Yorkshire Post Environment Awards shortlist: Businesses demonstrate renewable support for those vital green issues

BUSINESSES from across Yorkshire have once again demonstrated their commitment to environmental issues by agreeing to sponsor the Yorkshire Post Environment Awards.

Now entering their third year, the 2011 awards received a record number of entries from businesses, individuals, schools and community groups from around the region.

Our expert panel of judges has whittled down the 127 entries to a shortlist of the very best in each category. The winners will be announced at a special awards evening at The Queens Hotel in Leeds on Thursday, May 19.

The awards night will once again be hosted by the Sheffield-educated television presenter Julia Bradbury, well known for fronting the BBC show Countryfile, while this year’s guest speaker will be Caroline Spelman, the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

The awards shortlist for 2011 was revealed on Saturday and includes some of the region’s best-known firms as well as social enterprises and small-scale community projects.

The Best Environmental Business Award will be a battle between Arla Foods, NG Bailey and Sheffield Forgemasters.

The award for Innovation, sponsored by Science City York, will be contested by Sheffield-based Chesterfield Biogas, working to inject bio-methane into the national gas grid; GWE Biogas, which has opened a large anaerobic digestion plant at Driffield; and Loadhog.

Nominees for the Manufacturer of the Best Green Product, sponsored by Banks Renewables, include Geo Robson and Co., which has designed a new type of eco-friendly conveyor belt. It will be up against bed manufacturer Harrison Spinks, which has bought its own wool farm to increase its use of local materials; and Instant Barrage Company.

The award for Built Environment Projects over £1m, sponsored by Grant Thornton, will be contested by Citu for its pioneering Greenhouse development in Leeds; Interserve, for the Ripon Flood Defence Scheme; and the brand new Sheffield City College.

Nominees for projects under £1m, sponsored by Logistik, also include Interserve, this time for creating wetlands at Fishlake. It will be up against Skipton firm Eagerlux, for its restoration of the town’s historic High Corn Mill, and NG Bailey, for its innovative water pumping stations.

Nominees for the Countryside Award, sponsored by Northern Gas Networks, are Forest of Bradford; the Raydale Project; the Yorkshire Dry Stone Walling Guild; and Yorkshire Water.

The Young People’s Award, sponsored by Asda, will this year be contested by three local schools – Croxby Primary in Cottingham; Deighton Gates Primary in Wetherby; and Ravenscliffe High School and Sports College in Halifax.

Nominees for the Community Award, sponsored by Yorkshire Water, are Doncaster Refurnish, which employs disadvantaged people to collect and re-sell bulky household waste; Friends of St Nicholas Fields, who have transformed a wasteland in York into a thriving nature reserve; and the Whirlow Farm Trust, a sustainable farm-based education charity near Sheffield.

The Climate Change Award, sponsored by InterfaceFLOR, will be contested by Arla; the Huddersfield-based building firm Green Building Store; and NG Bailey, for their respective efforts to reduce carbon emissions.

The Yorkshire Post Green Champion for 2011 will be announced on the night.

Tickets for the awards dinner are on sale from the Yorkshire Post – contact the editor’s secretary, Debbie Richmond, on 0113 238 8432 for details.

Best Environmental Business:

• Arla Foods

• NG Bailey

• Sheffield Forgemasters

Manufacturer of the Best Green Product:

• Geo Robson & Co. (Conveyors)

• Harrison Spinks

• Instant Barrage Company

Young People’s Award:

• Croxby Primary School

• Deighton Gates Primary School

• Ravenscliffe High School and Sports College

Innovation Award:

• Chesterfield BioGas

• GWE Biogas

• Loadhog

Community Award:

• Doncaster Refurnish

• Friends of St Nicholas Fields

• Whirlow Hall Farm Trust

Built Environment over £1m:

• Citu – Greenhouse

• Interserve – Ripon Fld Defence

• Sheffield City College

Built Environment under £1m:

• Eagerlux – High Corn Mill

• Interserve – Fishlake wetlands

• NG Bailey – pumping stations

Countryside Award:

• Forest of Bradford

• Raydale Project

• Yorkshire Dry Stone Walling Guild

• Yorkshire Water

Climate Change Award:

• Arla Foods

• Green Building Store

• NG Bailey

The winner of the Yorkshire Post Green Champion Award will be announced on the night.