Last week, Abbey Gate College proudly hosted the third Cheshire Schools’ Sustainability Conference – an event first initiated by the College to connect schools across Cheshire and encourage collaboration towards a more sustainable future.

Opened by the Lord Mayor of Chester, Councillor Sherin Akhtar, the conference welcomed over 140 students aged 8 to 18, along with 15 teachers from eight Cheshire schools: Bishop Heber High School, Christleton High School, Guilden Sutton C of E Primary School, Huntington Community Primary School, Saighton Primary School, Tarporley High School, and The Firs School, Chester.

The day was led by Emma Flatman, Head of Sustainability at Abbey Gate College, who explained:

“The conference is designed to allow students the chance to understand how sustainability works in the ‘real’ world, outside of the classroom. Realising that it’s something businesses take seriously can only help our young people to develop genuine enthusiasm and enquiring minds.”

A highlight of the day was the line-up of guest speakers, each demonstrating how sustainability shapes their own professional work. Monika Swindells from the ōH Foundation, Victoria Nuttall from Restaurant Next Door, Mark Youde from the Landscape Academy and Callum Corrie from Garden Designs for Wildlife delivered lively sessions on topics including sustainable fashion, food, and environmentally conscious design.

Mark Youde described the day as: “Amazing – so cool to see the passion from everybody involved around sustainability in schools.”

Victoria Nuttall said she was: “Impressed by the students’ knowledge and inspired by the range of speakers showing how sustainability applies across industries.”

Monika Swindells summed it up beautifully: “A beautiful community of students – full of curiosity and fantastic questions.”

Callum Corrie also praised the event, adding: “The schools are making a massive change already and I’m so happy to hear that. The school grounds are beautiful and just walking through I’ve seen a lot of amazing plants!”

Students from each attending school shared updates on their own eco-projects, from recycling and biodiversity initiatives to energy-saving campaigns. Their enthusiasm and commitment clearly resonated with the guest speakers, who said they left feeling equally inspired.

Reflecting on the success of the event, Head of Abbey Gate College, Mr Craig Jenkinson, commented: “This was another truly remarkable collaborative occasion, bringing together so many members of the wider Cheshire schools’ community, united in engaging with such an important subject. Sustainability is one of the three pillars of purpose here at Abbey Gate College and it is wonderful to see so many young people embracing the challenge of protecting our planet.”

The Lord Mayor of Chester, Councillor Sherin Akhtar, praised the initiative, saying: “I enjoyed listening to the children from the different schools and particularly found the work that they are doing in their own schools to be fascinating. Listening to the professionals has given me a great insight into what businesses can do to make our society more sustainable. It opened my eyes to what is already happening – and it made me very proud that Cheshire West businesses are already working towards this common goal.

“Lastly, this event has given me hope. Finally, things are going in the right direction to make our country more environmentally friendly and sustainable.”

The conference continues to go from strength to strength, offering pupils the opportunity to explore how sustainability translates from the classroom into the real world. Planning is already underway for next year’s event, and schools or organisations interested in contributing are warmly encouraged to get in touch.

For more information or to get involved, please contact Kayleigh Anger, Co-ordinator of Community Partnerships, at admin@abbeygatecollege.co.uk.