Creator, Clean Air for Kids Ltd
I am an accidental, and unexpectedly passionate, advocate for better indoor air quality in our public spaces. After four years of on-the-ground action in classrooms, I've established the not-for-profit company, Clean Air for Kids Ltd. Its purpose is to advocate for better air quality in the city's schools; it began in Bristol but has subsequently widened its reach across the UK. Improving air quality will help to protect children’s health, improve attendance and benefit academic achievement. It is affiliated with aerosol science at The University of Bristol through Dr Allen Haddrell. Previous to this experience, I was a features writer, who created copy for magazines, websites and charities.
Small Particles, Big Consequences. A personal journey to protect children's health through breathing better air
I studied English Literature. I care about semi-colons and write words for a living. How did someone like me end up becoming obsessed with invisible aerosols and air quality? Clean Air for Kids didn’t start life in a chemistry research project; it began with a simple, unsettling realisation: the air in schools where children spend their day was far worse than most people realised. With densely-packed, poorly ventilated classrooms, it’s where they are most likely to pick up sickness.
But it doesn’t have to be.
With political leadership, we could transform the lives of schoolchildren, their teachers, and their families.
Four years ago it was me and a DIY air filter trying to improve one classroom; now it has grown into an all-consuming push for policy change. This talk shares the unexpected journey of a non-scientist stepping into the world of particles, ventilation and filtration because children’s health needs protecting.
