Management Board
CHAIRMAN
NICOLAS DE BRAUWERE BVSc MRCVS
Senior Welfare Veterinary Surgeon
Redwings Horse Sanctuary
Tel: 01508 481 006
E-mail: Nde-Brauwere@redwings.co.uk
Nicolas graduated as a veterinary surgeon in 1991 from Onderstepoort in South Africa and has worked at Redwings Horse Sanctuary since then providing clinical services, herd health management, welfare department support and staff training. In 2002 he was appointed Senior Welfare Veterinary Surgeon and has dealt with many individual cases, large scale rescues in Devon, Gelligaer and Lincolnshire, worked with NEWC members - SWHP, EHPPS & World Horse Welfare (the new name for ILPH) and testified in Magistrate and Crown courts for RSPCA prosecution cases. In 2004 he was co-opted onto the NEWC Executive Committee. His interests include the theoretical and practical aspects of working with un-handled, semi-feral equines, finding solutions for equines suffering in private ownership and improving awareness of welfare issues affecting the older and/or un-handled equines by educating owners and colleagues in appropriate solutions to problems. Nic believes that he can assist NEWC to provide meaningful co-operation with other equine charities to tackle issue-driven problems and to improve understanding and communication between vets and welfare workers.
VICE CHAIRMAN
REBECCA EVANS
Equine Welfare and Grants Manager
The Horse Trust
Tel: 01494 488464
E-mail: rebecca@horsetrust.org.uk
Rebecca is a graduate and has a wealth of equestrian experience having competed at national level for many years. Rebecca has worked in the equine welfare charity sector since 1999 and has been an avid supporter of the National Equine Welfare Council throughout this period. She was a key player in the production, revision and launch of NEWC’s Equine Welfare Guidelines Compendium and continues to promote NEWC to help raise equine welfare standards in the UK. Rebecca was elected Vice Chairman of NEWC in May 2009.
As Equine Welfare and Grants Manager with The Horse Trust, Rebecca is responsible for managing a multi million pound programme of welfare grants covering cutting edge scientific research, post graduate scholarships, educational literature and a variety of projects to promote responsible ownership and the welfare of the horse through science and education. If you require advice on seeking funding for your organisation Rebecca has a wealth of experience in this area and would be more than happy to offer support.
Management Board Members
MARTIN TAGGART
Head of Welfare,The Donkey Sanctuary
Tel: 01395 573 025
E-mail: martin.taggart@virgin.net
Having worked with horses in various parts of England for over 30 years, Martin first became active in the field of equine welfare in 1993, joining the NEWC Executive Committee during the early part of 1994. He served on that committee until 1998, when he moved from the equine charity sector. In 2000, following his appointment as Head of Welfare at The Donkey Sanctuary, he once again became active in NEWC committee affairs. On being elected Chairman in 2003, Martin embarked on a mission to change the NEWC constitution to make its new slimmed down management much more effective and accountable, and to enable NEWC to utilise the wide range of talent that exists throughout the 60 or so organisations - both large and small - that range under its banner. Martin is keen to emphasise that NEWC is not a policy making body, although he regards NEWC as being capable of providing a consensus view, following consultation amongst its members. It is in this connection that NEWC is becoming increasingly recognised as the UK’s principal source of balanced, informed comment on all matters relating to equine welfare.
IAIN GRAHAM BSc 
Chief Executive, British Showjumping
Tel: 07823 447386
E-mail: iaing@bsja.co.uk
Iain graduated in 1993 with an Honours degree in Pharmacy and followed that up with a Certificate in Veterinary Pharmacy from Queen’s University Belfast in 1997. During his time as a BHS Regional Chairman (Fife 1998 - 2002) Iain filled the role of Welfare officer and built up a good relationship with the ILPH and SSPCA. In 2001 he was taken on as a Technical Advisor for British Eventing and shortly afterwards became the BE Regional Director for Scotland. Iain was then approached to assist with the development of the Scottish Equestrian Association (SEA) and as a member of the Governance and Financial committee helped guide the organisation through a period of change resulting in SEA becoming a company limited by guarantee. He is currently a Director of the SEA Ltd and chairs the Competitions and Facilities committee. March 2007 saw him take up the offer of a full time role with British Eventing as Regional Director covering Scotland and the North of England which along with regional responsibility for affiliated competitions and field staff giving him national responsibility for various areas including Safety, Welfare, Discipline and Rules. As well as experience in various organisational structures and an aim to raise equine welfare awareness in the competitive disciplines He also has experience of formulating and delivering on strategic planning both in the Pharmaceutical and Equestrian fields at UK and Scottish levels. In August 2009 Iain took on the role of Head of Sport and Performance at British Showjumping. In May 2010 Iain was appointed Chief Executive, British Showjumping.
JOANNE WHITE BA 
Director of Campaigns and Communications, World Horse Welfare - the new name for the ILPH
Tel: 01953 497 221
E-mail: jowhite@worldhorsewelfare.org
Jo's passions for horses, making a difference and campaigning, have been an enormous aid to her work at World Horse Welfare. Over the past nine years she has been directly involved in managing and undertaking work which has achieved a number of important successes, that do, and will continue to have a direct and tangible impact upon equine welfare which include the campaign to end the long-distance transport of live horses for slaughter in Europe, the UK live export campaign, Animal Welfare Act and Project Romania. Jo has over 23 year’s equine experience in a variety of spheres including FE Course Tutor and FE / HE Lecturer for several equine qualifications, editor of a number specialist equine sport magazines and websites, working practically with horses as an Instructor, Rider and Stable Manager and writer, producer and co-ordinator of equine distance learning material. Jo is committed to utilising her skills and experience in order to help NEWC develop a united equine welfare movement, which can truly make a difference to the lives of even more horses, ponies, donkeys and mules. Her expertise includes a sound practical equine background, and a deep rooted understanding of how best to influence Government policy and achieve positive welfare reform. She has a proven track record of gaining public support and changing attitudes through raising awareness of issues, as well as educating those that directly impact upon equine welfare.
LEE HACKETT BSc
Senior Executive Welfare
Tel: 01926 707804
E-mail: l.hackett@bhs.org.uk
A background in management – both welfare-specific and in education – has equipped Lee with a number of skills that will prove of great benefit to the National Equine Welfare Council. Lee’s particular strengths lie in strategising and planning as evidenced by the progress that the British Horse Society has made in the field of welfare during his two years of employment. Furthermore, as NEWC continues to expand its role Lee’s public relations skills will come into play, as could his post-graduate equine science qualifications and research experience.
DR MARK KENNEDY BSc, PhD.
Senior Lecturer in Animal Welfare, Anglia Ruskin University
Tel: 01223 363271 (ext2614)
E-mail: mark.kennedy@anglia.ac.uk
Mark Kennedy’s involvement with horses started when he left school in 1984 and started working in the industry. After gaining British Horse Society qualifications, he ran a riding centre for six months. Having enjoyed working practically with horses, and having gained equestrian skills he still continues to use, Mark decided to embark on a path of academic study of the horse, culminating in his Doctorate from the University of Cambridge (in the field of Animal Behaviour and Welfare). Although his doctoral thesis concerned the social behaviour and welfare of pigs, Mark’s first love and professional interest continues to be the horse. His research interests focus on the effect of traditional and novel management practices on equine behaviour and welfare. He has a profound belief that where valid and reliable scientific research identifies management changes which improve the welfare of equines this should be disseminated to the entire equestrian community in a user-friendly manner, and to this end serves as a consultant on a number of equine welfare projects.
