Who We Are

Andrew Gray - MSc Integrated Environmental Management - Dip Hort
Director

Andrew Gray is a Director of ERA²¹ Ltd.  He is an eco-entrepreneur with a wide range of skills and experience in the European grant funding field, environmental management, regeneration stakeholder engagement and training staff.  He is a Prince II practitioner and an associated member of the Institute of Environmental Management and Auditing (IEMA).

Andrew has worked in Zimbabwe and South Africa and since 1992 has been based in the Brecon Beacons National Park, South Wales, UK.  He works in Wales, England and across Europe.

Track Record:

• Secured over £27million of grant funding for projects ranging from sustainable transport, business environmental improvements, countryside and access, community development, brownfield regeneration, and urban and industrial regeneration.  This includes sources from ERDF, ESF, EAGGF, Interreg IIIB, Inerreg IIIC and Interreg IVB.
• Project managed numerous local and transnational grant-funded projects, including acting on behalf of the Lead Partner for 3 Interreg projects.
• Pioneered and developed a new environmental standard for Welsh Businesses - The Green Dragon Environmental Standard.
• Developed long distance cycleway, the Taff Trail, and input into Sustrans research for the Welsh National Cycleways Network.
• Initiated and organized the first major business and environment conference in Wales , including the launch of the Carbon Trust Wales, in 2001.
• Wrote as joint author the Draft Business and Environment Strategy, commissioned by the Welsh Assembly and the Welsh Development Agency.
• Championed the concept of placing sustainable principles at the core of the Torfaen Regeneration Strategy.
• Initiated and developed Welsh directories on recycling, water saving devices and environmental grants and services.
• Developed and hosted a variety of environmental workshops and training courses for businesses.
• Undertook numerous environmental impact assessments for a major electricity utility.

 

Claire Gray - PGCE  (FE)
Director

Claire Gray is a Director and Company Secretary of ERA²¹Ltd.  Her expertise lies in environmental education, stakeholder engagement, project and finance management, and training staff.  She is a Prince II practitioner, a qualified teacher in Further Education, and skilled in graphic design and production of publications.  Claire previously worked as a qualified nurse and also as a landscape designer in Zimbabwe and South Africa. Since 1992 she has been based in the Brecon Beacons National Park, South Wales, UK, when she moved into environmental education and project management.  She works in Wales, England and across Europe.

Track Record:

• Assisted in project management of numerous local and transnational grant-funded projects, including acting on behalf of the Lead Partner for 3 Interreg projects.
• Author of Stakeholder Engagement Toolkit for Transnational Partnership - REVIT.
• Pioneered the evaluation of 15 Further Education colleges undertaking research and training to assess how environmental education is included in the curricula in all subject areas.
• Managed the Mountainside Nursery Project on behalf of 4 prominent partnership organizations in   Brecon  Beacons  National Park, including finance management of Heritage Lottery and European Social Fund grants, which funded the project.
• Finance Manager for the European Regional Development Funded Beacons Bus Project.
• Provided training through community workshops, staff training and INSET courses for teachers.
• Technical Advisor and Designer for Community Environmental/Landscaping Projects.
• Designer of the logo for the Green Dragon Environmental Standard.