International Women's Day 2025: Celebrating Ruth Miller

This International Women’s Day, we recognise the role of women in shaping the world around us. The theme this year, ‘Accelerate Action’, is a reminder that progress towards gender parity is still too slow - at the current rate, it will take until 2158 to reach full equality. But change happens because of individuals who push forward every day and at Blakedown, we’re proud to celebrate one of those individuals: Ruth Miller, our Design Project Manager.

Ruth takes a central role with our projects, particularly those that involve Contractor Design Portions, making sure they are not just built, but built well.  She is currently leading on the design side of our Nature + Love Project for the Horniman Museum and Gardens and Guildford SANG (Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace) for Guildford Council, bringing her expertise to landscapes that will be used and enjoyed for generations.

Her career began with a degree in Botany and Environmental Science, which she followed by a Master’s in Landscape Architecture from Edinburgh University.   Originally working as a landscape architect, she later moved to client-side roles within the London Boroughs helping to shape some of the city’s most connected parks and green spaces, including Silkstream and Montrose Park in Colindale with Barnet Council and Burgess Park with Southwark Council. Ensuring landscapes are designed to last has been central to her approach.

Joining Blakedown was her first step into contracting, and it’s been an eye-opening experience. Seeing projects come to life from the contractor’s side, she says, has been “fascinating”.  Her plant and planting knowledge feeds directly into our work, helping to create schemes that are both practical and sustainable.

Away from work, Ruth gives her time to fostering cats for local charities and fundraising for causes that matter.  Her latest effort being the organisation of the Live! Love! Dance! event in support of Hector’s House, a suicide prevention charity.

Ruth also has a personal challenge underway – swimming her way through an A-Z of UK rivers.   She has already completed a 10K swim along the River Dart, with another planned for later this year.

This International Women’s Day, we celebrate Ruth and the impact she makes, both at Blakedown and beyond.