The Greater Manchester Environment Fund team had a great time representing our Green Spaces Fund at the 2024 Green Summit in Manchester.

Victoria, Michelle and Sohail from three of our Green Spaces Fund groups and Christos from our corporate supporters Autotrader spoke on the main stage with Andy Burnham about their experiences with the fund.

Daveen and Annabelle spoke on different panels about the impact of the fund and how we're reaching community groups through our comms activity.

Grace ran a great workshop about how the GMEF can help corporates achieve environmental goals like BNG, and we were joined by Candice from Enterprise UK, Kieron from Sow the City and Jonathan from Tyler Grange.

Danielle, Rachel, and some of our Green Spaces Fund Advisors spent the day on our stall and chatted to lots of people about the work we're doing in Greater Manchester.

We've compiled everyone's highlights from the day, so read on to find out our thoughts...

Daveen Wallis, GMEF Co-founder

"Seeing the Green Spaces Fund groups on the main stage with the Mayor was my highlight and brought a tear to my eye.

Their projects have transformed spaces for local people and given communities hope, confidence and positivity. The huge benefits that have organically come out of these projects demonstrates the awesomeness of people power.

Now that over 100 projects have been funded in Greater Manchester, we are able to demonstrate impact – and this clearly matches the ambition and collective actions across the green sector.

The Green Summit proved our success in doing things differently, putting people first, and enabling communities to lead the way."

Grace O'Leary, GMEF Grants Manager

"The GMEF workshop this year focused on our Green Spaces Fund grant programme with a view of highlighting the specific benefits for corporate contributors.

I touched on some of the amazing impact the fund has had to date, such as planting over 300,000 trees, shrubs and plants across Greater Manchester.

Our session was also accompanied by representatives from Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Tyler Grange, who spoke positively about why they have chose to support the GMEF. We were joined onstage by GSF partner Sow The City who advised attendees about the local businesses that are passionate about helping project delivery and the workshop also hosted WSP who kindly presented on Environmental Social Governance.

We’re hopeful that the enthusiastic energy in the room will help to put the GMEF in the minds of businesses when they are selecting their next charity to support."

Annabelle Brittle, GMEF Communications Officer

The 2024 Green Summit was my first experience of the event and I had a fantastic time. 

I spoke on a panel about how we can engage with different audiences on green topics through communications activity. I used our Green Spaces Stories case study series as an example of how we've combined rich, long-form blog posts with engaging photo and video content on social media to tell colourful stories about our Green Spaces Fund groups, which will hopefully inspire other community groups to get involved.

It was a pleasure to meet and speak with so many likeminded people in the industry, and discuss how we can work together to make Greater Manchester greener!

Rachel Lindsay, GMEF Grants Officer

"My day at the Green Summit was very busy. Whilst I manned our designated table, I met with various people from projects we currently fund, partners and friends, and also those who were generally interested in who we are and what we do.

Many conversations were started by our "living map" of GM: a giant planter in the shape of the city region. People loved trying to suss out which segment represented each borough. All credit to Nina, one of our Green Spaces Fund advisors, who designed it and had it 3D printed!

It was a great day of socialising and networking and look forward to it again next year."

Danielle Rowlands, GMEF Grants Assistant

"It was great to see how well-attended the Green Summit was this year!

The highlight of the day for me was seeing the Green Spaces Fund groups on stage talking about the huge impact their projects have had on their local communities.

Another highlight was getting to talk to people at the GMEF stall.  One lady came to talk to us and realised that she was in fact already volunteering for one of our projects: it was great to hear first-hand how much she enjoyed volunteering for the Green Spaces for Smithfield project, her face lit up when talking about it!