We are delighted to announce our latest agenda for this year’s Network Harvest, along with a fantastic line of up speakers including Ros Kerslake, Chief Executive of the Heritage Lottery Fund and Sir Ed Davey, MP for Kingston and Surbiton and former Energy Secretary.

They will be joined by Dame Helen Ghosh, Director General of the National Trust and Sarah Butler-Sloss, Founder Director of Ashden, to make this year’s event a day to remember.

Click here for a full line up of this year’s speakers

The Network Harvest is our annual membership conference, and the biggest Fit for the Future event of the year. In 2016, over 160 delegates from 92 organisations came together to collaborate, share best practise and find out about inspiring sustainability projects from across the Network. This year’s event is set to be even better as we welcome new members from a diverse range of organisations.

Join us at the British Museum

This year’s event will be held at the British Museum, an iconic venue with outstanding sustainability credentials. Spaces are going fast and we already have a huge range of delegates signed up, from the Royal Household, Cancer Research UK and Somerset House to National Trust, RSPB and the Forestry Commission. If you are a current member of Fit for the Future, secure your free place here.

Inspiring Case Studies

Following Sir Ed Davey’s opening address and Ros Kerslake’s keynote speech, the day will begin with a range of diverse and inspirational case studies from Network members that showcase sustainable innovation, climate change adaptation and outstanding achievements on the road to resilience:

Steve Curtis, Operations Manager at Contact Theatre – A journey from diesel to electric

Phil Dyke, Coast & Marine Advisor at National Trust – Adapting to change on Brownsea Island

Oliver Ingwall-King, Energy Adviser at West Suffolk Council – Renewable heat at Palace House Newmarket

Sally Mills, Reserves Bioenergy Project Manager at RSBP – Reedbed bioenergy  

Jason Mitchell, Waste Manager at Newcastle Hospital –Achieving zero waste to landfill

Mairi Davies, Climate Change Manager, Historic Environment Scotland speaking at the Network Harvest 2016

Practical Workshops

During the afternoon, we’ll be bringing you practical and informative workshops led by a range of industry experts and practitioners. Workshop topics include:

•  “Creating the case for a sustainable future” – Sheila Holden OBE, key business adviser during the London 2012 Olympics, helping businesses to reduce their travel demands in preparation for the Games
  Making the business case is one of the first hurdles that members face when it comes to securing project funding or successfully bringing about organisational change. Using her experience of working with London businesses ahead of the 2012 Olympics, Sheila Holden will deliver an interactive workshop to help members through the process of creating the business case. Delegates will be asked to bring along a scenario that they can use during a “Dragon’s Den” session and will have an opportunity to present their case!
  
  
• “Adapting to change: bridging the gap from policy into action” – Keith Jones, National Trust, Meredith Wiggins, Historic England & Olly Watts, RSPB
  In a recent survey with members we discovered that whilst 84% of your organisations have a standpoint on climate change, only 45% of your organisations have a clear plan in place to respond to that standpoint. This workshop will explore what the blockages are (organisational, knowledge, resources) and develop a plan for how Fit for the Future can help organisations take practical action. The workshop will be facilitated by members of Fit for the Future’s Adaptation Working Group, which was set up this year.
  
  
• “Power House: cutting energy in historic buildings” in a seminar chaired by Mike Hudson, Director of the Renewable Energy Investment programme, National Trust – featuring Caroline Cattini, Historic England, Michael McNerney, The Charterhouse, & Paul Southall, National Trust
  Fit for the Future members collectively own more than 40,000 buildings, many of which are pre-1919. This seminar will include case studies on how National Trust and Charterhouse have successfully reduced energy consumption within heritage and listed buildings; Historic England will also share best practice examples and principles for installing renewables within historic buildings. The session will be chaired by Mike Hudson, Programme Director for the National Trust’s Renewable Energy Investment Programme and include a Q&A.2.45pm: Tea, coffee and networking

Enjoying the workshops at the Network Harvest 2016.

Networking and Drinks Reception

The day will be full of networking opportunities and a chance to meet our friendly exhibitors – you never know where a conversation might take you. And to round the day off in style, Sir Ed Davey, Chair of Fit for the Future, will be launching our new Ambassadors initiative at the evening drinks reception with speeches from Dame Helen Ghosh and Sarah Butler-Sloss.

Sir Ed Davey, chair of Fit for the Furture Network

All Fit for the Future members and their colleagues can attend for free, so make sure you book your place as spaces are limited! Click here to view the agenda and register for the event. If you are not a member but are interested in attending, please get in touch with us directly.

We look forward to seeing you there – don’t forget to keep an eye on Twitter  and on our events page for the latest announcements.

The Fit for the Future team 

#IdeasHarvest2017