About CREST@UCS
The Centre for Research into Environmental Science and Technology is a partnership between University of Chester, Reaseheath College and University of Birmingham. It was set up to develop and increase the productivity of businesses in the area, specifically those that want to focus on their environmental credentials.
An investment of almost £1.2 million from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and almost £800,000 from the University of Chester led to the development of the centre. It focuses on innovation and R&D support for the Marches’ SMEs, with the aim of addressing the Marches’ productivity challenges.
The centre works with SMEs and start-ups in Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin. Support is provided through research and specialist advice, helping SMEs to develop innovative ideas and products before bringing them to market.
Delivery partners
ERDF Funded Project: Environmental Science Business Research Centre 36R17P01462
Industry Advisory Panel
CREST is supported by an Industry Advisory Panel who provide recommendations, independent advice, information and direction to the project. The panel consists of experts from all areas of industry including environmental, manufacturing, consultancy, energy, and the council. More information about individual members of the panel is provided below.
Anne Wheeler
Chair
Anne was the Chair of the Severn Rivers Trust from January 2019 until March 2022, and was the Defra appointed Chair of the English Severn and Wye Regional Flood and Coastal Committee from April 2012 to June 2018.
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Anne has a degree and PhD in Environmental Science and was a principal lecturer in Geography and Environmental Science at the University of Wolverhampton. Anne was also Director of Learning Innovation and Professional Practice at Aston University. She is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
Neil Dady
IAP Member
Neil is a founding director of EVORA EDGE and has over 25 years’ experience in building services engineering and has worked in the contracting, services and consultancy sectors with experience at DTZ amongst others.
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He has numerous qualifications and expertise in building services systems, low carbon consultant and energy management
Matthew Farmer
IAP Member
Matthew is currently employed by Shropshire Council as Environmental Resources and Public Health Manager.
Hannah Fraser
IAP Member
Hannah is an Environmental Consultant working from Shrewsbury, Shropshire and providing professional, independent advice in contaminated land and hydrogeology.
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Hannah first began work as an environmental consultant after completing an MSc in 1996, and has worked across a broad range of projects both nationally and internationally. She has worked as a hydrogeologist for several companies, rising to Technical Director and then Director level before starting her own consultancy in 2011. She now employs a small team of groundwater specialists working across the UK.
Hannah’s experience includes contaminated land assessment and remediation, human health and environmental risk assessment, mining and quarrying hydrogeology, and groundwater resource assessment and development.
Richard Grindle
IAP Member
Richard joined the Shropshire Wildlife Trust in November 2020 as Chief Executive Officer. This follows six years with London Wildlife Trust, and before that various overseas NGOs.
Jon Haycox
IAP Member
Jon works at the Environment Agency in the Flood Model Data Improvement Programme.
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Jon completed an MSc Geographic Data Science at the University of Liverpool in 2017 which nurtured his GIS, spatial analysis and statistics skills. He has a numerate degree with an academic background in a wide range of environmental and earth science areas.
Jon is Chair of the Shrewsbury Geospatial Group, a networking forum initiated by CREST to bring together academia, and the private and public sectors. The group opens opportunities for innovation and collaboration using geospatial data and raises the profile of geospatial businesses in the Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin areas.
Mike Morris
IAP Member
Mike has over 16 years’ experience working in biodiversity restoration for NGOs, local government and private business.
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Guy Pluckwell
IAP Member
Guy received an MSc Honours degree in Environmental Science and Geology from Oxford Brookes University.
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His current role involves working with a broad range of partners and local stakeholder to develop and enable the delivery of multi beneficial water environment projects in the upper part of the Severn Basin. Guy is currently involved in many different projects working alongside with many different partners.
Examples of projects that Guy has been involved in include:
- Love Your River Telford – through hard work and a creative and innovative approach, Guy has oversaw the development of this successful award winning multi partner project creating a model for addressing urban water quality now replicated across the UK and beyond.
- REAction – Guy co-created this rural water environment project which has helped create a focus on a previously neglected catchment.
- Severn Valley Water Management Scheme – Guy has now joined this project to help deliver multi beneficial improvements on a large scale across the upper Severn catchment
Matt Potts
IAP Member
Matt is Business Growth and Investment Services Manager for Shropshire Council, heading up Invest in Shropshire.
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Richard Sheehan
IAP Member
Richard is the Chief Executive Officer of Shropshire Chamber of Commerce, heading up a team of passionate individuals who are totally committed to supporting the Shropshire Business Community and developing economic growth.
Mandy Stoker
IAP Member
Mandy is the founding director of E4environment (est. 1999), an environmental consultancy specialising in, sustainable practices in business, waste management and renewable energy for both private and public sector clients.
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The company strives to make environmental performance and sustainable practices accessible to a wide audience. She developed Wasteconnect (the first site search for recyclables), Green Achiever (a green scheme for businesses) and more recently with her team, won a sustainable growth award, at the Sustainability West Midlands annual conference, for “Kanopi“, a platform to help large organisations to work with their suppliers and customers to achieve a common goal.
She recently completed her PhD studying soil biology and the benefits of cover crops.
Mark Thompson
IAP Member
Mark stands at the forefront of one of the fastest moving technology industry trends: Battery Specialised Products & Renewable Energy particularly Battery Energy Storage Systems.
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He’s spent the past five years passionately advocating a commercial/ industry-wide shift to energy storage.
The Faraday Battery Challenge (FBC), UK Government funded research and innovation programme, appointed Mark to its advisory group in July 2021.
Andy Whyle
IAP Member
Andy is Chair of IEMA’s Circular Economy Network and Sustainability Consultant for S-AW;
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Andy’s objective is to encourage environmental best practice; demonstrating to businesses, academia and policy makers that environmental impact reduction and commercial benefits are synonymous with sustainability, being widely achievable through collaboration.