Testimonials - Moving Beyond

What people say

There are many organisations that profess to act on the big challenges facing us all – and how they and we respond will decide whether we can offer a liveable world to future generations. I genuinely believe that MovingBeyond wants to be help foster a movement of change across all sectors to achieve this. The big opportunity that MB provides is bringing people across all sectors together in a safe place as equals to consider how together we can tackle big issues in a way that plays to people’s strengths.

Jane Davidson

Chair NetZero Wales, Author #FutureGen, Pro Vice-Chancellor Emeritus at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David. Former Welsh Minister

MB has helped me align my own values and ambition to drive forward in my endeavours to tackle the climate emergency. By providing a safe space to connect with others (with no judgement) it allowed me to understand how my work fits alongside others and continues to provide for me a community of like-minded individuals.

Andrea Pearson

FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies, WES Top 50 Women in Engineering 2021, Coordinator of Teesside Cloth Nappy Library, Member of Stockton Business Climate Coalition.

MB is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced before. Change agents and intrapreneurs: prepare to arrive with an open mind and leave with an overflowing spirit.

Dr Gary Kendall

Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL), Head of Climate Implementation and Strategy at NatWest

MovingBeyond transcends the typical climate conference or community, by examining and rewriting the playbook to quickly build deep relationships and maximise impact. The event itself is immersive and transformational, but it is only the beginning. MB was the launchpad for a team of us working to decarbonise residential heating in the UK. Together with stakeholders from across the heating value chain (including energy, manufacturing, finance, and government), we are bringing our unique skillsets to bear to put the UK on track towards net zero.

Ann Siml

Associate Partner, Bain & Company

MovingBeyond is a catalytic powerhouse. It has been a fount of inspiration, encouragement, growth, connection, and renewal, from the outset and increasingly. I have found the community of close friends and allies I needed to face the planetary emergency. And it can do this on the main levels of action, which themselves I hadn’t identified until MB clarified them: me, we, us. I have grown as a person, as a father and friend, a member of many communities. My organisation, Woodland Savers, enables communities to buy and manage land for nature recovery. It has been simply rocket-boosted by the ongoing MB journey, and the fellow participants and organisations I’ve gotten to know through it. We now collaborate formally with partners at Bates Wells, the UK’s leading impact law firm; with managers at Bain and Company, the global consultancy; and by analysts at the pioneering asset manager Schroders, one of whose natural capital team now sits on our board. All connections I fostered through and with MB. I am more deeply informed end empowered than I ever. I see all of this as X to the power of MovingBeyond: me, my company, and the world itself. It is a way of convening, connecting, and empowering at a time when the world needs it most. I heartily commend it to any current or future leader.

Christoph Warrack

CEO, Woodland Savers

“I was unsure what MovingBeyond was and felt so anxious to be in a room with people in such powerful roles. My heart racing, fearing being ‘just a nobody’. With some encouragement from the team, I threw myself into the conference and slowly realised how lovely everyone was. So, I went from feeling insignificant to realising I really did move mountains even if it was from a container in E16. I was made to feel like I belonged, which is a foreign feeling for me especially as I am open about my Neurodiversity and mental health. As an advocate I often feel isolated and in despair. I now feel supported! Josie has helped me with the HMRC paperwork (that I was hiding from), Maria supported me when we lost our essential storage, and Gee managed me find storage in an abandoned pub in my area. Spana’s Rekalibrator is on my wall and look at it daily. I will never forget the encouragement I felt “You are a Giant!” Literally WOW! The words from James “you need to stop putting out fires” is my daily mantra and this is enabling me to start to build a team, a support network. My mindset was genuinely changed over the 3 days and can’t thank MB enough for repairing my belief in change being possible. I don’t understand a lot of the policies and politics, but I do know how to change people’s lives for the better with reusing and recycling.”

Daniell Hambrook

Founder of Newham Wellness & Scope3CE project An emergency service for people who are moving into a home without any resources i.e. saving items from landfill to provide to those fleeing domestic violence, flood, fire, care leavers, refugees etc. (MB Newham, Oct 2024)

“What a fantastic time we had at Moving Beyond 2024 in Newham. This movement is unique in connecting across industries and systems to co-create a coalition of movers. To nurture radical collaboration, hope and action while learning about what we have to prepare hard for and the steps we must waste no time in taking, in order to bravely do what we can to abate the worst impacts of climate change on our communities and ecosystems, which include us of course! There is no time like now to act. No further pound should be spent in service of an economy which is not sustainable. No job should not understand the part it has to play in reducing emissions and regenerating nature. If you’re waiting for someone else to do this then look in the mirror. And know you are not alone. Start.”

Judith Irons

Judith Irons, Food Systems and Sustainability Director, 2 Sisters Food Group

“Moving Beyond was truly “moving”. It opened my eyes to concepts, movements and policies relating to climate change about which I previously knew little. On a practical level, it provided contacts locally and much further beyond. It is so reassuring to know that support and encouragement is available within the MB community and motivating to realise the faith and admiration visitors to my home area expressed in what ordinary people in a local community can achieve. I feel very proud and privileged that MB gave me an opportunity to showcase a small part of that through leading a field trip to Beckton Itchycoo Pond, and enlightened by the reports back from the other field trips. It is so reassuring to know that support and encouragement is available within the MB community and motivating to realise the faith and admiration visitors to my home area expressed in what ordinary people in a local community can achieve. I see the mission of Moving Beyond as promoting more sustainable ways of life and collaborating with those who have the power to accelerate UK Net Zero but, from my perspective, it has a particular role to play in building and empowering local communities to exercise their influence.”

Alison McLucas, Local Resident, Community Gardens Volunteer (MB Newham, Oct 2024)