The Grass can be Greener in Salford
Salford has been crowned the most sustainable place to live in England and Wales according to research by the Centre for Thriving Places. It’s an impressive accolade that reflects Salford’s strengths in energy-efficient buildings, access to green spaces and low-carbon emissions. But that doesn’t mean it translates to quality of life, with the area remaining among England’s most deprived. This session zooms in on Salford to ask how a green city can be a more equal city too.
University of Salford
Saturday, 2:45pm – 3:30pm
Accessible for: step-free, all ages
CHAIR
Mimi Swaby
BBC World Service
Mimi is a Broadcast Journalist for the BBC Word Service, specialising in Latin America and the environment. Her recent reporting has focused on Indigenous communities in the Amazon. She is currently based in London, previously Sydney, Bolivia and Madrid.
PANELLISTS
Paul Dennett
City Mayor, Salford
Paul was elected Councillor for Langworthy in 2012 and held the Strategic Assistant Mayor position until 2016 focusing on equalities, technology, urban transformation, prosperity, growth and workforce. Since becoming City Mayor in 2016 Paul has campaigned for equality, financial inclusion, the living wage, social value, anti-poverty and critically providing the public/private environment to tackle the housing crisis.
Paul is passionate about the opportunities for young people, culture and sport which culminated with the launch of Suprema Lex in March 2020, Salford’s shared strategy for culture, creativity and the arts, driven by the Salford Culture and Place Partnership.
Paul is currently Great Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) Deputy City Mayor and up until recently held the GMCA Portfolio Lead for Housing, Homelessness and Infrastructure, overseeing the development of the Greater Manchester Housing Strategy.
Paul’s GMCA portfolio currently extends to Healthy Lives & Quality Care; Homelessness & Places for Everyone.
Dr Morag Rose
Walking Artist, Activist and Academic
Morag Rose is a walking artist, activist and academic based in Manchester. In 2006 she founded psychogeographical collective The LRM (Loiterers Resistance Movement) whose manifesto states “our city is wonderful and made for more than shopping. The streets belong to everyone.” Morag facilitates free monthly communal wanders across Greater Manchester together with a portfolio of creative walking tours. Earlier in the year, Morag helped save a public towpath along the River Irwell from being diverted through a hotel lobby with the ‘Our Irwell’ campaign. She is also a human geography lecturer at the University of Liverpool and was part of the research team for ‘Walking Publics / Walking Art: walking, wellbeing and community’ during Covid-19. Morag has published, performed and exhibited her work widely.
Kelly-Marie Rodgers
Architect and Strategic Lead, GreaterSport Manchester
Kelly-Marie is the Strategic Lead for Healthy Active Places at GreaterSport, a key partner in the #GMMoving movement. Kelly supports Greater Manchester’s places and spaces to become healthier and more active: acknowledging the built environment’s impact on our communities, enabling more active, healthy and sustainable lives for all. As a qualified architect within the Public Practice programme, she brings her knowledge and experience of design and design processes.
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