South Downs National Park is open for business: new director appointed to lead growth
June 23, 2025
A new director has been appointed at the National Park Authority to lead on business partnerships and broaden income to help accelerate nature restoration, increase access and fight climate change.
With two decades of wide-ranging experience in the commercial, fundraising and communications sectors, James Winkworth is excited to become Director of Growth and Organisational Development.
James is passionate about the South Downs becoming a UK leader in green finance, with businesses of all sizes being able to invest in exemplar biodiversity schemes in the National Park.
At a time when National Parks have had their core budgets reduced by 40 per cent over the past decade, James is keen to diversify the National Park’s income base, blending public, private and philanthropic revenue streams to increase resilience and strengthen impact.
James brings considerable acumen in income generation, having led the National Park’s official charity, The South Downs Trust, for the past seven years. Building the charity from zero to a £2m organisation, it’s now one of the largest National Park-based charities in the UK.
The charity has enabled tens of thousands of schoolchildren to connect with the National Park and helped to deliver over 70,000 new trees and 160 football pitches of new wildflower meadows.
James co-founded the National Park’s successful ReNature Credits scheme, which is enabling businesses and individuals to invest in high-quality nature recovery.
James is also passionate about positioning the National Park as a key delivery partner in local government and reorganisation – championing the significant role the South Downs can play in meeting the region’s biodiversity and net-zero targets.
Living his entire life on the edge of the National Park in Aldershot, Hampshire, and with a life-long love of wildlife and walking, James can’t wait to get started.
“It’s a huge honour and privilege to be taking on this role in a region to which I have such close affinity,” said James, who first discovered his love of nature through his father’s love of landscape paintings in and around the South Downs.
“My one big message is ‘we’re open for business’. We’ve already seen the hugely positive impact that high-integrity business partnerships can have on nature restoration in the National Park – from restoring wetlands and creating new woodlands – and I think we’ve only scratched the surface of what we can achieve.
“It’s an exciting time for National Parks as there’s so much we want to achieve. With more public, philanthropic and private finance, National Parks have the knowledge and skills to deliver. Nature deserves nothing less – the biodiversity and climate crises are not going away and we’ve got to be problem solvers.
“On a personal level, I’m really committed to inclusive growth, ensuring that we’re a National Park that everyone can enjoy and that serves a wide cross-section of society. Through the charity’s initiatives, I’ve seen the profound impact that the National Park can have on young people and I want this good work to flourish and prosper.”
James started his career working in sales and events, including Top Gear Live and the Birmingham Mega Mela, before moving on to work in the charity sector for Samaritans and Amnesty, and then into working for the South Downs National Park.
When he’s not working, James enjoys walks with his wife and children and is currently completing the Purbeck Way in Dorset, He’s also an avid gardener and sea swimmer. He recently coordinated a swift box installation on his own street to help urban biodiversity.
James serves as a trustee of both the National Parks UK Foundation and the Hampshire Cultural Trust.
Vanessa Rowlaands, Chair of the National Park Authority, said: “I’m absolutely delighted with this appointment.
“James has incredible contacts, networking and energy. He has the creative vision of what a modern National Park can be and also the acumen to deliver real innovation when it comes to funding.
“I wish him every success in his new role.”