We are delighted to introduce Lottie, our new Project Assistant at Pembrokeshire Coastal Forum. Lottie brings a wealth of experience and a passion for sustainability. She will be supporting the Marine Energy Engagement Plan (MEEP) project, working to engage and educate local communities about marine renewable energy.

Here, she shares her journey from fashion textiles to environmental advocacy, and how she’s excited to contribute to meaningful work

I’m Lottie and I’ve recently joined Pembrokeshire Coastal Forum as a Project Assistant, supporting on the Marine Energy Engagement Plan (MEEP) project.

Having grown up in Pembrokeshire, I’ve been lucky enough to spend a lot of my time in, on, and near the sea – being reminded of our connection with nature, and the impact we have on it. This inspired my desire to protect the coast and encourage others to make decisions that reduce their impact on the environment.

After much debate between pursuing a STEM or arts subject at university, I followed my creative passion and went on to study a BA in Fashion Textiles in Bristol, specialising in knitwear. Here I focussed on making clothing out of waste yarn with projects inspired by my coastal upbringing and connection to the environment.

Upon moving back to Pembrokeshire I was fortunate enough to land a job working on textile based circular economy projects within the outdoor adventure industry. Previously torn between jobs that excited me in the city and the coastal way of life in Pembrokeshire, this role opened my eyes to being able to do work that I enjoy, in a place that I love.

This was when I was first introduced to PCF through their Pembrokeshire Marine Code and the Pembrokeshire Outdoor Charter Group work. This introduction opened my eyes to the breadth of projects happening in Pembrokeshire to create thriving and sustainable communities and economies whilst protecting the environment.

My time spent working on circular economy projects left me wanting to learn more about climate change, and how we can mitigate its effects. So, I applied for an MSc in Sustainability and Adaptation at The Centre for Alternative Technology, which I continue to study alongside my new role.

Behaviour change for sustainability was immediately a topic of interest for me during my MSc. It became clear that I wanted my future work to be people based, ideally working with communities to build resilience to climate change. When the Project Assistant role at PCF was advertised, it felt like the perfect opportunity to work for a company that shares my values.

I will mainly be supporting on the MEEP (fun to say out loud) project, where I’ll be working to engage and educate local communities about the exciting opportunities, and benefits, that marine renewable energy can bring to Pembrokeshire. The project aims to develop a comprehensive communication toolkit to better connect with communities about marine renewable energy.

We will also be holding a series of workshops and events as part of the MEEP project, with the next event, ‘Marine Energy Awareness Day‘ being held at Ocean Square in Saundersfoot on Monday the 29th of July from 11am-3pm.

Welcome to the team, Lottie!