Meet the Speakers 

The speaker line-up at this year’s Plant to Plate Festival is as diverse and inspiring as the movement we’re building. From soil to sourdough, from soft fruit innovation to sustainable home practices, these talks reflect our deeper mission: to reconnect people with the food they eat, the land it comes from, and the actions that can regenerate both. Whether you’re curious about climate-resilient gardening, passionate about plant-based nutrition, or looking for creative ways to make your kitchen more eco-friendly, our speakers bring fresh perspectives and hands-on knowledge. With authors, scientists, chefs, and changemakers sharing stories and skills across our venues, there’s something to spark every curiosity and shift every mindset.

Get to know the brilliant voices behind the talks and discover what they’ll be sharing.

Great news you can now reserve your free space at all the talks taking place via Eventbrite:

https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/plant-to-plate-festival-4207023

Deer

Tony Whitbread

President – Sussex Wildlife Trust

I retired from the Sussex Wildlife Trust in 2018 after working there for 27 years, being chief executive for 12.  I am now President of the Trust.  During my career I represented the Wildlife Trusts nationally, regionally, and locally on Forestry Commission, National Ecosystem Assessment, Environment Agency, and National Park forums, and currently chair the South Downs Network.  I was an early advocate of rewilding and currently run rewilding workshops at the Knepp Rewilding project.  I have written articles and reports on natural processes, for example after the storm in 1987, for British Wildlife in 1997 and in numerous publications for the SWT. 

Reserve your space at ‘What Natural Systems Can Teach Us’ talk

Juliet Sargeant

Garden Designer
BBC presenter

Juliet Sargeant is a Chelsea Gold-medal-winning garden designer and regular panellist on Radio 4’s Gardeners Question Time.

Juliet’s design studio is at The Old Barn Garden Centre near Horsham, from where she also runs The Sussex Garden School, for nature-inspired creative courses.

Juliet’s book: ‘Start with Soil’ is published on 1st May 2025 and discounted, advance ordering is available on Amazon.

She will be giving a short talk and signing a limited number of advance copies of her book.

Instagram: @julietsargeant

Facebook: sussexgardenschool

Reserve your space at ‘Start with Soil’ talk 

Julie Stewart

Nutritionist

Discovering using food as medicine, Julie switched dispensing pharmaceuticals for prescribing food to her patients. Read more about her story here!

Julie is passionate about coaching those seeking safe and effective transition to a whole food plant-based way of eating. She supports clients to sustain their new lifestyle, making healthy food tasty and easy to prepare so you’ll keep coming back for more!

 Website: https://juliestewartnutrition.com/

Socials:

@julie_stewart_nutrition/

@juliestewartnutrition/

Reserve your space ‘From Leftovers to Lovely’ talk

Dr Alexia Mellor Stacey Renphrey

Holistic Canine Nutrition and Wellbeing Consultants

Dr Alexia Mellor and Stacey Renphrey, co-founders of Learn F.E.T.C.H., are industry leaders in holistic canine wellness. Combining expertise in nutrition, energy healing, and intuitive care, they bridge science with ancient wisdom to empower dog guardians. Through FETCH’s structured membership, they provide expert-led education, transforming pet health with integrative solutions. Their mission is to revolutionise canine care, ensuring every guardian feels confident in their dog’s well-being.

Instagram:

@mysticdogmama
@hozho_hounds

Reserve your space at ‘Natural Care for Dogs’

Lucy Parr

Author of The Friendly Baker

Lucy Parr is Winchester based and a Cordon Bleu trained recipe developer and cookbook author, specialising in recipes that are allergy-friendly and plant-based. Her cookbook, The Friendly Baker, contains recipes for everyone, covering all seasons and suitable for various allergies and intolerances. Lucy has given demonstrations, cooking her recipes live at food festivals, events and in schools. Lucy is keen to work with local producers to create recipes to showcase their products. Lucy is a member of the Guild of Food Writers and a judge for the Great Taste Awards.

Instagram: @lucysfriendlyfoods

Facebook: Lucy’s Friendly Foods

Reserve your space at The Friendly Baker: Live Chocolate Demo with Lucy Parr 

Steve Millam

Horticulture lecturer
Plant scientist

Dr Steve Millam started work in the greenhouse industry in West Sussex before going to college to study horticulture. After college he worked in a greenhouse on the 18th floor of a building in London before doing a PhD in Wolverhampton on oilseed rape. He then spent 18 years at the Scottish Crop Research Station in Dundee, before coming home to West Sussex to teach horticulture at Brinsbury College.

Instagram: @brisnburycampus
Facebook: Brinsbury College

Reserve your space at ‘New Ideas for Soft Fruit’ 

Nikki Ludlow-Monk

Brinsbury College

With 35 years of experience in garden design, horticulture lecturing, and hands-on gardening, I’ve spent decades nurturing both plants and people’s passion for growing. My work focuses on sustainable practices, with a strong belief in the power of nature-led design. In this talk, I’ll share how the no dig method—using raised beds and minimal soil disturbance—can transform your garden, boost productivity, and support soil health for years to come. 

Reserve your space at ‘No Dig Gardening: Raised Bed Demo’

Karen Lee

The Sensitive Foodie

Karen is a retired intensive care nurse and naturopathic nutritionist who has a passion for amazingly tasty food that’s also great for health. After a diagnosis of MS in 2016, she uses diet and lifestyle to manage her condition and shares this knowledge with others through her website – The Sensitive Foodie Kitchen – as well as workshops, talks and online classes.

She published her first book Eat Well Live Well with The Sensitive Foodie in 2019. Her second book Healing From The Inside Out explores the benefits of a whole-food plant-based diet for autoimmune disease. 

www.thesensitivefoodiekitchen.com

www.instagram.com/the.sensitive.foodie/ 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-lee-sensitive-foodie/?originalSubdomain=uk

Reserve your space at ‘The Sensitive Foodie’ talk

Courtney Holm

Leader in sustainable business development & climate change specialist

Courtney is an award winning senior leader in sustainable business. Through her organisation, The Holm Edit, she shares  practical, yet comprehensive solutions for sustainable living focusing on creating systems to manage your home with our lifestyle edits and room by room approach. 

Instagram: @sustainablechoicesmadesimple

Facebook: The Holm Edit

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtneystipeholm/  

Reserve your space at ‘The Holm Edit Method’ talk

Steve Charter

Sustainability Consultant

Steve Charter is a sustainability consultant, educator and author who runs SC2 Sustainability and co-founded A Wild Life, which offers sustainability education and project-based courses. He works part time for the Permaculture Association and has over 30 years of experience in sustainable construction, ecological design and regenerative living. Steve is also a director of Evolution Music, the company behind the world’s first plant-based vinyl records. In his talk Rethink Your Roots, he shares how small, thoughtful lifestyle changes rooted in nature, health and community can lead to powerful shifts for people and the planet.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-charter-31a85713/?originalSubdomain=uk

Reserve your space at the Rethink your Roots talk 

Joanne Knowles

Sourdough Enthusiast

This is more the story of Sourdough rather than about me. My sourdough starter was born in the Silly Moo cider house at Trenchmore in 2017. It lives quietly in the fridge generally brought out for a weekly loaf and has survived a few periods of neglect. 

There are lots of different sourdough recipes – you can use the same starter whether it is a baguette, crumpet, traditional loaf or my high protein, high fibre version. My loaf has seeds, protein flours – hemp or bean, a mix of interesting wholemeal flours, molasses (because my dad always added that) and marmite – it’s a pick and mix loaf – I use what I have and somehow, it’s always eaten. 

Reserve your space at the ‘Sourdough Starter’ Talk