Little acts, big heroes and inspiring communities

As the 5^th Future Friendly Awards draw to a close, the overall winners of the Community, Little Hero and Big Hero Awards have been announced. Celebrating the sustainable efforts of community groups and individuals from across the UK and Ireland, the finalists and winners provide inspiring examples of how we can live more sustainable lives.

The Future Friendly programme, launched in 2007, is about doing the little things around the home that make a big difference to the environment. The Future Friendly programme aims to encourage every household in the UK to undertake its own “inspired little acts”to save both resources and money.

With thousands of votes cast to select the area finalists and extensive discussions by the independent judging panel to select the overall winners of the 5^th Future Friendly Awards, they finally culminated in a green prize-giving ceremony at the London Wetlands Centre.

The Future Friendly Awards

The Awards themselves were presented by Gabby Logan, and opened with a speech from Irwin Lee, Vice President and Managing Director of Procter & Gamble UK and Ireland. Talking about P&G’s commitment to sustainability, he underlined the importance of individual actions in preserving our environment. Even little changes, made by everyone, help to contribute. That’s why P&G, in recognising its responsibility toward protecting the environment, has made efforts to produce products that allow consumers to do inspired little acts at home as well.

The Community Award

After much anticipation, the overall winner of the Community Award was announced as ‘Dig Deep To Help Us Grow’ from Teesside. Their work in encouraging the community to grow their own fruit and veg not only reduces food miles but, by selling the produce in charity shops, helps support a vital community hospice service.Last year, the group raised an amazing £6,000 for their local service hospice and the prize bursary will enable them to do even more, including the purchase of a polytunnel to grow more exotic produce to sell.

While communities coming together to make a difference can accomplish great things, the individual little actions all of us make add up to help look after the world around us.

The Big Hero Award

Sarah Elsy, a teacher at St Bede's Primary in Chorley, Lancashire, won the Big Hero Award. Sarah leads the Eco Committee and Gardening Club in afterschool activities and has supported the children in gaining the prestigious Green Flag Eco-School Award. Her enthusiasm has inspired pupils to get involved in national initiatives, such as elm tree planting and annual birdspotting schemes. And she’s encouraged the children to grow their own vegetables, too, to make soup, so they learn new skills as they make the environment around them a greener place to be.

The Little Hero Award

Emily Bosworth, aged 13, scooped the Little Hero award for her efforts in making her family home a greener place to be and encouraging everyone else to do the same. Mum Rebecca says that Emily is so environmentally aware that she puts the rest of her family to shame: “Emily goes through the black and recycling bins and sorts them all. She is also forever turning taps off, and cleans tins, removes labels, and anything that we don’t need goes to the charity shop!” Emily’s conscientious efforts also help the family to save money, as well as fighting waste. “She’s our little eco hero!” says Rebecca.

To find out more about the finalists and winners of the Awards, as well as tips on what inspired little acts you can do at home, visit www.futurefriendly.co.uk.