Environment Awards

The following projects were rewarded with North Norfolk District Council Environment Awards in 2008:

John Sweeney Award

Holt Hall - Roots and Shoots
An overgrown victorian walled garden has been revitalised into a vibrant space used to grow organic vegetables for the field study centre's kitchen and teaching horticultural skills to a wide range of young people from schools across North Norfolk.  The presentation of an old Norfolk variety apple tree was made to the project on the 3rd March 2009 by Councillor Anthea Sweeney, widow of the late Councillor John Sweeney, after who the award is named.

Schools

Fakenham High School Team Eco
Inspired after hearing about global development and environmental issues, Team Eco was formed to brainstorm ideas on how to improve key aspects of the school's environmental performance.  The group has built up an environmental ethos across the school and had drawn up an impressive action plan that has helped to reduce waste through recycling, saved energy through awareness raising and has begun to see a reduction in car use between sites.

Community
The joint winners of this category were:

Sheringham Health Centre Physic Garden
The garden was designed and constructed by Sheringham in Bloom, using railway sleepers for raised beds. Mulched with gravel the beds are planted with scented medicinal plants, linking the garden with the purpose of the health centre. It is accessible for everyone to enjoy the sight and smell of the plants which have been selected for relatively low maintenance.

Top Common Dewpond, Sheringham
The common used to be grazed and featured a natural dewpond that has gradually become overgrown. The ambitious plan to reinstate the pond has been a success, providing valuable freshwater habitat for birds and amphibians.

Green Build
Joint winners of this category were:

Sedum House
This is an exciting family home which utilises new technologies to provide a spacious yet economically heated indoor environment. The contours of the site have been used to provide earth insulation on the north side of the property, and a glazed south facing frontage ensures maximum passive solar gain. A ground source heat pump, sedum roof and rainwater harvesting system are among the other environmental features present.

Salthouse Heritage Orchard
The orchard makes an important contribution to the conservation of old varieties of apples and pears. A straw bale barn has been built to house the apple processing plant; this building demonstrates the use of a locally sourced material with low embodied energy, along with reclaimed timber which was used in the structural components. It will also help to keep the apples at a steady and cool temperature thanks to its insulating properties. Rainwater is also collected from the roof and used to water the young fruit trees.

Business

Broads by Bike
Cycle hire businesses got together to compile a leaflet that draws together the different cycle routes in the Broads area, highlighting points of interest on the way. This will encourage people to cycle on safer routes, making use of existing minor roads and tracks and avoiding major roads.