David's 800 mile Journey of Hope using only Sustainable Travel

The Mersey Forest team caught up with David during the Liverpool leg of his travels. 

David has partnered with schools, visiting a number along the way, to highlight valuable sustainabilty projects.The resulting case studies will be available for the education sector to access. 

He says:

'The younger generation are more aware then ever of the environment. They know about the need for sustainable and regenerative action to combat threats posed by climate change and environmental degradation.'

The journey will demonstrate that change is possible, and generate ideas and resources for children.  The hope is they will feel empowered to take their own positive environmental action. 

The Mersey Forest partnership delivers a wide range of sustainable projects. During David's visit we focused on the EU-Funded URBAN GreenUP project. Working alongside Liverpool City Council and Liverpool University we have implemented a number of green changes to Liverpool City Centre. 

The most noticeable is the UK's largest green wall above St John's Shopping Centre. There is also a newly planted avenue of trees along The Strand and floating islands in Sefton Park and Wapping Dock. 
 

Day 11 (25/9/2020): Today I ate a wild strawberry from a car park wall in inner city Liverpool! Amazing things happening in my city through @urbangreenUP project, bringing nature-based solutions into urban areas. Thank you @merseyforest & @staples_juliet from @lpoolcouncil #hope pic.twitter.com/QN2vvWKg1w

— Journey of Hope (@JourneyofHope9) September 28, 2020

We took David on a tour around these key sites. We discussed the science behind each one. The 'Follower City' alliance will see these ideas replicated in other cities across the world. Before departing, David sampled a wild strawberry, cultivated on the side of Parr Street Car Park where the second green wall installation has taken place. 

Folllowing some interviews and filming David set back off on his journey. He is now travelling through Wales towards Scilly. His journey is set to finish on 2^nd October.

David's journey started in Shetland and he made his way down through the UK to Scilly, he will take in a diverse range of sustainability initatives.

Beginning in Shetland and ending on Scilly, the journey took in a diverse range of sustainability initiatives - from Europe's largest peat-bog to a community orchard.

The purpose of the journey was to provide some light in a time of need; share the great work happening with schools to inspire young people, and; develop case-study based sustainability resources for schools.