Day three at RWM for Lee and Jenny following an incredibly busy day yesterday. As you can imagine, the feet and voice are getting a bit worn now. We've been getting round to our supporters and investigating how we can develop our links with them and tap their expertise for our members. This is a dialogue we will be looking at over the autumn and in the run-up to conference as we seek ways to up our links between and with supporters and members. LARAC members were in greatest evidence yesterday and today and it has been great to catch up and there have been some great interactions on the stand between our supporters and our members - the location has turned out to be a really productive meeting place. Andrew Bird, the LARAC Chair took part oin the TEEP panel debate yesterday which resulted in many visits to the stand afterwards by people wanting to pick his brains and Lee has been 'tackling the controversial questions that need answering if we are to get circular' in a session with the RWM Ambassadors today. Vice Chair, Durk Reyner and Comms Officer, Joanna Dixon have also been taking part in panel debates on how much money waste can generate for councils and Education and Encouragement. As I write Lee is off again to an address by Dan Rogerson, DEFRA Minister who wasn't going to address this gathering personally and had sent a recorded interview to be screened. It's only right that he saw fit to change his mind and get out to meet the foot soldiers of this industry in person. The expertise which is gathered here is awe-inspiring and requires respect. Respect was something we were all urged to show Eric Pickles yesterday, when it came to the Q&A session after his address. The audience for his address was an impressive cross section of the waste sector profession and the searching questions asked of the minister by some of our industry leaders were something that might have demanded thoughtful and respectful responses. It was a real pity that the stock answers received really did not give an indication of the sorely needed open and creative dialogue necessary between government and local authorities which is essential if we are to meet our increasing commitments in ever more financially challenging times - and which is so much more in evidence in the devolved governments. Something for those of us in England to lament.
It's 3.30 on the final day now, and we are still receiving visitors- definitely our busiest show ever! Our stand is opposite Zero Waste Scotland, and I can see conversations going on between them and representatives from the Welsh Government. I wonder what UK we will wake up to tomorrow? One this is for certain, we will be back here next year welcoming our members and supporters.
