Key People

We are a growing and effective team, more than the sum of our parts

Simon Noble

Chair of Trustees

Although Simon was born in Aberdeen he has known Nairn all his life and finally moved here in 2007. Motivated by his intense dislike of social and health inequalities he is keen to give people the solutions they want.
Following a varied career ranging from sales, management consultancy to criminal justice, he established Green Hive and is Chair of trustees.

Matthew Withey

Chief Executive

Matthew has lived in Nairn since 2020 and the Highlands since 2017. His background is mostly in heritage and museums, and he has held senior management positions at Abbotsford: the home of Sir Walter Scott, the Brontë Parsonage Museum and the Highland Folk Museum. Before joining Green Hive he worked on fundraising and community development projects at Families Outside, Strathearn Arts, the Scottish Goldsmiths Trust, Kyle & Lochalsh Community Trust and the UNESCO North West Highlands Geopark. Matthew is passionate about public amenities and the natural environment in Nairn and Nairnshire, and is keen to ensure that Green Hive carries on developing its work with local communities to protect and improve these important assets.

Andy MacVicar

Operations Manager (Green Hive Workshop)

Andy has a background in arts & industrial manufacturing. He studied an HND in design, with a masters degree in fine art from DJCAD. He is passionate about working with recycled & reclaimed materials. He leads our Green Hive community workshop.

Caroline Woods

Volunteer and Events Officer

Caroline grew up playing on the banks of the River Nairn and wants the beauty of Nairn to be accessible for everyone. Caroline has a background in training and development and operational management.

Andrew Southward

Enterprise and Projects Officer

Andrew is an all-round crafter and designer who loves to innovate and create. His work at the Green Hive Workshop mainly focusses on the operation of the computer numeric cutting (CNC) machine and the plastics extruder. Andrew enjoys helping volunteers expand their knowledge, skills and happiness within the workshop.

Natalie Sutherland

Business Developement Manager

Having grown up around and worked in various Highland third sector organisations, Natalie has seen first-hand how critical this sector is to the livelihood of so many. Natalie studied Entrepreneurship and Finance and has worked in both corporate London and various Highland communities, including Helmsdale where she is from, Tain and Inverness, and cares immensely about the health and wellbeing of the people of the Highlands. In her spare time Natalie loves to spend time with her family and perform in musicals.

Jan W MacPherson

Enterprise Assistant (Fabrics Workshop)

With a background in the third sector, it has been a long-held dream of Jan’s to get involved in a project which specialises in the creative re-use of fabrics and craft materials. In this one-year post, funded by the Rank Foundation, Jan is excited to lead the development of the existing fabrics workshop based at Seaman’s Hall towards being a sustainable volunteer led social enterprise, and to support the overall development of the Seaman’s Hall as a sustainable community hub for Nairnshire.

Tony Dunbar

Administrative Officer

Tony joined the team in May 2024 supporting the charity on a part-time basis in Finance & Admin. For the last 30 years, Tony has been working in accounts and payroll roles for various charities & companies in the Moray Firth area. Tony also has his own business in bookkeeping, having recently completed the AAT Advanced Diploma in Accounting. During his spare time, he is an avid flight simulator enthusiast and can be found “virtually” flying around the world!

Our Board of Trustees

Eve Evans

After a long career in social work, mainly in children’s services ill health and a lifestyle change took me from Yorkshire to the Western Isles. Here I provided bed and breakfast in a converted croft house for eleven happy years. Defeated by the Hebridean gales and getting older I retired to the mainland and have lived in Nairn for the past twelve years.Not a gardener nor a needlewoman but passionate about animals (clue photo bomber), the environment, volunteering and Nairn. Involvement with Green Hive gives me opportunity to give something back to my community.

Dawn Main

Belonging to Nairn and having strong family roots in Fishertown and Links to the Seaman's Victoria Hall, I was delighted to be accepted into the Green Hive board. My family owned and operated the last commercial fishing boat from the old fleet that belonged to Nairn - INS 185 Strathnairn, a great source of pride. I myself studied Architecture and have worked in various construction-related roles over my 30 years in the industry, most recently with NatureScot as their Net Zero and Property Team Leader. I'm really hoping to provide some advice and assistance to the very exciting project being developed for the Seaman's Hall and at such a formative time in the Green Hive's development.

Elsa Fraser

Firstly Elizabeth is my formal name but I’m known as Elsa and like Dawn our family had the last commercial fishing boat in Nairn. I have strong ties and a love for Fishertown and Nairn, I recently moved back to Nairn. I became aware of the amazing things Green Hive are doing at the Seaman’s hall open day.

I am delighted to be invited to be part of Greenhive’s diverse and exciting future and hope my time on the board of a similar charity may be helpful. My career has been in the care industry and government housing.