Awards and recognition for the ABLE project

Graham Wiles the GBN’s project manager has given many site tours of and presentations about the ABLE project including recent presentations to Business in the Community and the Yorkshire and Humber Sustainable Schools Fair. Graham has also given three presentations recently on behalf of the Education for Sustainable Development Forum for Yorkshire and Humber, who have adopted the ABLE project as one of the key schemes they are using to illustrate the principles of education for sustainable development. The site tours too have generated much interest and have disseminated useful information to many local councils, community groups and social enterprises from across the UK and further afield. They have also led to the active participation of Business in the Community in promoting the project.

The Sustainable Development Commission are also impressed by the project and have developed a case study of the ABLE project as an example of best practice under the government’s ‘Every Child Matters’ initiative. The document, entitled ‘Every Child’s Future Matters’, examines the role of the environment in determining the well-being of children and young people.

The ABLE project’s success has already attracted much interest and has featured extensively in local and national press including BBC TV’s Working Lunch, twice on BBC Radio 4’s Changing Places, in The Times and The Independent, and only recently in The Big Issue in the North, a series of 5 programmes on BBC Radio Leeds and a 30 minute slot on Bradford Community Radio.

The success of the project in the smaller scale pilot phase is also confirmed through numerous awards:

• NatWest Label 21 Awards,1997, 1998.
• National Grid Community 21 award 2003.
• Business Commitment to the Environment (BCE), Premier Award, 2002.
• Exemplar Host for DTI’s IUKE (Social Enterprise) scheme 2003 and 2004.

As well as the more recent awards for the site at Caldervale:
Chartered Institution of Wastes Management’s ‘Innovative Practice’ award, 2006.

Graham Wiles receives the Innovative Practice award from the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management Chairman Keith Samonite, in the fish farming area at ABLE

The GBN is recognised as “a successful social enterprise that strives for continuous improvement” (IUKE) and “exemplary environmental achievement” (BCE).

In the summer of 2008, ABLE picked up a prestigious new award from the UK Public Health Association’s inaugural Michael Varnam Health, Humanity and Environment Award. The Award recognises an approach to health and the environment which is rooted in humanitarian principles.

ABLE also picked up the Valpak award for Best Environmental Project in September 2008. The Valpak awards are renowned for showcasing excellence and innovation in recycling and resource management.

In the same month ABLE also picked up at the top prize in the Natural Environment category in the 2008 Biffawards. ABLE’s ‘Caldervale, Schools Nature Trail’ project was one of only four category winners from 234 eligible projects.