On Monday (28th March) the winners of the inaugural Stars of Sustainability Awards were announced. The awards celebrate the achievements of young people learning and working for a sustainable future. The applications were judged by an eminent panel from Society for the Environment, The Environmentalist Magazine, The EAUC (The Environmental Association of Universities and Colleges) and CHANGE AGENTS and with thanks to sponsors The Pera Foundation.
Nearly 100 sustainability professionals from across the UK gathered at University of Leicester to find out who had won the awards. Guests were treated to fruit smoothies made from cycle powered blenders, organic food and Fairtrade organic drinks with entertainment provided by a cycle powered Scalextric track!
The NUS picked up the Sustainability Partner of the Year Award for their work on the Degrees Cooler project which has engaged 20 universities across the country with over 15% of all students in participating halls signed up as Eco-Power Rangers, and average energy savings of over 9.3% to date. Over 10,000 staff in over 250 departments are taking part and helping universities to lead by example and making the more sustainable option the easy and desirable option. Milton Keynes Council, LowC Communities and Norfolk County Council were Highly Commended for their sustainability projects in 2011 with 'the environmentalist' supporting this award.
David Dowson Environmental Officer at Worcestershire Mental Health NHS won the Star of Sustainability Award. His sustainable energy and waste projects have saved over £80,000 in just 9 months! Sam Jones, Business and Environment Project Officer at Peterborough environment City Trust, Justin Twardowski, Environmental Resources Officer at Luton Borough Council and Alice Mitchell, Climate Change Technical Officer at Peterborough City Council were also highly commended. The Midlands Co-operative Society were on board to endorse this award.
In the education sector a competitive line up was headed by Amy Butterworth-Fernandes for her work with Rutland County Council improving the county’s Eco-Schools standings from almost zero engagement when the project started to being in the top 10 councils in the country within 12 months. Helen Cutts, Sustainability Officer at Wigan & Leigh College, Jesse Scharf, Greener Living Assistant at Roehampton University and Tobie Roffey, Communications and Events Coordinator at University of Leicester, were highly commended. The Environmental Association for Universities and Colleges affiliated this award.
The first Sustainability Legend Award went to Sheridan Chilvers, Sheridan has just finished working for the Energy Saving Trust (EST) on the Green Communities Programme with projects ranging from a walking bus scheme to a thermal imaging pilot. Sheridan works, lives, sleeps, eats and breathes sustainability! He is actively involved in Nottingham’s local community and has responsibilities within Transition Nottingham, Ecoworks (social enterprise), Nottingham Civic Society and Urban Nature (conservation group). Sheridan developed his student food project ‘Food 4 Thought’ which has received international coverage including featuring on MTV; discussed with Prince Charles and promoted at a Climate Change conference in Slovakia. Sheridan now mentors new British Council Climate Champions in developing environmental projects. A real life Sustainability Legend! The Society for the Environment were delighted to sponsor this award.
David Murray, CEO of The Green Party, Katie Sutton, Environmental Officer at Kirklees Council and Magdalena Golebiewska, Sustainability Officer at Luton & Dunstable Hospital were highly commended.
If you would like to be involved in the Stars of Sustainability 2012 please contact Karl Egan on 01572 725844 or e-mail