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08:00
Welcome breakfast and networking
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08:40
Registration
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09:00
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09:15
Learn how Sheffield is prioritising collaborative and inclusive growth, and what this means for residents, as well as trade, tourism, and talent attraction
- Strategies and policies that address liveability and inequality
- Partnerships and regional collaborative working and how it has made a difference
- Developments from regeneration to tourism that harness the power of the collective
- The role of place branding and marketing in helping organisations achieve their objectives, in unique and inventive ways
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09:40
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10:25
Opening visitors’ eyes to new travel opportunities with place-to-place collaboration
- Learn how the teams at London & Partners and Visit Scotland launched a dual destination tourism campaign to encourage tourists to visit both London and Scotland during their trip
- Discover the tools you need to make a place-to-place collaboration work successfully
- Adopting a rigorous test-and-learn approach to ensure that the strategy meets the needs of all partners
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10:45
Refreshments
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11:15
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11:45
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12:15
Panel: Place and the private sector
How can place leadership teams, and place brand and marketing organisations, most effectively engage the private sector in the place vision? How do private sector partners see their role in building the place economy through better place shaping, through investment, and through ambassadorship?
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12:45
Lunch
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13:45
Passing the baton: Engaging the next generation in your place brand strategy
- How and why Burnley are working to share the passion for Burnley with Millennials, Gen Z, and beyond
- Creating a sister-brand that is specifically tailored to younger generations
- Developing new opportunities to upskill your young people and secure a pipeline of future ambassadors
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14:05
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14:35
Join a Round Table discussion with fellow delegates and our expert partners:
How do you measure success? Setting strategic goals, evaluating outcomes, demonstrating impact
Konrad Jagodzinski, Place Branding Director, Brand Finance
Artur Bryzghalov, Place Branding Manager, Brand Finance
Caitlin Johnson, Head of PR, Social and Content, VisitBritainSmall budgets. Massive impact. How agile DMOs showcase their destination
Chelsea Mosgrove, Director of Sales, CrowdriffDefeat the doomsayers: How to own the narrative of your evolving city centre
Simon Yewdall, Strategy Director, DNCOStrategies for ensuring the local economy benefits from visitor spend
Colin Munro, Managing Director, Miconex
Ria Beeson, Business Development Manager, MiconexThe importance of being accessible
Richard Veal, Managing Director, Simpleview EuropePower in partnership: Unlocking success through co-op digital marketing
Antony Powell, Sales Director, Sojern
Dan Nikolopulos, Associate Sales Executive, SojernHow to achieve your location's economic potential by a place led approach
John Till, Director, ThinkingPlace -
15:25
Refreshments
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15:50
The Power of Place
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15:50
Place - The lever that drives investment
- Discover how Kent is putting place at the heart of their strategy to drive inward investment and attract businesses to the region
Simon Ryan Investment Director, Locate in Kent
Talent attraction for the WiN
- Discover how Norwich leveraged their place brand to promote themselves to prospective new residents with the Work in Norwich campaign
- Developing a narrative that leads with the best of your place, but is honest about who you are
- Lessons on navigating the intricacies of external funding - and seeking sustainable revenue streams
Isabel Johnson Head of Marketing, Norwich BID
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16:20
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16:40
When Hollywood comes calling: destination management under the spotlight in Wrexham
- How the success of Wrexham FC and the involvement of Hollywood royalty has come at the right time in the city’s development of its destination management strategy
- Managing the challenges and opportunities created
- Building on civic pride
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17:00
Summary
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17:10
Closing drinks reception hosted by Brand Finance
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This will be a unique opportunity to experience first-hand how the very identity of Sheffield has been shaped through built environment, culture and partnerships.
Led by the city’s Place Brand and Marketing Manager, Mark Mobbs and Wendy Ulyett, Marketing Manager for Visitor Economy, and with key city players sharing the project stories along the route, you will gain an understanding of the past, present and future of Sheffield and how public and private sector approaches co-exist to mutual benefit.
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09:30
Heart of the City - building culture and heritage as destinations.
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10:30
Future High Streets Fund – liveability, culture and events.
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11:20
Park Hill tour – mixed use housing, student accomm, office space and arts – plus future development.
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12:15
Buffet lunch at South St Kitchen
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13:15
Grey to Green, Pollen, waterways and Castlegate – a better, more sustainable urban environment.
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14:10
Housing and culture
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15:00
The continued expansion of Kelham Island
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15:45
West Bar and Legal & General - large scale investments by the private sector
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16:30
(Optional) beer at Hop Hideout in Kommune
Confirm cancellation
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Clare’s interest in the complex area of place branding was sparked whilst working on a series of Nation Branding Masterclass events, led by Simon Anholt, one of the first thought-leaders to speak about and promote the concept of place branding. Having listened to Simon address audiences in Accra, Delhi, Dubai, London and Singapore on how policy, governance, and symbolic actions need to combine with branding and marketing to create a competitive identity and drive economic growth, she continued to follow the growth in this sector. As Global Conference Director for The International Herald Tribune, now the New York Times, Clare also saw growth in advertising and storytelling around tourism and investment promotion strategy. Clare launched the first City Nation Place Global conference in London in 2015: CityNationPlace.com has been steadily building followers and in 2017, she launched the first City Nation Place Americas conference, in 2018 City Nation Place Asia Pacific took place in Singapore, and 2019 has seen the first City Nation Place UK, specifically for towns, cities and regions across the UK, and the launch of the first City Nation Place LatAm & Caribbean event. Clare manages the small team at City Nation Place alongside providing event consultancy and management for a number of clients in the publishing and trade association sector, including running the World Media Awards for the World Media Group and event consultancy for the UK Association for Online Publishers.
Martin studied law at the University of Sheffield. He had a career in the legal profession spanning more than 30 years, he was a partner at international law firms Nabarro and CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang LLP. He retired from practice in April 2018.
Martin works for AESSEAL plc, the Rotherham headquartered global manufacturing company specialising in the manufacture of mechanical seals and support systems. AESSEAL has reached a major environmental milestone by achieving net zero carbon emissions. The company was ranked by the Department of Education as the number one apprentice employer in the manufacturing and engineering sectors in the UK for 2022/23.
Martin is a former board member of the Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership and Transport for the North Partnership Board.
Martin presently holds a number of Board, NED and Trustee positions across the business, charity, education and voluntary sectors in Sheffield and South Yorkshire, including at Whirlow Hall Farm Trust, St Luke’s Hospice, The Herbert Hughes Memorial Trust and The Burton Street Foundation.
He is Chair of the Sheffield Property Association, the only formally constituted property association in the country outside of London.
Martin is also a Non-Executive Director of Sheffield Chamber of Commerce and Chair of the Northern Regional Assembly of the British Chambers of Commerce, which comprises the 16 Chambers of Commerce in the North of England.
Martin was the High Sheriff of South Yorkshire for 2021/22.
Kate Josephs CB joined Sheffield City Council as Chief Executive in January 2021, having spent 20 years in national government in the UK and United States.
Since arriving in Sheffield Kate has overseen the creation of an ambitious, outcome focussed one-year plan to guide the city’s recovery from COVID; initiated a wide-ranging programme of self-reflection and culture change in the Council; and partnered with the Joseph Rowntree Foundation to support an innovative project to reimagine Sheffield’s future, engaging a diverse range of citizens. Following the May 2021 elections, she has supported the city’s new Labour-Green Cooperative Executive administration to deliver on their shared priorities alongside preparing the ground for the shift to a committee system of council governance from May 2022. Kate is an active member of core cities taking a lead role on CCUK work on climate change and net zero, specifically the UK cities climate investment commission.
Kate’s career as a senior leader in the UK civil service included positions in HM Treasury; the Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit; and the Department for Education (DfE). Kate joined Sheffield from the Cabinet Office’s COVID 19 Taskforce where she was Director General; in June 2021 she was awarded Companion status, The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, in the Queen’s birthday honours in recognition of exemplary public service during her civil service career.
Kate also spent time living in Washington D.C. working for the US Federal Government during the Obama Administration, including as Executive Director of the White House Performance Improvement Council, working across US Government Agencies – on priorities from veterans’ affairs to STEM education – with a mission to advance and expand the practice of performance analytics and improvement.
Kate grew up and went to comprehensive school in Doncaster, was educated at Oxford University and the London School of Economics, and lives in Sheffield with her husband and two young children.
Sheona Southern is Managing Director of Marketing Manchester, the agency charged with promoting Greater Manchester on a national and international stage as a place to visit, invest, meet, and study. Her main aim is to raise the profile of Greater Manchester as a global city-region and position as Gateway to the north of England.
Marketing Manchester is the strategic lead for the visitor economy in Greater Manchester and includes Manchester Convention Bureau and Sport Bidding Unit whilst supporting the inward investment promotional agency, MIDAS on frontier sector marketing, and Greater Manchester’s Business Board on the city-region’s economic vision. It also provides a platform to promote Greater Manchester at major partnership events such as MIPIM, SXSW, as well as at overseas trade events in key markets such as the USA, China, GCC, and India.
Sheona works with local, national, and international partners to promote Greater Manchester including VisitBritain, Department for International Trade, Department for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport, other DMOs, and a strong network of private partners as well as Greater Manchester’s cultural and sporting brands.
Sheona sits on several boards including the Science and Industry Museum, the Manchester China Forum, Manchester India Partnership, the Greater Manchester’s International and Marketing Advisory Board, and Green City Partnership.
Over the last 25 years Sheona has worked in senior commercial and marketing roles across media, retail, tourism, and telecoms including the BBC and Marks & Spencer. Previously she served as a commissioned officer in the RAF in the UK and Germany.
Sarah was appointed CEO of NewcastleGateshead Initiative (NGI) in 2020. Sarah oversees all aspects of NGI, the destination and inward investment agency that delivers for Newcastle, Gateshead, and the wider region.
Prior to NGI, Sarah was the Director of Regions and Nations at CBI. She qualified as a lawyer with Clifford Chance working Hong Kong, London and Shanghai and has a MSc in Urban Regeneration and an MBA. Sarah is also currently completing a PhD scholarship at Durham University, studying the social impact of small businesses on the rural economy.
With a passion for improving the visitor economy, advocate for social mobility and enabler of economic growth in the North East, she sits on the Tourism Industry Council, is an Independent Advisory Board member at Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums (TWAM), a council member at the National Trust and a non-executive director at Ryder Architecture.
Sam is the Business Improvement District (BID) Chief Executive for Our Colchester BID and has overseen the organisation since its formation in 2018. Prior to this spending his career in leisure and hospitality sectors in the UK and Australia. Since taking on his role as Chief Executive at Colchester, Sam has overseen the development of innovative and forward-driven visions and strategy to elevate Colchester's position in East Anglia and further. Through the development of new City Centre brand, InColchester through to chairing Colchester Place Marketing Board, Colchester is placed for high levels of growth with the BID at the forefront ensuring a business-led vision.
Cristian is an award-winning strategic communications specialist and currently Assistant Director for Communications at Staffordshire County Council. In 2020 he launched the We Are Staffordshire place marketing partnership, shortlisted for City Nation Place international place brand of the year in 2022. Cristian leads the county council’s internal and external communications, reputation management and public affairs. Staffordshire won the prestigious Communications Team of the Year at the comms2point0 Unawards last year, which recognise the best in UK public sector comms.
A former newspaper reporter, Cristian has worked in local government communications for 16 years, including roles at Westminster, Richmond-upon-Thames, Harrow, Sutton and Stoke-on-Trent. A peer reviewer for the Local Government Association, he has also provided consultancy and interim support to unitary and district councils in the West Midlands.
Fiona is Senior Brand Marketing Manager within the Global Marketing team at VisitScotland, responsible for delivering global campaign activity including partnership collaborations.
With a strategic focus on inclusive and sustainable growth, the Global Marketing team use a data and insight-led approach to ensure Scotland is discoverable in key markets and in the channels visitors are using for travel inspiration, planning and booking.
Having worked at VisitScotland for 10 years, Fiona has held various roles giving her a rounded knowledge of both marketing and the tourism industry.
As founding Director of thinkingplace, John has directed the development of over 80 place brands over the last 16 years across the UK. He is active in promoting and implementing this best practice approach of creating a shared place story, widening place leadership and creating active collaboration as a key part of growing a place’s economy and promoting local pride. He has led projects for places as diverse as Hampshire, Nottingham, Torbay, Harrogate, North Cambridgeshire, Newhaven, Medway, Lancashire, Staffordshire, Harrogate, Perth and all three UK Cities of Culture.
John has also been working with places to help them develop their response to the Towns Deal, Future High Streets Fund, Levelling Up Funding and Shared Prosperity Fund and is a Mentor to the High Streets Task Force helping to support local authorities and communities to transform their places.
Claire Hamilton has over 27 years’ experience of working in the public sector; leading high performing teams and developing positive and productive partnerships to deliver complex regeneration initiatives. She is Chief Executive of Dacorum Borough Council which covers the towns of Hemel Hempstead, Berkhamsted and Tring, having joined the Council in October 2020. The Council is delivering an exciting transformation agenda – both internally and externally, and is currently focussing on Economic Growth and Inward Investment, Customer Services and Digital transformation, as well as Placeshaping to ensure that residents and local businesses and communities are supported and thrive.
Gavin’s primary role is one of place marketing through promotion of Glasgow’s regional technology startup/scaleup and innovation landscape to drive greater cohesion, awareness and investment activity.
A creative brand-building specialist with over 25 years of international marketing experience in private and public sectors, Gavin has worked with premium brands to build awareness, grow equity and increase profitability through leadership roles in drinks, media, arts, technology and government sectors.
Amanda Lumley is Chief Executive of Destination Plymouth. She has a wealth of experience in tourism from leading UK national attractions such as Chester Zoo and Leeds Castle, to regional tourism partnerships Visit Essex, Visit Kent and most recently Plymouth, Britain’s Ocean City where she was involved in the Mayflower 400 programme for over 9 years.
As well as being the voice of the city’s visitor economy, she leads on the city’s brand strategy, Visitor Plan, marketing and digital strategy, events, major development projects, public space and place making.
Amanda is Immediate Past President, a Director and a Fellow of the Tourism Management Institute, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing and Co-Chair of the Great South West Tourism Partnership.
Freddie leads our commercial and operational functions. He’s started Patch to increase access to opportunity for people based on who they are, not just where they live. With a background in startups, he’s excited about the potential for technology to bring people together.
Kazadi is an experienced economic development professional who has worked for boroughs and county councils across London, Essex and now Surrey. His current role focuses on taking forward economic programmes and priorities, ranging from innovation, business support, the skills agenda, and the localities and economic infrastructure programme.
Kazadi brings expertise to various challenges local authorities, BIDs, property developers, and small businesses face. In his spare time, he volunteers at his local club, teaching young people martial arts. Before beginning his career in local government, Kazadi was a professional kickboxer competing worldwide.
Paul is a chartered town planner with 35 years’ experience gained as a practitioner in both public and private sectors and established his own planning practice in Sheffield last year.
A founder and former Chair of Sheffield Civic Trust, Paul was elected as a Trustee at Civic Voice from 2015 until 2021 and served as Vice Chair, helping launch both the Civic Voice Design Awards and the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Civic Societies.
Paul is a member of the Sheffield Property Association (S-PA) and represents the S-PA both in its Shaping the City Priority Group and as a Trustee for the Sheffield Design Awards, which celebrate excellent buildings, places and public art in our great city.
With over 25 years’ experience in the Tourism, Travel, Tour Operator, Destination Marketing, Visitor Economy, Maritime and Charitable sectors in the UK and Europe with market leading organisations in both B2B & B2C areas
It all started in 1994 at Ripley Castle Estate near Harrogate as Marketing Coordinator for 2 years followed by 5-year tenure as Travel Trade Marketing Manager for Yorkshire Tourist Board in York.
P&O Ferries based in Hull was the next port of call commencing as B2B Marketing Manager for ex-UK business then developing to Destination Manager for the North Sea routes to The Netherlands and Belgium, then as On-Board Marketing Controller for all P&O Ferries routes in the UK.
A new challenge with Vaconsoleil, Europe’s leading mobile home and camping tour operator as UK Sales & Marketing Manager.
A directional change for 4 years at UKSA, the UK’s leading maritime training charity based in Cowes as Head of Sales & Marketing which led to a family move to the Isle of Wight.
His current position as Managing Director of Visit Isle of Wight, the island’s DMO has allowed him to put all his extensive skill set into play whilst marketing and promoting the UK’s leading Island Holiday Destination.
Steve heads up the Redcliffe & Temple Business Improvement District (BID) in Bristol, now in its 3rd year. The BID has a strong focus on sustainability and environmental initiatives and projects and working closely with city wide stakeholders to implement positive change. Steve previously managed the Broadmead Bristol BID and prior to that spent much of his career in senior roles in retail and consumer goods. The three city centre BIDs in Bristol are delivered by Visit West, the LVEP , enabling a powerful partnership that benefits, workers , visitors, and residents of Bristol.
Susan is an award winning professional and key member of the team behind Liverpool’s 2008 European Capital of Culture celebrations.
Susan is a place-making professional, developing and driving destination strategy, creativity and innovation, identifying untapped growth markets and securing global strategic brand partnerships to accelerate Liverpool’s destination positioning and economic growth through the visitor economy.
Formerly an events management professional, organising events for audiences up to 300,000, Susan has over 23 years’ experience working with over 200 high profile brands, global artists, musicians and athletes, forming successful commercial partnerships and generating over £8m for public sector.
In 2017, during an overseas visit to Sweden to secure the Tall Ships Regatta for the city’s 10 year European Capital of Culture Ceremony, Susan developed the relationship with the Grand Conseil du Vin de Bordeaux and French Government, securing Liverpool’s place as UK host of the Bordeaux Fete le Vin alongside sister cities of Bordeaux, Brussels, Quebec and Hong Kong.
This relationship has gone from strength to strength evolving into Taste Liverpool. Drink Bordeaux, profiling the venues and people behind the plates – and celebrating a sector revolution. This new model has been created to directly support the hard-hit hospitality sector in its post-pandemic recovery while supporting Bordeaux Wine Growers to tap into new markets, discover new trade opportunities and sustain & grow export of the world’s finest wine – Bordeaux.
Tapping into the growing trend of gastronomy tourism, Liverpool’s hospitality sector is now attracting the attention of visitors, investors and media – and with support from the public and private sector, Susan has worked to develop a sustainable model and strong foundations for future growth, spearheading Taste Liverpool. Drink Bordeaux in her position as Chair of the festival steering group. This new model is driven by the private sector, powered by the private sector and strategically and politically supported by the public sector – solid foundations to be built upon.
Susan is committed to ensuring Liverpool City Region is recognised as a UK gastronomic destination in the next five years, attracting new domestic and international visitors motivated by food tourism.
Following Liverpool’s successful Eurovision Song Contest Host City bid, Susan acts as Chair of the Eurovision Host City Visitor Experience Group, working hand-in-hand with the private sector to ensure that the visitor experience from the moment visitors arrive in the city, to the moment they leave is second to none.
Working with the hotels, venues, visitor attractions, transport operators, major gateways and tourism/estate stakeholders, Susan and her team will ensure visitors will be immersed in an experiential Eurovision city playground. Additionally, Susan and the team are strategically supporting the hospitality sector to recruit to the 2,000 + current vacancies in preparation for Eurovision and beyond, showcasing the sector as an attractive career choice.
The visitor economy makes up almost 50% of Liverpool’s economy (47% business rates) and therefore it is strategically, critically important to support this thriving sector, maximising the opportunity Eurovision and other major international events present.
Inward investment is a further opportunity Susan and her team work to unlock and capitalise to re-balance the economy, showcasing the city’s other competitive value propositions, highlighting Liverpool as a great place to work, live, visit and study.
- KEY ACHIEVEMENTS
- Deputy Event Manager for the Liverpool’s 2008 Capital of Culture Opening Ceremony
- Producing Liverpool’s first digital mapping projections celebrating the 100 Anniversary of the iconic Royal Liver Building attracting 60,000 visitors.
- Managing all areas of commercial activity for Culture Liverpool – the team behind Liverpool’s 2008 Capital of Culture Celebrations
- Head of Commercial & Marketing for Liverpool 2018 - 10 year anniversary celebrations since European Capital of Culture 2008
- Head of Commercial & Marketing for the city's largest, high profile events and festivals attracting over 4m visitor including Royal de Luxe Giant Spectacular 2014, Liverpool International Music Festival, Cunard's 175 Anniversary Celebrations 'The 3 Queens', River of Light - UNESCO world heritage waterfront fireworks and many other world class major events.
- Event and Commercial Manager for HUB Festival; UK’s Largest Free Action Sports and Music Festival (2007-2012)
- Chair, Eurovision Host City Visitor Experience Group
Joe leads on the Destination Management and tourism business support work for Wrexham County Borough Council. In the last decade Wrexham has become one of the fastest growing areas of Wales for visitor numbers and spend, with the award of a UNESCO World Heritage Site being followed by more recent place developments in 2022. These include the award of City Status, the international love-affair with Wrexham via the Disney+ “welcome to Wrexham” docuseries and the city being runners-up in the 2025 UK City of Culture competition.
Mark has a BA in Philosophy and MA in Film, and has worked on everything from film scripts to vineyards, and he’s even been a Ranger for the Department of Conservation in New Zealand.
His career in brand and communications has included some of the world’s most renowned agencies on award winning work across all sectors – from re-branding Legal & General to overhauling Warburtons.
Having worked agency side on creating a new brand for his home city in 2018, he jumped ship from agency to client side to drive Sheffield forwards and re-position the city in a way that will change perceptions.
In 2019 Sheffield was shortlisted as CNPs Place Brand of the Year, and was finalist for the Academy of Urbanism’s European City of the Year. In 2020 there was another shortlisting for CNP’s Campaign of the Year, and in 2021 Sheffield was declared the UK’s greenest city by a NatWest report.