History
2001-2006
The UK Local Authority School Travel Forum (UKLAST) was formed in 2001/2 before the Travel To School Initiative to connect authorities linked to practices in school travel.
Following the announcement of the TTSI in 2004, UKLAST membership grew rapidly and the forum began to deliver services to its members including an AGM, national awards and a best practice sharing website.
2007-2011
In 2007, UKLAST changed its name to Modeshift and the next year Modeshift was granted access by Transport for London to deliver a national version of the STAR accreditation scheme. Membership during this time increased to a new high of 74 Local Authorities including several partner organisations.
Towards the end of the TTSI, many authorities lost their School Travel Advisor post and as a result Modeshift struggled to sustain high levels of membership. in 2011, Modeshift submitted a funding application as part of the Local Sustainable Transport Fund, and on this occasion was not successful.
In 2011, the Modeshift board decided to undergo a full restructure and took a new approach to increase membership numbers.
2012-2016
At the beginning of 2012, Modeshift had grown from a management board of six to ten members. The board presented a new membership offer to authorities and partnering organisations, including a refurbished website, regional meetings and a free conference. Membership numbers increased to a new high of 86 authorities in a space of six months.
In that same year, Modeshift and secured a grant of 9.5k from Awards for All to revamp the National STAR accreditation scheme and make it an online sysem. Modeshift then re-launched the scheme as STARS to authorities outside of London.
In 2013, the Modeshift board expanded to 12 members, and the organisation began to draft a strategy that would steer its future direction.
in 2014, Modeshift launched its strategy and announced that the organisation would expand and ecompass new audiences inlcuding commuters and communities. In the same year, Modeshift applied to the Department for Transport to run the Prime Ministers school travel awards. At the 2014 AGM in Birmingham, Baroness Kramer announced that the DfT had awarded Modeshift 184k to run the National School Travel Awards through is STARS scheme. Part of the grant meant that for the first in its history Modeshift could employ a member of staff to run the STARS scheme.
In 2015 Modeshift launched its new STARSfor system for workplaces with plans to create a new rating scheme in 2017. The management board team grew to 13 members and Modeshift were able to recruit a STARS officer as part of a successful Access Fund bid with Living Streets.
2016 to present
In 2016 Modeshift created a new brand for its STARSfor rating scheme, and continued to expand the scheme to more Local Authorities. The first National School Travel Awards school of the year award presentation took place at the Portcullis House in Westminster and the scheme expanded to over 750 schools.
In 2017, the STARSfor rating scheme was fully launched and began to expand to authorities and organisations accross England
2017 also saw Modeshift launch CPD accredited training – with 5 courses accredited by the spring of 2019
2020-2022
As we all faced the tragic and challenging consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic, Modeshift continued to offer services to its members and STARS users. Modeshift STARS would become one scheme, uniting its Educaton, Business and Communities scheme in a new system. We achieved our highest ever member numbers (108 LAs of 152) and retained all of our partner and supporters. In 2022, Modeshift made the acquisition of ACT-Travelwise
2023-present
Our work continues to unite sustainable practitioners across the country under our banner ‘Team Modeshift’. Our membership base continues to expand and in November 2023 we delivered our largest ever convention to just to shy of 300 delegates. Our STARS programme goes from strength to strength aas we look to create new schemes like STARS NHS and STARS Events and Venues.
Former members of the management board
2003-2005
Catherine Rawas. Chair of UKLAST
2005-2006
Nick Ellis. Chair of UKLAST
Toni Angelico. Treasurer of UKLAST
2005-2007
Beth Cruft. Vice Chair of UKLAST 2005-2006 and Chair 2006-2007
2005-2007
Dave Sharpington. Website engineer
Richard Clarke. Admin.
George Callaghan. Board member
2007-2008
Kevin Speakman. Administrator
2006-2009
Helena Jeremy. Member of board 2006-2007 and Vice chair 2007-2009
2007-2011
Emma Sheridan. Chair of Modeshift
Maddie Foley. Training officer 2007-2008 and Vice chair 2009-2011
2011-2013
Tyler Linton – London representative.
2012-2014
Jo Brooksbank. SE and EE rep
2010-2014
Lindsey Coates. Administrator
2007-2015
Nick Butler. NE rep 2007-2011 and Vice chair 2011-2015
2009-2016
Sarah Fay, NE, Y&H rep
2008-2015
Jane Deeley. SW rep.
2013-2015
Katie Telkman. Education officer.
2013-2017
Patrick Donnelly, London rep
2015-2017
Dominique Humbert, workplace and communities officer.
2017-2018
Michael Kitchen, London rep
2015-2018
Janine McCretton – SW rep
2012-2019
Steve Glazebrook – NW rep 2012-2015 & Vice-chair 2015-2019
2015-2021
Jen Holden – NW rep
2017-2021
Kat Harrison – NEYH rep
2013-2021
Sarah Grattage – Vice-chair 2013-2019 & STARS Education Rep 2019-2021
2012-2022
Polly Stebbens – SE Exec.
2021-2022
Ben Stokes – NEYH Exec
2018-2022
Aimee-Claire Eyermann – SW Exec
2012-2023
Nicky Batkin. Various roles – Admin, Communications and Best Practice
2014-2023
Denise Adolphe – Communications and Marketing Exec
2018-2023
David Shannon – London Exec
2022 -2023
Ian Skinner – Strategy and Planning Exec
