Waste Watch

Vote in the Future Friendly Awards

The finalists of the Future Friendly Awards have been announced. It is the third year of the awards which recognise families and communities who are making a real difference by championing sustainability.

This year sees a new award: the Future Friendly Family Award, recognising families who have gone from small steps to giant leaps in the name of sustainability, and by doing so, have encouraged others to do the same.

Waste Watch's Sam Jarvis helped select the finalists, but now you get to choose the winners. You can watch a short film about each of them and vote for your favourite at www.futurefriendly.co.uk

Voting is open until midnight on Wednesday 31 March 2010. The family that receives the most votes win a home eco-makeover worth £10,000 and the Community project will win a bursary of £10,000 to support and develop their project further.

The Family Award finalists are:

• Mrs Elspeth Baird and Family, North Berwick
  Keen to prove that older people are interested in climate change, Elspeth and family made sustainable improvements to their home, and inspiring their local community to join in practical and sustainable activities.
• Mr Danny Kelleher and Family, Brecon
  For the past 35 years, Danny and his family have produced their own meat, fruit and vegetables. Danny's family run a small bed and breakfast, giving them the chance to influence people concerning sustainable lifestyle choices.
• Mr Keith Dowell and Family, York
  Keith and his family live on a small holding and have even started inspiring the community to follow their example - including an energy eco week which they held on their small holding.
• David Lindsley and Family, Northampton
  David and his family are passionate about sustainability, making a plan on how they could all be more eco-friendly which is now in full swing, including growing and sharing their own vegetables within the family and wider community.
• Judith McDermid and Family, West Lothian
  Judith and her family have, for over 14 years, been taking small steps to lighten their impact on the environment, and now work with a local children's nursery to inspire generations to come.

The Community Award finalists are:

• The CAIA Park Environmental Group, Wrexham
  Passionate about sustainable travel, they run a bike project, taking in unwanted bicycles, refurbish them and send them back out into the community free of charge.
• The Community Connections Project, Bridgend (pictured)
  Volunteers collect donated furniture, household goods and clothes and deliver them, free to poor, needy and disadvantaged people in the community of Bridgend.
• Bishop Challoner Catholic College, Birmingham
  Staff and students inspired others in their community to be sustainable, including working with local businesses to plan a greenhouse made entirely out of recycled plastic bottles.
• 1st Clanfield Scout Group, Hampshire
  Rebuilding their headquarters, this Scout Group strive to lead by example, ensuring that the building uses sustainable materials and methods throughout.

The Awards are a partnership between household brands and sustainability experts the Energy Saving Trust, Waterwise and Waste Watch.