Earthmovers Awards

These awards are presented at Conference each year to acknowledge the diversity of contributions that people from across the local groups network make to Friends of the Earth.

Nominations are made by local group members and staff, and a prize of £250 is awarded to each local group who wins, or has a member who does.

2008 winners

Once again, we had an excellent field of nominations for all categories and the judges (two Board members and one local group member), had a difficult job picking out the winners.

Many thanks to those of you who took the time to write nominations. And congratulations to all those nominated! Here are details of the winners:

Successful Solutions
To recognise a group who have developed and implemented a solution that benefits the environment and people.

South Bedfordshire Friends of the Earth
The group campaigned for a local housing development to be made a national leader for sustainable transport, to provide better transport links and information for local people, and encourage local shopping.

The group consulted residents associations, community and voluntary groups, and local retailers, to understand local needs before developing their solution. They then negotiated with decision makers, using a variety of campaigning tools from diplomacy and engagement through to more targeted action.

In the end, a £7 million deal was agreed, including:

• a high frequency bus service
• secure cycle parking
• a green cycle-way and walk from the estate to the town centre.

Crucially, the group is now part of the steering group for the plans, and will play a significant role in their successful implementation.

Communicating powerfully
To recognise a group who have communicated powerfully to achieve benefits for the environment and people.

Southwark Friends of the Earth
Responding to the claim that environmental concerns were a white middle class issue, the Southwark group launched an outreach project called ‘Homes Going Green in SE15’, targeted towards Peckham's diverse inner city community.

Designed to appeal to people from a variety of ethnic, socio-economic and faith backgrounds, the project consisted of a five month course of interactive workshops on greener living, emphasising easy, practical, local solutions, and saving money.

Run 'for residents, by residents' the course translated complex global and national environmental issues into locally relevant concerns. Engaging and empowering attendees to make changes to their own lifestyles, the course also inspired them to join together as a force to exert change on decision makers and the wider community.

Of those who signed up, forty percent were non-white British, with thirty percent becoming activists. Southwark have now been asked to produce a package to enable others to replicate this extremely successful project.

Commitment to Friends of the Earth
To recognise an individual or group who over time have given a great deal to further Friends of the Earth’s work.

Keith Kondakor, Nuneaton & District Friends of the Earth
Keith has become regionally and nationally known as one of the most committed and experienced waste campaigners in the network.

Over the past few years, his campaign victories have included exposing the lack of public involvement in Warwickshire County Council’s waste strategy process (which has had wide-reaching positive impacts on the transparency of County strategies nationwide), the abandonment of several incinerator proposals, and numerous successful Freedom of Information requests.

His campaigning is supported by detailed research and continual press coverage, most notably an appearance on the BBC Politics Show. Keith has also shared his expertise, carrying out frequent skill-shares with, and offering his support to, UK WIN and the Leicester, Coventry, Shrewsbury, Telford and Gloucestershire local groups. He has also been instrumental in setting up and supporting the Nuneaton and Bedworth Rail Users Group, who are campaigning for an improved local train service.

Group of the Year
To recognise a group committed to its own development and sustainability through effectively harnessing its potential.

Darlington Friends of the Earth (and especially Kendra Ullyart)
In early 2007, new Co-ordinator, Kendra Ullyart, decided it was time to boost the struggling group’s membership and local profile.

With a grant from the Local Group Support Fund, the group booked monthly stalls at the Farmers Market to secure new members and engage the public in their two priority campaigns – the Big Ask and a Shop Local guide to Darlington.

The success has been immense:

• core group membership has risen to over 30
• the Shop Local directory has been distributed widely
• over 50 people attended a screening of An Inconvenient Truth and panel discussion. This resulted in a Councillor pledging to show the film to the whole Council
• they are running a successful waste campaign to increase local recycling rates
• building a greenhouse out of plastic bottles resulted in widespread promotion in the media of the Darlington Green Fair.

Campaign of the Year
To recognise a group who have run an outstanding campaign that benefits the environment and people.

New Forest Friends of the Earth
The group’s Carbon Footprint project aims to increase awareness of climate change issues, and encourage residents in the New Forest National Park to take eight steps to reduce their energy consumption.

Launched in 2007 after the group successfully applied for a grant from the New Forest National Park Sustainable Development Fund, the project originally focused on the village of Brockenhurst. However, it very quickly spread across the whole National Park, primarily because of the group’s innovative ideas for getting people involved.

This included:

• a launch event with Charlie Dimmock
• a series of talks by different climate change experts
• a new website and information leaflets
• three low carbon fairs
• the setting up of an advisory group of micro-energy experts
• dvd showings

The group has also worked hard to build crucial links with other local organisations, including the National Park Authority, District Council, Tourist Board, Christian Aid, and several churches and schools.