YHREF (Yorkshire and Humber Regional Environment Forum) have launched their new website which has been created in partnership with Yorkshire Futures, the Regional Intelligence Network for Yorkshire and Humber.

YHREF was formed in 2001 and is a unique partnership providing independent expertise to represent shared environmental concerns in Yorkshire and the Humber.

The new online presence maintains the community aspects of the original website with news, events and policy advice whilst further establishing YHREF within a growing network of regional intelligence and research.

Clare Johnson, Director of Yorkshire Futures:

"It’s been great to work in partnership with YHREF to develop the first of our new micro sites. In the forthcoming months, Yorkshire Futures will be acting as a hub for a range of new regional micro sites. We are always looking to develop new ways to deliver research and information; working in close partnership with other key information providers is a really good way to do this.”

The new site has been designed to support the objectives of the region's largest environmental partnership and act as an online presence for environmental organisations looking to work collaboratively in the region. It is the value of this regional partnership approach that has drawn the support of key NGOs including CPRE and RSPB.

Gill Stride, Regional Policy Officer for CPRE:

“CPRE Yorkshire & Humber has been pleased to support YHREF since the very start. It provides us with a crucial link to the region's decision-making bodies, and strengthens the voice of the environmental organisations in the region.”

Lucy Bjorck of RSPB is keen to stress the role of the website in relation to regional monitoring:

“The RSPB is proud to be working with the YHREF, which is a powerful force in driving up the environmental performance of the Region. RSPB believes that nature is amazing and we aim to keep it that way by working with the YHREF to champion an approach which increases the environment’s capacity to support society.”

Key features of the new website include:

• Advocacy priorities and related projects - showing how actions are supporting shared environmental objectives.
• YHREF and the Integrated Regional Strategy – responses to each phase as well as specific guidance relating to 'environmental limits'.
• The integrated regional calendar – a shared network resource and prime spot for promoting conferences, workshops and seminars.
• Relevant and regularly updated news, research and discussion.

YHREF is just a partnership and the website is just code, pictures and content; but as Simon Bowens, YHREF chair identifies, a transparent convergence of aspirations and activities is key to achieving shared goals:

“The Yorkshire and Humber region needs to be at the forefront in tackling the greatest environmental threats faced by mankind - climate change and biodiversity loss. YHREF provides the focal point for a wide range of organisations to come together to provide innovative solutions to these problems and a united voice for the environmental and social movements.”

The new YHREF website is now online at www.yhref.org.uk

ENDS
Note to Editors:

1. YHREF is a partnership organisation, driven by a committed and involved membership of regional bodies, local authorities and NGOs. Our purpose is to develop a shared environmental agenda for the Region and a coordinated voice to promote and lobby on environmental issues across the region
2. YHREF worked in partnership with Yorkshire Futures (www.yorkshirefutures.com) and Futurate (www.futurate.com) a Sheffield based digital agency to produce the website during 2009.
3. For more information, please contact Sonia Mullineux, Development Manager, YHREF at sonia@yhref.org.uk