31 May 2024
With just a week to go before the inaugural St Albans SustFest Expo, organisers have unveiled more details of what to expect from the district’s largest event of its kind.
The weekend kicks off on Friday June 7 with a launch party at the Alban Arena, hosted by People, Planet, Pint and offering a good opportunity for networking and to encourage climate conversations over a glass of something fizzy, before the newly appointed Mayor of St Albans, Cllr Jamie Day, officially launches the 2024 Sustainability Festival.
The opening event is a preloved fashion show hosted by Alex Standley from Luxe Leopard Lifestyle.
Saturday sees an eclectic mix of speakers, performers and workshops. Handling climate resilience is a growing factor in many of our lives and at 10am on the community stage, life coach Chantal Burns will be talking about her new book ‘Bulletproof’ and how to be fearless – no matter what.
On the same theme at 1pm, Kim Hare from the Heart Community Group will be asking ‘What is ours to do?’ as she focusses on adapting to the ever-changing environment.
Sandwiched between the two resilience-focused workshops is sustainable business champion, Virginia Cinquemani. As owner of The Green Gorilla she will be looking at how everyone from individuals to businesses can normalise the language of sustainability in the workplace.
The writer, artist and ecologist, Rebecca Nesbit, will be on the Arena stage at Saturday lunchtime to discuss the issues that nature faces. Dilemmas are found everywhere in conservation, with some people and animals losing out from all the ways we ‘protect’ nature. So how do we decide what to do? Our intuition often fails us, and much of traditional conservation is built on myths that don’t stack up.
Restaurateur and sustainable food champion Andrei Lussman swaps his apron for a microphone at 1pm, as he chairs a fascinating panel discussion to ask ‘Does food and drink have to be a guilty pleasure?’
Nationally celebrated nature writer, Vanessa Wright will then offer some insight into the role the environment can play in the national curriculum and bringing the natural world to young people through its integration in the classroom. An absolute must-see for pupils, teachers and parents alike.
Things show no sign of easing-up on Sunday with another packed schedule featuring some world-class guests on the main stage.
Thhere will be a live satellite link-up with Pakistan for the ‘Local to Global’ project, linking communities across the globe and offering a message of hope in the process.
At midday activist, former European Parliamentary candidate and co-director of the Climate Majority Project, Rupert Read will be discussing the need to accelerate citizen climate action.
Then onto the world of conservation with Dr Mark Avery, a scientist by training and a naturalist by inclination. He now writes about and comments on environmental issues and has dedicated his life to nature conservation.
Mark worked for the RSPB for 25 years and is also former chair of the World Land Trust, where he continues to serve as a trustee. He will also be in conversation with nature writer Vanessa Wright about the importance of wildlife in our lives, what they need to survive and how we can play a part in providing it.
The final presentation of the event is Dr Erica McAlister, principal curator at the Natural History Museum in London.
Erica will take the audience behind the scenes of the museum and how the insect collection builds year upon year, offering a real insight into the workings of the world-famous museum.
The recently-established Green House eco hub on London Road will be hosting a series of small breakout sessions located in the upper circle of the Arena, and Q&A Corner will provide an opportunity to find out more about a certain group or local sustainability project from those involved.
Elsewhere on the upper level, the St Albans Arts team will be taking over the circle bar with a packed array of music and crafts. Over 15 local artists will be playing over the two days, all with a focus on the environmental side of things.
Online sensation Judith Leary-Joyce will be taking over the community stage on Sunday as she hosts a presentation and panel discussion about the benefits of exploring the range of sustainable insulation.
With over 40,000 followers on the social media platform, the campaigner affectionally dubbed ‘InstaGran’ will be discussing the importance of breathability for older houses and how to make your home easier and cheaper to heat.
The SustFest expo is the largest event of its kind ever to be hosted in the district and with something for everyone, organisers hope it will help lay the foundations for a sustainable future within the district for years to come.
Find out more at sustainablestalbans.org/sustfest
