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Following the sad loss, last May, of David Middleton, who had been the main organizer of this event for the last 5 years , we are all determined to deliver a great event to honour David’s huge contribution and celebrate his tireless work on sustainability over the last 25 years
He will be sorely missed by his family, friends and all of those in the sustainability movement.
After the massive success of the 2019 event which attracted over 200 delegates from multi national companies, to micro businesses, NGO’s and voluntary organisations, we intend again at the 2021 event to give attendees the opportunity to network, share knowledge and exchange experiences in tackling the climate crisis.
I do hope you will be able to join us then
Chair – Professor Martin Freer , Director Birmingham Energy Institute, University of Birmingham and Director of Energy Research Accelerator
Speakers
Jonathon Porritt CBE – Co- Founder – Forum for the Future
Paul Dockerill – Director of Energy and Programme Management – whg
Councillor Waseem Zaffar – Chairman – Birmingham Climate Taskforce – Birmingham City Council
Professor Zoe Robinson Professor of Sustainability Keele University
Steve Gapik Managing Director Soltherm/SMS Group
Philip Ward – Chair RSA Sustainability Network
John Firth – Senior Director, Climate and Resilience Hub Willis Towers Watson
Bob Sherman – Harbury Energy Initiative
Chris Crean – Regional Campaigner – Friends of the Earth
Colin Hewson Principal Consultant Tribe Culture Change Ltd
Beverley Nielsen – Exec. Director Institute for Design & Economic Acceleration BCU
Rosemary Coyne SHAP Co-ordinator and Warmer Homes ERDF Compliance and Coordination Project Manager at Connexus
Nik Mckiernan WaterAid
Discussion Leads
Professor Rashid Gatrad OBE Deputy Lieutenant of the West Midlands & Leader of the WASUP project
Jill Chapman Co Founder The Create Flow
Kate Cooper Executive Director Birmingham Food Council CIC
Beth MacManus Director Create Flow
Gary King Director Create Flow
Nik Mckiernan WaterAid
Anna Bright – Chief Executive Sustainability West Midlands
Bevil Williams – Managing Director REPC Ltd
We have a range of speakers already committed ( see speaker tab and links at the bottom of the event page).
We are also looking for additional companies/organisations to join whg, Birmingham Energy Institute – University of Birmingham, University of Keele and the RSA to support this event for 2021. If you have a story to tell re action on Climate Change and you wish to profile your company at this exciting event we have room for 2 more sponsors @ £1,250. This would give you a speaking position, logo placement and an opportunity for a table top exhibition at the event.
There are also a limited number of opportunities for Exhibitors @ £300
Submissions for the David Middleton Sustainability Award are now open
David Middleton sadly passed in May 2020. David was a stalwart supporter of the Sustainability movement for many years. He helped launch the Midlands Environmental Business Club in 1991 and was also the CEO of the UK Branch of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development. Even after retiring in 2013 David continued to demonstrate his enormous enthusiasm and passion for Sustainability including setting up and running the annual Sustainability conference in Birmingham and writing a series of 4 fast moving adventure stories with central themes based on various elements of sustainable development.
David’s colleagues and friends in the sustainability industry, together with his family, have established this award in his memory. The David Middleton Sustainability Award will be presented to recognise and encourage similar passion, enthusiasm, and outstanding commitment to sustainable development.
The David Middleton Sustainability Award will be given to an individual who has either developed practical solutions or an innovative product or delivered a sustainability programme within their organisation or has brought people together in a collaborative way to deliver sustainability. The award is open to individuals working in organisations of any size in the UK.
The award will be made by the project advisory group of the David Middleton Sustainability Conference. The winner will be announced at the conference on 28th September 2021.
. All applications will require the following:
• Contact details: name(s) and contact details (email & phone) for the award applicant.
• Outline what has been achieved: this should show how the applicant has developed practical solutions or an innovative product, has been successful in delivering sustainable solutions, or has brought people together in a collaborative way. This submission should be a maximum of 500 words.
• If nominating yourself, please supply contact details (email & phone) for an Application referee who has agreed to verify or provide additional insights into what has been achieved.
The deadline for submissions to the David Middleton Sustainability Award is 17:00 on Friday 20th August. If you know someone who might like to apply, please do pass on these details.
Please send the completed application to
Jacqui.staunton@climate-change-solutions.co.uk
There a limited number of additional Exhibition spaces available £300 (+vat)
David Middleton – The Background
David Middleton was given the opportunity, at the age of 20, to become a news reporter on the weekly local newspaper, the Walsall Observer. He spent a few years in local newspapers and radio before becoming a motor sport photo journalist. Via time in commercial PR he moved into the world of exhibitions and conferences which took him across Europe, Japan and the USA. In 1988 he had his ‘green epiphany’ standing on a bridge in Pittsburgh. In 1991 he helped launch the Midlands Environmental Business Club (M.E.B.C.), a business group dedicated to the subject of sustainable development. He was it’s CEO and was Secretary General of TURF – The Urban Renewal Foundation . He also later added the role of CEO of the UK branch of the World Business Council for Sustainable Developments to his activities.
He retired from those responsibilities in 2013 and then become involved in various projects including the annul Sustainability conferenece. In August 2017 he was appointed a Fellow of the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufacture and Commerce.
In ‘retirement’ he also starting writing fast moving adventure stories with the central themes based on various elements of sustainable development in the hope this might be an effective vehicle by which to carry important messages to as wide an audience as possible. Titled
The Final Shah Mat
The Acionna Projects
The Hwang Solution
Cobalt!
David sadly passed away in May 2020 , he will be sorely missed by his family, friends and all those in the sustainability movement
Car Parking
Please note although there is onsite parking available it is not guaranteed due to the nature of the estate. If the Tally Ho car park is full, please park in the MAC pay and display car park ( Cannon Hill Park ) which is within walking distance of the venue with both pay by phone & cash. To access the MAC exit the Tally Ho and turn right into Bristol Road. Turn right at the traffic lights and turn second right into the MAC car park. Drive to the end. On the right is a small gate which leads into the Tally Ho car park, and then it is just a short walk to the venue.
Entrance to the actual conference is via the glass doors with a plaque for the Lord Knights Suite. Please do not enter via the doors badged Conference centre which leads to their reception and offices.
Postcode
The postcode is B5 7RN
Travelling to the event
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If you want further information on the sponsorship opportunities and exhibiting please contact
Jacqui Staunton
jacqui.staunton@climate-change-solutions.co.uk
07866552833
We are proud to support WaterAid as our chosen charity. You can find out more at www.wateraid.org’.
The David Middleton Sustainability Conference is supporting WaterAid to honour David’s tireless work on Sustainability. It’s unbelievable that in the 21st century 785 million people don’t yet have access to clean water. WaterAid aims to change lives with clean water. David recognised this vital issue with one of his novels highlighting the serious impact of Climate Change on Water Supply (The Acionna Projects ) . The conference is free to attend but donations to this great cause in David’s name would be gratefully received.
Link to the Just Giving Web Page Below
We would like to thank our Sponsors ( Walsall Housing Group, University of Birmingham, Keele University and the R.S.A.) for their support . Enabling us to offer this event free to delegates.
