Simone is Chief Executive Officer of Severn Wye Energy Agency, a not-for-profit charity working in Wales and the Welsh Border counties on all aspects of sustainable energy including energy efficiency, renewable energy, climate change, affordable warmth and sustainable communities. Having lived most of her life in mid-Wales, Simone’s background is in ecology, environment and community energy, her passion is working in partnership with communities to tackle issues such as poverty, inequality and environmental degradation through community led-solutions and sustainable use of our natural resources.

During her 11 years at Severn Wye, Simone has led their work on Community Development, Community Energy and was Director for Wales. Before joining Severn Wye, Simone completed her PhD at Cardiff University on Biomass and Energy Crops followed by 10 years as a Research Associate working on upland land use and diversification in rural Wales. Simone is vice-president for Energy Efficiency & Fuel Poverty of the European Federation of Energy Agencies (Fedarene) and was a founding board member of Community Energy Wales. She has held several voluntary and trustee roles, including being chair of governors at a bilingual primary school and in her spare time Simone has been a STEM ambassador for over 25 years.

The role is remunerated at £24,000 per annum. This appointment has been made in accordance with the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments. The appointments process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Under the Code, any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years must be declared. This is defined as including holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation, or candidature for election. Simone has declared no such political activity.

The weekly Unsafe Product Report published on 25 June by OPSS has identified a further four magnetic products that pose a risk to health.

If two or more magnets were swallowed the magnets could be drawn together in the digestive system potentially causing serious injury or death where rapid and immediate medical intervention was not sought.

The public is being asked to take appropriate steps to keep these products away from children. Parents or guardians should understand the signs of magnetic ingestion and act quickly to get immediate medical treatment if they believe a magnet has been swallowed.

The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS), the UK’s national product safety regulator, issued a Safety Alert in May 2021 to warn of the risk of serious injury and death where small high-powered magnets are swallowed.

This followed an OPSS awareness campaign to highlight the dangers of small, high powered magnets, in conjunction with Child Accident Prevention Trust, Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents and the Chartered Trading Standards Institute.

The unsafe magnetic products identified in the OPSS report are:

• Eves Hand Made Things – Allsorts Fridge Magnets: The product has been withdrawn from Etsy and recalled from end users.

• Buttonbabblegifts Novelty Food Fridge Magnets: The product has been withdrawn from Etsy.

• 168-piece Magnet Toy: The product has been withdrawn from the market by LightintheBox (UK) Limited and recalled from end users.

• 3D Magnetic Puzzle Mag Cube Bucky Balls: The product has been withdrawn from the market by LightintheBox (UK) Limited and recalled from end users.