Thread by @BHPComms

The speakers have arrived, stall holders are set up, and we’re nearly ready to talk air quality! Don’t forget to use #CleanAir4All if you’re at our event tonight @WMAir_UoB @SustransWMids

Visitors are starting to make their way round our stands - thanks for bringing your reusable mugs! Great to see so many arriving on public transport too 👍 #CleanAir4All

A warm welcome to #CleanAir4All from Lawrence Tallon, Director of Strategy at @uhbtrust and clean air advocate

Professor of Atmospheric Science @LES_UniBham Bill Bloss explains what we’re hoping to achieve tonight at #CleanAir4All @WMAir_UoB

Tonight’s #CleanAir4All event has been organised by @cllrbartington of @unibirmingham and @Know_HG of @uhbtrust - here Suzanne is building up to a great event

We are underway! Without getting political, @LawrenceTallon is setting the scene by showing that the environment is the issue that’s grown most in terms of importance to voters since the last #GeneralElection19 #CleanAir4All

.@Know_HG kicks off the first session at #CleanAir4All with an interactive voting session for our opinions on air quality - opening with a test question to check our clickers are working 💃🏻

Thought-provoking session from @Know_HG on our knowledge of air pollution but also what we’re personally to avoid or reduce it #CleanAir4All

“Three strikes and you’re absolutely out!” - Professor Bill Bloss kicks off with the history of air pollution legislation from Edward I to London’s “pea soup” #CleanAir4All @WMAir_UoB

A fascinating overview of air pollution from Bill as he takes us through levels of pollution and emissions over the last half-century, which particles are actually posing a danger to health, and where they’re coming from #CleanAir4All @WMAir_UoB

Now Bill looks to the future including Clean Air Zones and the Environment Bill - but reminds us that even electric vehicles produce emissions in motion, from their tyres to braking 🚗 #CleanAir4All @WMAir_UoB

.@cllrbartington’s session focuses on the health impact of air pollution, and she shares that her interest in this area began as a medical student suffering the effects of poor air quality #CleanAir4All

Risk of stroke. Chronic lung disease. Risk of heart attack. Asthma. Dementia. The risks of air pollution are stark and, shockingly, pollutants are now being found in the placenta, affecting us before we are born. #CleanAir4All @cllrbartington

Next speaker is @PHentsch who’s explaining what @uhbtrust are doing about air pollution: “we have a responsibility not to just treat ill health, but to prevent illness in the first place” #CleanAir4All

As an employee of 22,000 people, @uhbtrust recognises that it is a significant contributor to air pollution through travel, equipment and drugs - so we’re thinking seriously about how to do things differently, says @PHentsch #CleanAir4All

Changing behaviours, maintaining green spaces, car sharing schemes - some of the measures we can implement to show leadership as a Trust. But, “this is only the beginning”, says @PHentsch #CleanAir4All

Employer*!

Finally from @PHentsch, a great initiative from our partners at @BWC_NHS thanking their staff and visitors for making a difference and giving that little bit of extra encouragement
#CleanAir4All

The facts about air pollution and its impact on people in Birmingham and the Midlands - we’ve been joined by @sandra_clean of @lunguk who are fighting for #CleanAir4All

“We need to protect the vulnerable - children, the elderly and those with lung conditions - and establishing clean air zones is the quickest way to do this. But fundamentally we need to reduce the amount of traffic and encourage active travel” - @sandra_clean at #CleanAir4All

A last minute addition to the #CleanAir4All event - @qehbham patient Bridget is sharing her experience of #COPD. Her illness was caused by heavy smoking, but despite quitting she still suffers due to air pollution - especially from idling vehicles #BrumBreathes

The panel discussion is now open and a question from @SustransWMids - how can we educate people without scaring people, particularly children? @cllrbartington suggests communicating risk with local stats and learning from other public health campaigns e.g smoking #CleanAir4All

Next Q - is legislation the most important thing here? Bill @WMAir_UoB suggests co-ordination between local and national govt is critical. @sandra_clean adds that a clean air zone consultation by @BhamCityCouncil garnered a huge response but many were against it #CleanAir4All

.@PHentsch adds that simply telling people they can’t do something doesn’t work. Engagement has to come before legislation as although everyone in this room is concerned about #CleanAir4All, not everyone out there takes an interest yet

Q from @NHSEngland patient representative - what one thing should we all do to help? @cllrbartington cautions that everyone’s behaviour is different to begin with and we shouldn’t frighten people, so educating about *possible* actions is key #CleanAir4All

Q - can we monitor air quality in real-time as we do with the weather? Bill suggests it’s perfectly possible and apps and websites do exist - but it’s often hidden away. We’re working on it! #CleanAir4All @WMAir_UoB

Next Qs focus on whether motorists are protected from the fumes they produce which impact cyclists (they aren’t!) and what research has been done about indoor air quality. Bill explains there are no standards for workplace air quality 😬 #CleanAir4All

Final question concerns dissemination of information - @PHentsch suggests we’re only reaching the already engaged right now, and so we will go wider. @sandra_clean agrees and says we all need to be advocates for #CleanAir4All

As the first #CleanAir4All event draws to a close all that remains is to thank our organisers, presenters, exhibitors and visitors 👏👏👏
@Know_HG @cllrbartington @LawrenceTallon @PHentsch @WMAir_UoB @sandra_clean @SustransWMids @lunguk @uhbtrust @qehbham