Environment Awards

The presentation of the 2011 awards took place at the NNDC Greenbuild event at Felbrigg Hall. The awards were introduced by Councillor Helen Eales, Leader of the Council, and presented by other Councillors, who also judged the awards. Category winners won a £250 prize and a plaque recognising their success; runners-up received a fruit tree from the East of England Apples and Orchards Project. Both winners and runners-up were presented with a certificate. Below is a summary of the entrants and winners in each category.

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Reducing Carbon Emissions

Winner: Drury’s Yard, Southrepps, “Biomass-fuelled heating of a housing development”

12 new-build social houses on this site are supplied all their heating and hot water needs by underground pipe-work from a central biomass boiler. Additional private homes are due to be added to the system by the developer over the coming months. The scheme is innovative in that it is managed and run by the developer in partnership with the housing association and provides an excellent model that could be replicated elsewhere. Early feedback from residents has been positive, and the scheme hopes to ensure protection against rising fuel costs through a fixed monthly payment. The estimated total project reduction in carbon dioxide emissions is 135 tonnes per annum.

Runner-up: Holt Community Centre “Low carbon retrofit of a community centre by installation of solar panels and insulation”

Part of an ongoing improvement plan for Holt Community Centre, this scheme has seen fitting of 22 photovoltaic panels and installation of cavity wall installation. Both these were the result of energy consultant advice and were undertaken by Norfolk contractors. The electrical generation has already been significant and the combined effects are estimated to reduce the overall carbon footprint of the centre (25 tonnes of Carbon dioxide per year) by 14%: 2.1 tonnes from the cavity wall insulation and 1.4 tonnes from the electricity generation from the panels. The project has been promoted to the public including a display showing real-time generation from the panels. Although the initial outlay was significant, the project will enable the centre to break even in the short term, while increasing the comfort of the centre’s users.

Runner-up: Truly Local, Stalham “A Community Interest Company and high street shop sourcing only locally-grown and produced food”

This not for profit enterprise has been set up by the organisers of Stalham and North Walsham farmers markets to provide a regular outlet for small and medium sized local producers within a 35 mile radius, thus reducing food miles and carbon emissions. As it only needs to cover running costs rather than make a profit a bigger return to suppliers can be made whilst still providing good value to customers. The shop ensures traceability of when, how and who produced the food and drinks, as well as the plants, art, crafts and related items that are also stocked. A ‘Goodie Box’ scheme for holiday cottages has proved highly popular and allows visitors to enjoy a local taste of Norfolk, and the shop has also forged links with Stalham High school in designing a ‘Bio Bag’.

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Raising Environmental Awareness

Winner: Mundesley Junior School “Food glorious food: project to promote local food”

Building on previous successes in educating school children about food in the school’s garden and greenhouse, forty Year 5 pupils have been using different ways to find out about local food. This has involved making comparisons with food from around the world, considering food miles and other issues. A local butcher visited the school for the children to get a hands-on chance at making sausages, and pupils also visited a local farm. A variety of local shops have also giving the children a ‘behind the scenes’ perspective, and a local pub was involved in a competition allowing the school’s children to design a meal for its menu. Having decided that local food is great the children have worked to promote it in several ways including posters, advertisements, a report published in local newspapers, and even a radio show broadcast on the local radio station!

Runner-up: Kelling Primary School “Garden and environmental education area project”

Removal of an old mobile classroom made room for developing a garden area, with help from Holt Hall’s Roots and Shoots Project. The whole school community has been involved in the development of plans for a vegetable garden with raised beds and an environmental area. Parents and the local community donated old tools and also gave time to construct the site. A wormery was also purchased to recycle food and cardboard waste. The children’s enthusiasm for this project is evident, with stories of how they have taken the ideas home to grow and improve their own gardens. The area, now transformed to a vibrant garden along with a wildlife pond, is used as a learning tool as well as providing ingredients for cookery classes!

Runner-up: Southrepps Commons Trust “Local area wildlife survey”

This well established Trust has demonstrated its ability to sustain a large area of linked sites around Lower Southrepps. As part of its activities, after a workshop run by Norfolk Wildlife Trust, they undertook to monitor local wildlife in a way that would promote local awareness as well as contributing scientifically useful data. By making the survey as accessible as possible just a very few, easily recognised species were selected to encourage participation by non-experts: swifts, swallows and house martins were the birds, brimstone, peacock and speckled wood the butterflies, plus one mammal, the hedgehog. The report form was adapted by the group to be comprehensive and is used to update online records so that everyone can see the information. Publicity has been key in local newspapers and the parish magazine as well as information points on the common, with forms available from the local pub and post office. The school has also distributed forms after a school assembly talk by the Trust’s Education Officer.

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Improving Natural Spaces

Winner: Plumstead Village Pond “Pond Rejuvenation and Creation of a Wild Flower Meadow”

The pond at the heart of this village had become overgrown with willow so an extensive renovation project was initiated. Following the renovation, wildlife has returned whilst the surrounding area has been planted with native shrubs and an adjoining field has been transformed to a vibrant wildflower meadow. The range of habitats for wildlife has increased and interesting dragonflies in particular have been spotted. The pond predates 1797 and was enlarged in the mid 1800s. Two old items were found during the silt removal including a horseshoe! The project has been well catalogued with some amazing ‘before and after’ photos. The parish council carried out the work with the help of grants in order to provide a haven for wildlife that local people could enjoy, with sturdy rustic wooden benches and mown pathways and areas for picnics.

Runner Up: Catfield Sandholes “Community Challenge – revamping and clearing a local amenity space”

This project involved the local school and Parish Council to set up a community challenge to restore a site in the heart of the village. The group cleared rank vegetation, put up bird and bat boxes and planted native trees and wildflower bulbs. Antique metal gates provide interesting features at each end of a path leading through the site, with established trees throughout. The group uncovered different features as they went and have plans to continue the work to reinstate ponds and hope to discourage dumping of garden waste. Despite limited resources, and problems with local drainage causing damage to the new entrance, the effort of a few volunteers has seen significant improvement that hopefully can continue into the future.

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The John Sweeney Award

This year, the John Sweeney Award offered up to £1000 to organisations in the district who were seeking funding to carry out new environmentally-themed projects. The entrants are judged and funding awarded to the entrants with the most potential for making positive environmental change.

Joint Winner: Truly Local, Stalham “Proposal for business website”

This Community Interest Company, which also entered into the ‘Reducing Carbon Emissions’ category, has thrived since opening at the heart of Stalham town centre, despite competition from larger retail chains nearby. The shop provides a regular outlet for small and medium sized producers within a 35-mile radius, thus reducing food miles and carbon emissions. A focus on quality, fresh local produce and friendly service has already gained the store a steady stream of regular customers. However the store has plans to widen its reach, while spreading its message of sustainability and support of the local economy. Central to this is a plan to set up a website, at first helping to publicise the many local suppliers who provide for the store, and eventually including a web-based ordering service for more isolated customers. It is hoped that the prize money from the John Sweeney award will help this business spread its message and will encourage the model to be replicated elsewhere.

Joint Winner: Western Terrace Allotments, Sheringham “Proposal to install mains water to site”

This long-standing allotment land, in the heart of Sheringham, has been in use by local residents for growing food for over 100 years. With many dedicated tenants and an organised Allotments Association, the plots provide a source of locally produced food for allotment holders, helping reduce food miles and carbon emissions. However, with no source of water on site, and rainwater collection insufficient to cover the whole site’s needs, productivity of the allotments is limited leading to many tenants bringing water by vehicle to the site. Therefore the Association has proposed to install a water supply to the site, and has been in discussions with Anglian Water and local firms to achieve this. As a not-for-profit organisation, raising the funds for this has proved difficult and so the Association propose to use funds from the John Sweeney award to help the allotment users to achieve their goal.