Fingers crossed for Hillcrest Special School who are shortlisted in prestigious awards.

Excitement is building for this year’s LOVE Northumberland Awards – which celebrate everything that is great about community environmental work in the county –  and nowhere more so than at Hillcrest Special School in Cramlington where their Bungalow Garden Project has earned them a place on the shortlist.

The school had an area of outside space that was unloved and uncared for.  Working with Kirkley Hall and the Children’s Foundation the students created a garden space that staff, students, parents and other professional support staff can use and enjoy.  The students designed the project themselves and once completed they organised a traditional English Garden Party for guests to see their achievement in creating a community space.

The project included recycling pots and tyres into unusual planters, using of timber to create seats and incorporating different species of plants to encourage birds and insects as well as planting vegetables for use in the school kitchen.

 

Twenty-four organisations and individuals are shortlisted in seven award categories in what is the 10th year for  the LOVE Northumberland Awards.

 

Representatives of the shortlisted entries will attend a special event at the Alnwick Garden this Thursday, 5th September, where awards will be presented by Her Grace the Duchess of Northumberland.

 

Anna Foster from BBC Radio Newcastle will host the event.

 

Councillor Glen Sanderson, cabinet member for local services and the environment at Northumberland County Council said:  “These awards enable the council to highlight the fantastic work done by community groups, schools and individuals right across Northumberland each year.

 

“As always, we had many very high quality entries and shortlisting and judging were difficult jobs!

 

“I very much look forward to meeting representatives of all of the shortlisted entries, and to celebrating all of their great work and their successes with them.”

 

The groups and individuals shortlisted in the 2019 awards are:

 

Schools Go Smarter Sustainable Travel Award:

Mickley First School

Stannington First School

 

Best Children’s Project:

Eastlea Primary School (Cramlington) – Eastlea’s Recycling Superheroes

Scremerston First School  – gets to “The Point” about Beach Pollution

Warkworth C of E Primary School – Warkworth Primary Eco Club

Best Young People’s Project:

Cramlington Hillcrest Special School – The Bungalow Garden Project

Prudhoe High School – Prudhoe Proud Hill Project Group

 

Best Urban Project:

Friends of Ridley Park (Blyth) – Ridley Park Enhancement Project

Residents of Mains Place (Morpeth) – Mains Place

Tweedmouth Pickers – Community Litter Picks

 

Best Coast and Countryside Project:

British Divers Marine Life Rescue – BDMLR Northumberland Volunteers

Coast Care – (Northumberland) Coast Care Volunteers

Kielder Water Vole Partnership – Restoring Ratty

Sea Change (Berwick) – Plastic Free Berwick-upon-Tweed

Spetchells (Prudhoe) Conservation Interest Group – Spetchells Habitat Rescue

 

Best New Project:

Amble Men’s Shed

Friends of Eastwood Park (Prudhoe) – Miners Lamp Community Cafe and Hub

Heddon Branches – Victrix Tree Sculpture

Tyne Rivers Trust – My Tyne: Adopt a Stream

 

Outstanding Individual:

John Anderson

Tom Grimwood

Maria Holdsworth

Edward Milligan

Rayer Waddell