Bill Blackledge, BA DipLA CMLI
Bill

Bill has been a Chartered Member of the Landscape Institute since 1988 and has a broad range of experience within both public and private sector. Public sector work has included community landscapes, housing, and public open space design. Private sector work has been for clients from local and government authorities, to private developers and utilities; including housing, retail developments, transport planning, transmission line routeing, reclamation, and landscape and environmental assessment. Since 1983, he has worked for: Leeds City Council; Hull City Council; and as a landscape architect and then a partner of a regional landscape practice. His interest in Sustainable Drainage and Green Infrastructure stems from a desire to see Landscape Architects adopt a vital functional role, to compliment the profession's aesthetic tradition.

He co-founded West Wolds Slow The Flow in 2020, which aims to reduce flooding in the West Wolds villages and surrounding areas using nature-based solutions.This involves working in partnership with local residents and businesses, landowners and farmers, parish and county councillors, and officers of the Flood Risk agencies: East Riding Flood Risk Management, Environment Agency, Yorkshire Water and the Ouse and Humber Internal Drainage Board. Bill also continues to have a long term involvement in The Humber Forest (formerly known as HEYwoods), part of the Northern Forest project

Bill has served on the Landscape Institute Yorkshire+Humber Branch as both Chair and Branch Rep to the LI Advisory Council. Having completed a term as Chair of the LI Professional Review Group for Leeds Metropolitan University's accredited landscape courses, Bill now serves as vice-chair of the LI's Technical Committee. He took a leading role in the production of LI visualisation guidance and remains involved in its updates.

Bill was rewarded and recognised for his significant contribution to Landscape Institute and the wider industry by winning the Landscape Institute's 'Volunteer of the Year' Award in November 2019.


Elizabeth Blackledge, BA(Hons) DipLA CMLI
Elizabeth

Elizabeth has been a Chartered Member of the Landscape Institute since 2012. Work experience with Kirklees Metropolitan Council included leisure, industrial and environmental improvement work. Whilst raising a family, Elizabeth completed some twenty varied garden design commissions. Since the inception of 2B Landscape Consultancy, she has been involved in the design and implementation of a range of landscape projects including hard and soft landscape design, specification and contract management. She has managed numerous landscape and visual impact assessments and tends to take the lead on garden, school and historic landscape design projects.

She has a community-focussed attitude, and volunteers extensively in her local area; including organising, designing, and editing the 'Village Link' newsletter in North Cave (where the 2B office is based). Elizabeth co-founded West Wolds Slow The Flow in 2020, which aims to reduce flooding in the West Wolds villages and surrounding areas using nature-based solutions.


Elizabeth served LI Yorkshire+Humber Branch from 2000 to 2010; from 2005 as Honorary Secretary and webmaster, and has recently taken on the role of LIYHB Honorary Secretary once again.

Amanda McDermott, BA(Hons) MLA CMLI
Amanda

Amanda has been a Chartered Member of the Landscape Institute since 2014. She is a creative, committed landscape architect with an organised and proactive approach. Her qualifications include architecture and landscape, and broad work experience includes landscape character and landscape and visual assessment (LVIA), as well as landscape design at all scales, from master planning to detail design.

She is based in Calderdale, where personal experience of flooding has enhanced her interest in climate action. Amanda is a founding trustee of Slow the Flow, a charity working to advance the education of the public in Natural Flood Management (NFM), Sustainable Drainage Systems and other renewable methods of managing the environment. Slow The Flow was awarded the Queens Award for Voluntary Service in 2021.

Amanda is a dedicated supporter of the Landscape Institute, including having served as a long standing elected member of LI Advisory Council in various roles, on Yorkshire+Humber Branch Committee, and the Landscape Journal editorial panel for 10 years.


Hannah Clark, BA(Hons) MLA PGDip
Hannah

Hannah started her journey with an undergraduate degree in Landscape Architecture at Leeds Beckett University in 2017, before joining 2B for her year in practice, and subsequent part time work as she continued her studies. She has recently completed her Masters degree in Landscape Architecture and has now joined the 2B team full time. Whilst at university, Hannah acted as Course Ambassador for Landscape and shared insights with many prospective landscape architecture students on open days and at UCAS fairs.

Following in the footsteps of her colleagues, Hannah helped to found North Lincolnshire Woodland Trust (NLWT) in December 2020, a community group which aims to plant more trees and create diverse habitats in her local area. Using her skills, she is helping to find opportunities to get local communities involved with planting trees and creating habitats; whether this be in schools, playing fields or smaller opportunity planting. She is actively involved with her close-knit community, including as a Girlguiding leader, and has recently acted as project manager on the installation of a new play park in her local area.

Hannah has been a student member of the Landscape Institute throughout her studies and is now continuing her journey with the LI by starting her Pathway to Chartership.



We are very grateful that you were able to give your time to contribute to what was a particularly successful and well-received ‘Away Day’. I found your presentation on the way multi-purpose green infrastructure can be realised, and your ideas about SUDS, particularly thought-provoking, and I know from the feedback I have received since that many others enjoyed it too.
Stephen
Interim Head of Planning, East Riding Council