Beacon of hope in the North West

Over 500 students, plus teachers and sustainability organisations gathered at Blackburn Rovers Football Club last week for the 19th annual Sustainability Learning Conference.

Organised by the Lancashire Schools Sustainability Forum, Sustainability Learning CIC and our Education team at Solar for Schools, the event was packed with hands-on STEM activities, workshops, sustainability challenges and opportunities for students to explore green careers and take practical ideas back to their schools.

This event marks one of the highlights of our year here at Solar for Schools, and this year was extra special; we were joined by 15 of our regional educators, who helped support us and delivered workshops and demos throughout the day.

Danielle Parker, our Community Development Manager, described the conference as "a beacon of hope in the North."

"The atmosphere is electric. It's a unique event that inspires immediate action and long-term commitment to change in schools."

The conference, hosted at Blackburn Rovers for the past seven years, also welcomed representatives from football clubs across the country through the English Football League's Sustainability Event, showcasing how schools can inspire the next generation to take climate action.

Reflecting on the day, conference co-founder and our own Head of Education, Wendy Litherland, said: "Every year I'm reminded just how much young people have to offer. Their curiosity, creativity and determination to tackle real-world challenges gives me enormous hope for the future. They don't simply accept how things are — they ask better questions and imagine better solutions."

Since launching in 2007, the conference has welcomed more than 5,000 students from over 200 schools, helping to inspire the next generation of climate problem-solvers and sustainability leaders.