The Living Vital team brings together a vast array of skill sets and experiences covering most bases giving us great foundations to build on.
Meet everyone below.
Alexandra Cotter – Co-founder and Director
A qualified permaculturist and horticulturalist Alex has a real passion for gardening and food growing. Her first foray into food growing was working in London on Urban Agriculture projects and supporting the delivery of global food growing initiatives through her work at an international research and development centre. She spent her free time teaching food growing and environmental awareness to kids in primary schools. Moving back to her hometown of Brighton she set up Project Green with the YMCA before founding Living Vital. The heart and hearth of the project she will often be found talking and laughing with the plants, animals and humans at the garden.
Nick Grist – Co-founder and Trustee
Nick formerly ran a successful international education research and development charity working on projects across 6 continents. The projects have ranged from improving the yields of women smallholder farmers in Africa to improving literacy amongst the English prison population. A qualified nutritionist, trainer and keen woodworker he brings a variety of skills and expertise to Living Vital. A love of food, travel and different cultures mean he will always be hovering around the fire pit when the refugee and migrant cooking sessions are taking place, and he is just as happy when the food has been eaten sharing stories round the fire.
Neill Freer – Trustee
Originally from Portsmouth, Neill has spent most of his career working in IT, a field he has found both challenging and rewarding. Despite his technical background, Neill has always sought a deeper connection with nature and community, which led him to move to Brighton in 2019 after years of visiting the city whenever possible.
After a couple of difficult years working remotely and feeling somewhat isolated, Neill was introduced to Living Vital in 2021. From his very first visit, he felt at peace and at home with the community. The sessions quickly became a vital part of his life, offering a chance to escape the digital world and connect with like-minded people.
Neill appreciates the way Living Vital has opened him up to new possibilities, helping him develop confidence in speaking to new people and deepening his understanding of nature, woodworking, and self-care. His desire to support the project further and challenge himself led him to volunteer for the role of Trustee.
Beyond the garden, Neill has a deep passion for photography, food, and travel — pursuits that allow him to explore the world through fresh perspectives. He is always excited to hear about what brings others to the Living Vital community and to share stories over a cup of coffee.
Roxana Khan-Williams – Trustee
Roxy, originally from the rolling hills of North Yorkshire, moved down to Brighton in 2014 to study International Relations and Development and an MA in Conflict, Security and Development at Sussex University. She has long been involved in activism, with a focus on refugee rights and anti-racism. She has been a campaigner in various charity and start-ups, including the anti-fascist organisation HOPE not hate and the worker-led online community, Organise. She helped birth the Common Ground project while working for Alex and Nick at their Brighton cafe and is absolutely delighted that it has been able to grow into the perfect concoction of her love for food growing (and eating!) and passion for refugee rights. She may still not be blessed with the green fingers, but she is a dab hand at jewellery making, and has her own little business, Bombie Bling (and a % of the takings go to help fund the project).
Adam Weston – Trustee
Adam has spent his working career in the digital learning industry mixing his wide range of creative skills with his love of education. Alongside this, he has spent time living in Peru working for an NGO with adults and children within a small community. It is this sense of community that most excites Adam about Living Vital.
Having recently completed his Permaculture Design Course (with our neighbours Brighton Permaculture Trust), Adam is excited to bring everything he learnt on the course to Living Vital’s land. Bringing people together to create something incredible, making people feel a part of something, while developing something more than the sum of its parts is what drives Adam with Living Vital. He is always keen to learn while always being ready for a conversation whether that be about the latest cricket scores or the world around us.
Emily Jayne Bruce – Project Manager (Trainee )
Emily first came to the garden in July 2023 and has been every chance possible since, grateful for the space to simply Be, surrounded by beautiful nature and wonderful kind people. In 2024, Emily transitioned away from the international development sector, towards a path of more nourishment that is supportive of her own healing journey.
Emily is interested in moving towards projects supporting the local community and food sovereinty. In this role, Emily supports Living Vital’s projects, social media, marketing, and fundraising; helping the community to expand even further. Fun fact, Emily grew up with a phobia of fungus, but now can’t get enough! Since 2020 she has become an avid forager and loves cooking up some foraged mushrooms on gluten-free toast.
Sailesh Beejadhur – Refugee and Migrant Co-ordinator
Sailesh comes from a farming background and has a love of good food and working on the land. He is an excellent cook showcased by his signature biryani dish which dazzled the group on its first appearance. He joined the Living Vital team through his role as assistant volunteer co-ordinator with Voices in Exile where he helps facilitates the sessions with us, looks after the participants and brings his humour and positivity to proceedings. He also volunteers for the Cornerstone food bank and rhe Hummingbird Project, and is always looking for opportunities to get involved in his community and help others. There is always laughter involved when Sailesh is around and loves to look after others as the project’s official king of the tea break.