Cooperative Executive Leadership Office
Our Groundwork Yorkshire trust currently runs via a Cooperative Executive Leadership Office (CELO). This is a new way of leading our charity, that reflects our values of collaboration, shared responsibility, and working in the best interests of the people, places and communities we serve. In place of a single Executive Director, our charity will be led by a small group of executive leaders who share responsibility for running the organisation. Together they will act as a unified executive team, making decisions and taking responsibility as a collective, supporting one another to deliver our mission.
Our CELO has been drawn from Groundwork Yorkshire’s senior management team, a group with deep experience in shaping, delivering, and expanding Groundwork’s services.
EMILY THOMPSON
Emily joined Groundwork Oldham & Rochdale in 2004, before joining Groundwork Leeds in 2009. With over 20 years’ experience in Groundwork, Emily has a proven track record of building high-impact partnerships across public and private sectors, unlocking investment and scaling programmes that address housing, health and energy challenges. She’s previously led on our employment, skills and lifelong learning programmes. Emily was a big part of the development of our Green Doctor and Retrofit services, which she currently leads on.
Her expertise spans retrofit strategy and delivering practical interventions from household engagement to large-scale housing improvements. She is passionate about ensuring a fair and just transition for the most disadvantaged as we deal with the impacts of climate change. Emily is also our Designated Safeguarding Lead and Net Zero Champion.
“What excites me most about becoming Co-CEO is the opportunity to build on Groundwork’s incredible legacy while helping shape its future. We work in communities facing complex challenges, but we also see extraordinary resilience, innovation and determination. Being part of an organisation that turns ambition into action is something I never take for granted.”
PETER MURPHY
Peter has been a member of the Groundwork family since 1996, originally working for Groundwork Black Country and then Groundwork Camden & Islington, before moving to Yorkshire in 2002. An Environmental Science and Countryside Management graduate, Peter first worked in the public sector on an urban fringe countryside project in South Staffordshire, and for the Forest of Mercia Community Forest, before making the switch to the voluntary sector.
Peter leads our landscape design, communities and lifelong learning programmes. He will also continue to lead our trading company, Groundwork Golf, and is our Health & Safety champion.
“Groundwork has given me the chance to build a rewarding and meaningful career. As we look to the future, I want to ensure that Groundwork Yorkshire continues to make a lasting difference to communities across the region, while inspiring and developing the people who will lead that work for many years to come.”
SARAH MUNRO
Sarah began her career in urban regeneration, spending a decade working on the transformation of London’s South Bank before joining Groundwork Leeds for six years. After further roles in the charity sector, she joined Groundwork Yorkshire in 2018. Sarah brings broad experience across operations, governance, and finance, and is passionate about supporting strong, values led organisations to thrive.
Sarah leads governance, finance, people & organisational development, marketing & communications, and facilities. She will manage our landscape contracting trading company, GPL, and is Company Secretary, Data Protection Officer and EDI Champion.
“I love working at Groundwork because, regardless of team or individual specialism, everyone working here shares the same vision to change places and change lives. Together, we’ve delivered thousands of projects over the years, and every allotment, training outcome, fuel poverty intervention, and tree planted will have had a positive impact on an individual, a neighbourhood or a community. I’m looking forward to supporting the trust to deliver more brilliant outcomes for the people of Yorkshire.”
