was a founder and board member of Sustainable Building Solutions (SBS), which shaped the strategic direction of the Travis Perkins Group in the Sustainability Market. She sits on the Board of Rural Community Network (RCN), a group which promotes and supports the needs of the rural population in Northern Ireland and Techno Tyrone Ltd, an organisation which focuses on rural regeneration of Mid and West Tyrone and management and development of a community based business park.
Eimear can be contacted at info@ni-rn.com.
Caroline McGuinness Brooks – Events and Social Medial Coordinator
Caroline can be contacted at: caroline@ni-rn.com