Cultivating Communities Conference; The Green and Clean Agenda

The conference was organised by the Seedley and Langworthy Trust, in partnership with Salford City Council Neighbourhood Management Team and the Northwest Together We Can Network. The conference was also the Annual conference of NWTWC and supported by Manchester Metropolitan University and Guide Neighbourhoods Programme. It was a full day conference and took place at Buile Hill Park in Salford on 24th June 2008.

The aim of the conference was to look at practical ways of how communities can use their immediate environment to increase community engagement and cohesion and to bring about sustainable change. The conference was themed around the clean and green agenda and offered an invaluable opportunity to showcase the best of community-led environmental initiatives and partnership projects in Salford.

The conference attracted a wide range of delegates from different parts of England with 140 delegates attending the conference, including local authorities and voluntary & community sector organisations. A host of inspirational workshops explored good practice in developing the Cleaner and Greener agenda in local communities whilst coach visits took delegates on tours of Salford to see how the city was changing and meeting the challenges of improving the physical environment and increasing community engagement / cohesion.

Key note speakers included Toby Blume Urban Forum, Hilary Wainwright journalist and Councillor John Merry Leader Salford City Council, who covered local, national and global perspectives on the issues of environmental justice, economic development and participatory democracy as a means to influence and broaden decision making.

The conference was important for the Seedley and Langworthy Trust because it was the first time the Trust organised a regional conference on this scale and brought a staggering 140 delegates from a wide range of organisations including the public, community & voluntary sector organisations to Salford, and promoted Salford as an emerging city, whilst showcasing the Salford’s regeneration initiatives and projects.

A report and evaluation of the Cultivating Communities Conference is now available. For further details contact The Seedley and Langworthy Trust on 0161-7379918.