Category: Staff

  • 5 years of Afallen

    5 years of Afallen

    As we have reached the milestone of 5 years at Afallen we wanted to reflect on our journey so far and what you can continue to expect from us in the future.

    We are so grateful for the past five years—a meaningful chapter where we’ve woven sustainability and the Well-being of Future Generations Act into the fabric of everything we do.

    As we step into the next five, our mission remains steadfast: to anchor work, skills, profit, and people in Wales. We look forward to collaborating with even more communities, and connecting with remarkable individuals and organisations that make our mission come to life.

    One of our partners, David Clubb, reflected on our journey:

    “Five years ago, when we were planning the future of Afallen, I don’t think any of us had a clear view of how the organisation would look at this point. All we knew is that we wanted to keep money and skills in Wales, to work on sustainability projects, and help organisations that were wrestling with the challenge of implementing the Well-being of Future Generations goals and ways of working.

    I’m really proud of how we’ve stuck true to those initial values. They are still relevant for us today, and we have them in mind for all our projects and all our engagements with stakeholders.

    In a tiny way, Wales is richer, more skilled and hopefully more sustainable than if we hadn’t started Afallen. In the future I’d like to see us delivering even bigger impacts for all the people and organisations we touch.”

    We are grateful to have celebrated our 5th anniversary surrounded by cherished friends, family, collaborators, and kindred spirits. From all of us at Afallen, thanks for an amazing 5 years.

  • Afallen welcomes new Partner to accelerate growth in energy sector

    Afallen welcomes new Partner to accelerate growth in energy sector

    Afallen has expanded its partnership to include renewable energy and offshore development consultancy Venn Associates.  

    The appointment is part of Afallen’s continuing growth strategy. Venn Associates is the first new Partner since the company was founded in 2018.

    Commenting on the appointment, Joseph Kidd, founder of Venn Associates said:

    “I am delighted Venn Associates has joined forces with the Afallen team after working with them on a number of sustainability and renewable energy projects over recent years. I am looking forward to being part of a forward thinking team, focussed on helping Wales deliver its net zero ambitions and maximising value for Wales.”

    Joseph will join the three existing Partners, Mari Arthur, David Clubb and Peter Trott to strengthen Wales’ leading sustainability partnership. Joseph brings a wealth of project development and project management experience, as well as significant expertise in the offshore renewables sector in Wales. 

    The addition of Venn Associates will also expand Afallen’s network of associates and presence across Wales.  Afallen works across Wales with a team of associates leading in their own sectors, keeping profits local and helping to keep skilled people working on projects in Wales. 

    Peter Trott feels Venn Associates will add value to existing clients and projects especially work on decarbonisation:

    “Afallen aims to keep work, skills and profit in Wales and to help to grow stronger economies across all regions. We have gone from strength to strength over the last three years and expanding to include a new Partner will mean even more opportunities for Wales.” 

    Mari Arthur added:

    “Having a new partner join us from a new and exciting sector feels like a real boost for Afallen. We look for global best practice and innovation to strengthen what we do in Wales and Venn brings a range of national and international contacts and experience to strengthen our team and our work; helping us develop new ways of making Wales even more sustainable.”

  • Introducing Nikira

    This guest post is by Nikira Bowen, Graduate Intern. We gratefully acknowledge the support provided by Welsh Government and Swansea University in enabling this placement.

    Hello, my name is Nikira and I’m the newest member of the team at Afallen. I’m originally from Mumbles on the Gower Peninsula. Growing up, I spent most of my time outdoors – usually at the beach – and since then not much has changed. My hobbies include reading, sea-swimming, and baking, and I love spending time with my friends and family.

    I hold a BSc in Physical Earth Science from Swansea University, graduating in 2019. This had a strong focus on geology, palaeontology, climate change, ecosystems, and natural hazards. My undergraduate dissertation involved using satellite imagery to predict volcanic eruptions, using Wolf Volcano in the Galapagos as an example. It was during my undergraduate degree that I became passionate about climate change, and the decision to study for a master’s degree in Environmental Dynamics and Climate Change was an easy one. It involved studying the science behind climate change, climate policies across the globe, and the environmental consequences of climate change such as wildfires and sea level rise. My studies have taken me far and wide, from geological mapping on the Isle of Aran in Scotland to studying karst landscapes and plant adaptations in Mallorca, and studying landslides and biodiversity in Sikkim in the Indian Himalayas.

    Facts about me:

    • I single-handedly built the empire state building*
    • I drink a LOT of tea (exclusively earl grey)
    • I’m a big fan of RuPaul’s Drag Race
    • I’m excited to be part of Afallen!

    *out of Lego, not to scale.