About Us

The Wessex & Combes Farm Cluster is a collaborative group of farmers, landowners and partners working together across almost 12,000 hectares of the North Wessex Downs.

We bring neighbouring farms and estates together to restore nature, improve biodiversity, and support resilient farm businesses across one of England’s most iconic chalk landscapes. Our approach is practical and farmer-led, grounded in local knowledge and shaped by the people who manage the land every day.

By working collaboratively at scale, we can tackle shared challenges such water resilience, soil health, and climate pressures in ways that no single farm could achieve alone.

The Wessex & Combes Cluster is part of Chalkland Revival, a landscape-scale partnership spanning more than 40,000 hectares across the North Wessex Downs. Working alongside four neighbouring clusters, we collaborate on shared priorities including farmland bird recovery, coordinated deer management, chalk grassland restoration, species recovery, and wetland creation.

Across the cluster, a diverse mosaic of chalk downland, farmland, woodland, and streams creates a rare opportunity to deliver joined-up, landscape-scale change.

Meet Our Facilitator & Steering Group

The cluster is facilitated by Wiltshire Wildlife Trust and guided by a Steering Group made up of representatives from across the Wessex & Combes Cluster.

The Steering Group works closely with the facilitator to shape the direction and priorities of the cluster, ensuring activity remains grounded in the realities of managing farms and estates, while also acting as a vital link between members, partners, and funders.

Carrie Starbuck

Our Facilitator
Carrie is Director of Nature Recovery at Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, where she leads the Trust’s work for driving landscape-scale nature recovery, bringing together partners, funding, and practical delivery to restore habitats, recover species, and build more resilient systems.
She specialises in turning ambition into action, working with farmers, landowners, and partners to design and deliver projects that stack up ecologically and financially.

Carrie facilitates the cluster by bringing farmers together for events, coordinating projects, securing funding, and turning shared ambition into practical, on-the-ground delivery.
Carrie also oversees the Trust’s 140-hectare farm at Great Chalfield & Learning Hub for farming and finance.
Jon Capes

Lead Farmer

Jon farms 490 hectares at Hatherden, near Andover, with his son Matthew, the fourth generation of the Capes family to steward the land.
Around 80 hectares are managed for conservation, a focus Jon has championed for over 40 years. He joined the original Countryside Stewardship Scheme in 1991, and the farm now has more hedgerows and woodland than when it was bought in the 1930s.
Jon helped establish the Cluster in 2019 to share ideas, strengthen conservation across the landscape, and build a supportive farming community.
Outside farming, Jon enjoys wildlife photography, birding, and sport, when his knees allow.

Steering Group Members

Al Brooks

Estate Director, Faccombe Estate

Al is Estate Director at Faccombe Estate in north Hampshire, where he oversees estate-scale land management across more than 5,000 acres. He brings extensive experience in long-term stewardship, combining farming, woodland management, and diversified rural enterprises.
Jason Russell

Landowner, Combe Manor Farm

Jason owns and manages Combe Manor Farm, a small holding with an ambitious Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier scheme to restore meadows, species rich grassland and wildlife ponds, alongside a wedding venue.
Mary-Vere Parr

Landowner, Standen Farm

Mary-Vere is part of a family partnership at Standen Farm, a 165-hectare holding. Alongside her interest in farming, nature and wildlife, she is a journalist and Chair of Marlborough LitFest.
Mike Farrell

Farm & Estate Manager, The Trinley Estate
Mike is Farm & Estate Manager at The Trinley Estate near Andover, overseeing more than 1,000 hectares across the cluster area through in-hand farming, contract farming, and collaborative agreements. He brings extensive experience in large-scale estate management, with a strong focus on balancing productive farming and environmental stewardship. CEVAS qualified, Mike is also passionate about connecting people with farming and regularly hosts school visits to help inspire a wider understanding of food production and the countryside.
Emma-Louise Deverell

Landowner, Manor Farm, Knights Enham
Emma-Louise is a joint landowner at the 1,500 acre Manor Farm in Knights Enham, where she is actively involved in all parts of the farming business. She has a strong interest in wildlife and conservation and before returning to the family farm had a successful career in the art world.