Who we are
Karen Bentley-Brown
A co-founder of Future Fixers with husband Dave, Karen has a long-standing passion for nature and the environment. Early childhood experiences of beach combing, pressing wildflowers and joining WWF’s Panda Club laid the foundations for a degree and teaching qualification in Geography, and subsequently a career in environmental education and development. Her interest in the environment has landed her roles at WWF and The National Trust, as well as at several smaller environmental organisations.
Karen is an expert in business development and coaching and initially honed her skills whilst working at The University of Cumbria and Cumbria Chamber of Commerce, where she was able to combine a passion for the planet with a love for good business. She set up Bentley-Brown Associates in 2015, and Simply Repair, a not-for-profit, in 2017, with the aim of reducing the amount of waste going to landfill and encouraging a ‘make do and mend’ culture. She loves to learn new mending techniques, and her current favourite is sashiko.
Spending time in the outdoors is high on Karen’s list of leisure pursuits. She especially enjoys walking in the Lakeland fells and wild swimming in the local lakes and tarns.
David Brown
A burning desire to help businesses become proactive in benefitting people and planet led Dave to co-found Future Fixers with Karen. He is committed to the organisation’s mission of doing what it can to create a kinder, greener, fairer world, and inspires his clients to step up and play their part in this.
Dave has a background in education and is passionate about language and how this shapes people’s experiences in the world. He focuses on enabling clients to develop their resilience, and to become more effective in the ways they relate to themselves and others. Dave is a qualified business coach, Functional Fluency Practitioner, Licensed TIFF Provider, and mental health first aider, keen on promoting wellbeing in the workplace. He is a member of The Climate Coaching Alliance.
Dave enjoys spending long afternoons in the kitchen, turning produce from the weekly organic crop share bag into delicious curry feasts for family and friends, and loves extended dog walks in the surrounding fells close to the Lake District home he shares with Karen. He is a passionate sports fan.
David Beuzeval
David is an independent consultant who helps people to create and develop charities, social enterprises, partnerships, projects and services. He believes that people are more effective when they collaborate, and he works alongside his clients, motivating them to turn challenges into opportunities, then supporting them as they tap into their creativity and try out fresh, innovative approaches.
At home, David lives as sustainably as possible. Professionally, he sees a huge opportunity for businesses and organisations to play their part in shaping a better world for everyone. Like all of our directors, he is committed to the idea of ‘people-planet-profit’ as a guiding principle for those who wish to create a more positive future and is keen to support people to bring this about.
David loves working with everyone at Future Fixers, especially enjoying the opportunity to share ideas with a group of people committed to finding solutions to the social, economic and environmental challenges the world faces. In his spare time, David enjoys being in nature and walking his rescue dog.
Claire Steele
Claire is an ethical designer, specialising in graphic and website design, branding and identity, as well as exhibition and display. She made her home in Cumbria after leaving her native Australia several years ago and spending time developing her eco design skills in Bristol. She runs her design studio from a base in the South Lakes and enjoys the challenge of providing visual solutions to the problems her clients bring.
Carefully considering the impact of all of her choices on people and the environment, Claire regularly takes stock to assess whether there are further improvements she could make to her lifestyle, or to make her business even greener. She loves working on creative projects and is motivated to leap out of bed in the morning by the wide range of possibilities that each day holds.
Claire is passionate about helping businesses and communities to create sustainable futures, and through Future Fixers, aims to play a part in ensuring that the world slows down and becomes a much kinder place.
Photo credit: Mindy Coe Photography
Our Associates
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.
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.
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.