Meet the team
FERGUS COLLINS, Editor
Editor Fergus lives in deepest Monmouthshire with his family, where his neighbours are farmers, buzzards and sheep. When not working on the magazine he keeps chickens, grows vegetables and attempts to live more self-sufficiently. Fergus is the host of the award-winning Countryfile Plodcast, a weekly escape to the countryside that explores today's issues within the bucolic surroundings of nature.
Email Fergus at editor@countryfile.com
JOE PONTIN, Deputy Editor
Joe is BBC Countryfile Magazine's deputy editor, always eager to find and share great writing and storytelling. His interests roam widely through history, ecology, food and farming, art, crafts and beyond. He loves to discover the charisma of particular rural places, from lofty fells and lonely hillforts to crowded country markets, rose-filled gardens and gorges. He loves to explore, roaming for miles in running shoes or hiking boots.
Joe also coordinates our gear reviews for print and web.
Read our feature submission guidelines here.
Email Joe with feature ideas at joe.pontin@ourmedia.co.uk
CARYS MATTHEWS, Group Digital Editor
Carys is the Group Digital Editor of countryfile.com and our sister title discoverwildlife.com. She also looks after the brand's social media channels and editorial newsletter. Living in rural Somerset, Carys loves long-distance hiking, trail running, wild swimming and camping adventures with her young son.
Email Carys your website pitches at carys.matthews@ourmedia.co.uk
TANYA JACKSON, Digital Editor
Tanya Jackson is a digital editor and writer for countryfile.com. She lives in Wiltshire and loves campfire cooking, swimming in the sea, rural folklore, barn owls and walking her Welsh collie in the misty hills. Tanya also has a passion for English food and drink – although nothing tastes as good as tomato soup out of a thermos on a crisp woodland walk.
TIM BATES, Art Editor
Tim has been with the magazine since its launch in 2008 and is responsible for its design. He spends his spare time chasing around his two young sons, who love nothing more than putting on their Wellingtons and going on outdoor adventures.
MARIA HODSON, Production Editor
Maria loves paddleboarding, hiking, camping and all things seaside and spontaneous.
MARGARET BARTLETT, Production Editor
Margaret lives in Cardiff, a fair distance from her home town of Wellington, New Zealand. When not checking copy for typos, she enjoys walks in the Welsh countryside and along its beautiful coastline, cycling, running, yoga, foraging and a bit of indulgent baking too.
DANIEL GRAHAM, Outdoors Editor
Danny is the outdoors editor of BBC Countryfile Magazine. He has been working for the publication for five years and is responsible for commissioning, editing and writing articles for the Great Days Out section, which offers ideas and inspiration for exploring the UK countryside.
