Our Team
Karen Bentley-Brown
After many years working in organisational development in the charity sector, then public and private sectors, Karen saw a gap in the market for more purpose-led and supported business development. Hence the birth of Future Fixers CIC with husband and coach, Dave.
Karen enjoys helping individuals and organisations to find clarity and simplicity whilst keeping people and planet at the heart of what they do.
Recently, Karen has gone back to her roots, as a Geographer and environmental educator, training as a Green Sketch Ambassador with the aim of encouraging everyone to spend more quality time in the natural environment.
She is passionate about sharing the benefits of connecting with nature, connecting with others and connecting with ourselves.
Founder of Simply Repair, and a keen sewer and mender herself, Karen, who is chair of Kendal Repair Cafe, has also helped several communities set up their own repair cafes.
She offers repair and nature-connection activities to organisations and is particularly keen to support the repair, creative and nature-based economies to grow.
Dave Brown
Dave co-founded Future Fixers after many years working in education. He wanted to help people and organisations make practical, positive changes in how they live, work and lead, so a mission built on kinder, greener and fairer principles felt like the right place to invest his energy.
His background includes teaching, leadership development and behaviour change. While in education, Dave mentored trainee teachers and those new to the profession and has always been interested in what helps people grow in ways that feel healthy rather than overwhelming. Much of his work now focuses on supporting individuals, teams and community groups who want to make a difference without burning out.
He is particularly interested in the ripple effect. A small shift in behaviour can change how a team works. When teams change, organisations change, and those improvements reach communities and the wider world.
Personal sustainability, climate coaching and Functional Fluency sit at the centre of his work because they offer practical tools for lasting change. As a director, Dave wants to help create a future where people, communities and the planet can flourish.
Matt Towe
Matt joined Future Fixers after many years as a primary school leader, with a view to using his skills and experience to develop purposeful projects. Supporting people, helping communities thrive and caring for our planet are at the heart of his work, so joining Future Fixers was an obvious fit.
A kinder, greener, fairer future makes practical sense to Matt: treat people well, look after the natural world and appreciate what already exists, because this is how life improves for all communities.
Years of leadership have shaped Matt’s calm and thoughtful working style. Helping people find confidence and use their voice is something he has always cared about, because when people feel supported, they are empowered to play their part.
Matt has first-hand experience of seeing schools lift communities. Future Fixers’ work with businesses and organisations shows the same potential, and he is keen to help that reach educational settings too.
As a director, Matt’s aim is to inspire positive change.
Martha Wood
Martha joined Future Fixers having worked closely with Dave and Karen, experiencing how their support helped shape both her own business and her personal development. The Future Fixers mission of creating a kinder, greener and fairer world aligned strongly with her own values, so stepping into a director role felt like the natural next step.
Martha has spent much of her career working in marketing and business development within the outdoor and charity sectors, including roles with the Bendrigg Trust and YMCA. These experiences gave her a deep appreciation of how closely businesses rely on nature, people and community in order to thrive.
Her approach to marketing is friendly, accessible and rooted in helping people grow. Martha offers training, consultancy and one-to-one support, and particularly enjoys mentoring those entering the marketing profession. She meets people where they are, helping them communicate with clarity and confidence.
While her work already champions fairness and positive communication, Martha is keen to explore greener marketing approaches and support businesses to share their environmental actions responsibly and with integrity. As someone who has grown up with the reality of climate change, she brings a fresh and thoughtful perspective to the Future Fixers team.
As a director, Martha wants to help businesses grow in a sustainable way through telling stories that build trust, strengthen communities, and contribute to a brighter future.
Our Associates
For over 25 years, Ann has successfully designed and delivered development programmes, both in the UK and abroad, aimed at supporting leaders, managers and younger people, to overcome their unique challenges. As an executive coach, organisational TA consultant and NLP Master Practitioner, Ann draws on a wide range of skills to help individuals to develop awareness of their personal impact and to achieve their true potential.
Steph draws on her school leadership experience, Functional Fluency and Transactional Analysis to help leaders and teams communicate more clearly, make better decisions and work well under pressure.
Using practical approaches such as LEGO® Serious Play, she supports groups to surface thinking, build shared understanding and create healthier ways of working.
Steph is a certified Mental Health First Aider and Suicide First Prevention Trainer, championing wellbeing as the foundation for sustainable change.
Her ongoing role as a school governor keeps her work grounded, practical and closely connected to real-world challenges.
Tim Maiden, of Green Small Business, can help you develop a certified Environmental Management Scheme (EMS) for your business. An EMS will help you stand out from your competitors and provide you with the necessary paperwork to tender for new business.
Claire runs Lil Creative Studio, a purpose-led design studio creating brands, digital experiences, and communications that help organisations make a meaningful impact for people and the planet. She supports organisations in communicating their positive change clearly and creatively, using design to inspire action and connect with the people who matter most.
Tom is a Cumbrian presenter, producer and music curator who for 10 years has worked across the UK promoting creative careers and grassroots music. His background is in broadcast, music and education (BBC Music Introducing, BBC Education) and he now runs his own business, ‘Oh My Days’, offering music promotion and zero carbon media and events services powered by his solar-charged PA system!
Kirsty’s Kendal-based Heywood-MacDonald Accountancy Services provides virtual services to clients all over the UK. Working exclusively with those who want to use their business to do good, Kirsty and her team provide Bookkeeping, Payroll, Accountancy and Business Growth Support. They are proud to be Green Small Business Certified and are working towards B-Corp Certification.