THE UNIVERSITY of Reading has announced the appointment of its 1,000th climate ambassador.
Stephen Morgan MP, who leads on sustainability at the Department for Education, has become the UK’s 1,000th ambassador in the programme.
Climate Ambassadors is delivered by a national consortium of the following organisations led by the University of Reading and the EAUC.
Each region in England has a regional hub which provides free support to education settings in their area
It is backed by £2m of Department for Education funding.
Stephanie Gilliver, who is the Head of Responsible Investing at Virgin Money, signed up to become a Climate Ambassador to have a positive impact on her community. She said: “I work full time, have two children and a house that doesn’t clean itself–why would I want to add to my spinning plates by volunteering?
“Anyone that spares their precious free time volunteering will know the answer to that question.
“It is enriching and rewarding, it teaches you stuff and provides a different perspective, and it has a positive impact in lots of different ways.
“For me I wanted to help with local impact in responding to the climate emergency–when I heard about the Climate Ambassadors programme operating though STEM Learning my hand shot up, I am in.”
Katie Parsons, Research Fellow at Loughborough University, has worked with various schools since becoming a Climate Ambassador.
She said: “Working with the Climate Ambassadors Programme has given us the opportunity to connect with so many diverse and inspiring schools.
“Just a few weeks ago, we had the pleasure of supporting the Bradgate Education Partnership, who work with 18 academies in developing their climate action plans.
“It has also enabled us to engage with the fantastic work being led by the National Education Nature Park. Collaboration is key to addressing the climate crisis, and initiatives like the Climate Ambassadors Programme allow us to come together to support schools in deepening their understanding and taking meaningful action on environmental education and climate goals.”
Mr Morgan said of his appointment: “The Climate Ambassadors programme is a vital part of our strategy to empower schools and educators in tackling the climate crisis, and I’m proud to be joining over 1,000 volunteers to support schools in developing and delivering their climate action plans.”
