0114 273 4655
Care4Air Awards 2009 Winners
People across South Yorkshire who are switched on to the environmental agenda enjoyed a glitzy night out at the second annual Care4Air Awards. Over 80 guests were treated to a drinks reception and music from a classical string quartet, followed by a three-course formal dinner at Kenwood Hall, Sheffield.
34 nominees made the shortlist this year, across five award categories: Individual; Community; Education; Business; and Outstanding Contribution to Improving Air Quality. To ensure the night ran smoothly ITV weatherman, Jon Mitchell, made a guest appearance to compere the event and presented the awards to the winners.
If you know of someone, a school, a business or a community organisation that you'd like to put forward for a Care4Air Award in 2010, email [email protected] for details of how to nominate.
Individual Award
Winner: Fred Priestley
Fred Priestley, 90, danced away with the top award to celebrate his inspirational and committed use of public transport. For the past 16 years, Fred has travelled three times a week from his home in Stradbroke, Sheffield to Parklands Ballroom in Doncaster via bus, train and on foot, rather than using the car.
Runner-Up: Malcolm Camp
Malcolm Camp. Malcolm noticed how difficult it was to get to Sheffield's recycling spots without a car and decided to take action. He fitted a trailer onto the back of his bicycle and became 'the re-cyclist', collecting glass, plastic and paper. His scheme will hopefully be rolled out city-wide this year.
Highly Commended: Hayleigh Murray
Hayleigh Murray, 16, from Doncaster, for her outstanding campaigning against climate change. In February 2008, Hayleigh was appointed as one of Defra's nine regional champions for her passion for climate change, imagination, skills and teamwork. Since then she has been encouraging others to act, has since met Prime Minister Gordon Brown and has questioned some of the most powerful politicians during her year in post.
Shortlisted nominees
Jennifer Rich for her environmental audio-art walk 'Echoes of Blackburn Meadows'; and local teacher Steve Frith, who runs or walks the 10 mile round trip to school every day.
Community Award
Winner: Bikeability Barnsley
Bikeability Barnsley, for their week-long courses which train primary school children to cycle to school. Bikeability aim to get people out of cars and onto their bikes, thus reducing harmful vehicle emissions and keeping themselves and the environment healthy. Last year they visited 51 schools and trained almost 1000 children across Barnsley.
Runner-Up: Heeley City Farm
Heeley City Farm, for promoting and spearheading local environmental education, creating community green spaces, planting scores of trees and distributing over ten thousand low energy light bulbs to the community - all from their sustainable offices. Recently they opened the South Yorkshire Energy Centre in an eco-refurbished terraced house to demonstrate how people can get an old house to perform as efficiently as a new one and how to take a 'green view' of everything you do when building. A very close runner-up to Bikeability!
Highly Commended: Sheffield Community Transport
Sheffield Community Transport, for their longstanding development and operation of community bus and car-sharing schemes. Most recently, they have been working to produce electric hybrid low floor buses. The project, which started last year, will significantly reduce vehicle emissions and if the pilot is successful on the first two buses, the technology will be rolled out into more vehicles.
Shortlisted nominees
Recycle Bikes, Green City Action, Bikeability Barnsley, Heeley City Farm, Sheffield Community Transport, and BuggyFit.
Business Award
Winner: Chesterfield BioGas
Chesterfield BioGas, for their development of compressed biomethane - a fuel that has no negative effects on the environment. The fuel is suitable for running public service vehicles, coaches, taxis, passenger cars and even trains. Using this green alternative fuel there leads to dramatic reductions in CO2 emissions, Nitrous Oxide and dangerous particulate matter.
Runner-Up: Very PC
Very PC, for the company's extensive work to build energy efficient computers. Their Sheffield lab samples available parts from the computer industry to find the most energy efficient to include in their equipment. On average, their desktops emit 60% less CO2 than a standard computer.
Highly Commended: Heron Publications
Heron Publications, who have managed to get hundreds of people to travel by train in and out of Sheffield every week, leaving their cars at home. Back in 2006 their publication 'Dronfield Eye' began a campaign to get a better railway service for people living in the S18 district. Because the town's railway service amounted to nothing better than a skeleton service, most people travelled by car. The campaign went all the way to Westminster and the town now has its best rail service ever - 238 trains per year and in excess of 1,700 people now using the trains every week.
Shortlisted nominees
Cadbury Trebor Bassett, L&TA Office Furniture, We Can Clean It, Bio UK Fuels Limited, Bag It Don't Bin It, A4e, Bramall Construction Limited and Pedal Ready.
Education Award
Winner: Brinsworth Comprehensive School
Brinsworth Comprehensive School in Rotherham. They recently fitted solar panels to their buildings, and have been monitoring diffusion tubes and analysing air quality data. Brinsworth Comprehensive recently hosted a Carbon Challenge Roadshow where students audited the school's energy usage and developed ideas on how to cut emissions. The school also built a 'biozone' where they study wildlife so they do not need to transport students around the area on bus to visit such areas.
Runner-Up: Waterthorpe Nursery Infant School
Waterthorpe Nursery Infant School, Sheffield, for their continued committed effort and enthusiasm to encourage their pupils and staff to travel to and from school in a more active and sustainable way. By participating in the Council's 'Walk Once a Week' scheme, encouraging car sharing amongst the staff, using public transport on school trips, participating in cycling events, consulting with the local community and actively promoting their school travel plan they have seen a dramatic increase in the number of pupils walking to school rather than using the car.
Highly Commended: Wellgate Primary School
Wellgate Primary School, Barnsley, for fitting solar panels to the roof of its buildings, setting up an extensive recycling scheme and working hard to get 62% of their pupils walking to school - well above the national average of 54%. They recently completed a new School Travel Plan, aiming to improve the quality of journey for those who walk to school, improving road safety and raising awareness of the environmental impact car journeys create.
Shortlisted nominees
Barnsley Academy, Fir Vale School, Athersley North Primary School, Canklow Woods Primary School, Dobcroft Infant School, Brunswick Community Primary School, Lower Meadow Primary School, Totley Primary School, Emmanuel Junior School, Firs Hill & St Catherine's School.
Outstanding Contribution to Improving Air Quality
Neil Parry
The most prestigious award of the evening went to Neil Parry, Project Co-ordinator from the East End Quality of Life Initiative. Neil was chosen for his dedicated work monitoring air quality, a task he first began in Tinsley 11 years ago. He is credited with pioneering community air quality testing across the whole city.
Mark Daly, Care4Air spokesperson, said: “Neil's commitment to air quality issues is second to none. His work has not only been of benefit in Sheffield, but across the whole of South Yorkshire. People like Neil Parry and Fred Priestley are an inspiration. It was a wonderful evening and I am thrilled that we have been able to give all the winners the recognition they deserve for their contribution towards improving local air quality.”
Jon Mitchell, ITV weatherman, added: “These awards reward people for going that extra mile. People in South Yorkshire can be proud of what they are doing to improve air quality.”
Congratulations to all winners and nominees for all your hard work to improve air quality. Comments about the event included:
‘We really enjoyed the event, the boys were especially delighted at having a 3-course meal and being waited on! They were glad to see Jon Mitchell and felt really excited about being involved in such a lovely evening.’ Fir Vale School
‘This was a very enjoyable evening for all the guests in my party. The highlight was being awarded Runner Up in the Education Award.’ Waterthorpe School
‘Very well organised event, beautiful live music, good presentation by ITV weatherman, and very heart warming food and just enough of it!’ Malcolm Camp, The Re-Cyclists
To view photos from the 2009 Awards, visit our gallery.
Care4Air Awards - Sponsor Biographies
Groundwork Sheffield
Groundwork Sheffield develop practical and lasting partnerships that support the sustainable development of Sheffield's environment. Our purpose is 'to build sustainable communities in areas of need through joint environmental action.'
To make Sheffield greener, we are committed to the following areas of activity: Improving Green Space; Revitalising Waterways; Engaging Young People; Promoting Green Business. Visit www.groundwork-sheffield.org.uk for more information.
The University of Sheffield
The University of Sheffield is one of the UK's Russell Group universities with a global reputation for teaching and research. We are a research-led university with 24,000 students from over 120 countries. “Energy and Environment” is a key research theme for our academics - our researchers are successfully pushing forward understanding of the key environmental issues facing our planet. Visit www.sheffield.ac.uk for more information.