waste less. live more
We inspire and help people to waste less and live more sustainably.
News
‘Dig Deep To Help Us Grow’ wins national sustainability award at 5th Future Friendly Awards
4 October 2011
A community group from Middlesborough has beaten off stiff competition from around the country to win the national Community Award at the 5th Future Friendly Awards.‘Dig Deep To Help Us Grow’ was awarded the prize of a £10,000 bursary to help them develop their innovative scheme to support Teesside Hospice through sales of donated organically grown fruit and vegetables in its local charity shops. The award ceremony took place at the London Wetland Centre on Tuesday, 27 September 2011 and the winners were announced by TV presenter and green mum, Gabby Logan.
The Future Friendly Awards are a nationwide search for community groups and individuals who are making a real difference through championing sustainability. This year’s Awards saw hundreds of entries, from community groups to eco heroes young and old - all shining examples of the inspiring work being done to help protect the environment.
‘Dig Deep To Help Us Grow’ was one of 12 community groups from across the UK and Ireland to have been shortlisted via a public vote. A panel of sustainability experts - including representatives from Waste Watch, the Energy Saving Trust, and Waterwise selected the national winner from the area finalists, resulting in the Middlesborough community group being crowned the ultimate Community Award winner.
For the first time, the Awards recognised Big and Little Heroes, aged over and under 18 respectively, for their environmental efforts. A schoolgirl from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire won the Little Hero accolade. Emily Bosworth, aged 13, was awarded the prize of a £1,000 eco family holiday in recognition of her environmental efforts. Emily is so environmentally aware that she puts the rest of her family to shame. She goes through the black and recycling bins and sorts them and is forever turning taps off. Emily not only helps the environment but also helps her parents save money through her sustainable efforts.
Sarah Elsy, a primary school teacher from Chorley in Lancashire was awarded the Big Hero accolade in recognition of her efforts to drive environmental projects and activities throughout the whole school where she works. She leads the Eco Committee and Gardening Club at St Bede’s Primary School in after-school activities and has supported the children in gaining the prestigious Green Flag Eco-School Award. She has also inspired pupils to get involved in national initiatives such as elm tree replanting and annual bird spotting schemes. The children grow their own vegetables at school and these are used in the school kitchen to make soups for all the children to see the results of their labours.
Irwin Lee, Vice President and Managing Director of Procter & Gamble UK, said: “Many congratulations to this year’s winners and to all our area finalists for being such worthy contenders. Your passion for promoting sustainability in your communities is an inspiration to all of us. The Future Friendly programme started here in the UK and now stretches to Europe, Canada and the US. So far we’ve reached 50 million households who’ve been able to conserve resources, and we’re expanding each year.”
TV presenter, Gabby Logan said: “It’s a real honour to be involved in this year’s Future Friendly Awards; it has been truly inspiring to hear all our finalists’ stories. Although they come from different walks of life and parts of the country, they all share a remarkable passion to help protect the environment – now and for future generations. It just goes to show what you can achieve when you take sustainable action, even in small, everyday ways.”
