Earthmover Awards 201324 July 2013
This year's Earthmover awards were presented by Friends of the Earth Executive Director Andy Atkins and North West Regional Campaigner Helen Rimmer at Basecamp on 12 July 2013.
Congratulations to everyone nominated for an Earthmover Award this year - the annual awards that celebrate grassroots environmental activism in the Friends of the Earth network.
The judging panel looked for creativity, innovation and a fresh perspective, grassroots impact and actions that grow or strengthen the movement.
This year's winners were announced at Basecamp in the main marquee on Friday 12 July:
Campaign or Project of the Year
Stop Fracking Fylde - Residents Against Fylde Fracking (RAFF) including Burnley & District, Central Lancs, Hyndburn & Ribble Valley, Omskirk & District, North Lancs and Southport Friends of the Earth
RAFF members have joyfully coordinated a wide range of events and activities - some serious and some fun - to present all sides of the fracking story to their cherished community.
RAFF has put up a strong, peaceful resistance to Cuadrilla, the company looking to exploit gas reserves from the subterranean geology of Lancashire.
Group of the Year
Llangollen Friends of the Earth
The group has been busy over the past year, especially with The Bee Cause. They successfully lobbied MP Susan Elan Jones to back the campaign and the council to make a new park a bee-friendly one and start a community garden. The group's website and Facebook page have created a great online presence. The group has led the organisation of a North Wales Friends of the Earth local groups get-together.
Friend of the Earth
Carol Musgrove, North Tyneside Friends of the Earth
Carol has been with North Tyneside Friends of the Earth for only a year or so but is already coordinator. She helped set up a hugely successful Newcastle bee event, that attracted more than 200 people, thousands of pounds worth of free venue space and set up a bee garden and two bee meadows. Carol connects with people on many levels with her creativity and energy, and gained the signature of her MP to back The Bee Cause.
Not forgetting
The awards ceremony also featured the winners of the Get Gobby student food competition, Jannat Hossain & Aaron Parr from Queen Mary, University of London.
Congratulations to the following groups and individuals who were named as runners-up for an award this year. The runners-up in each category were present at Basecamp to give speeches and collect their certificates:
Campaign or Project of the Year
• 20mph residential speed limits - Leicester Friends of the Earth
• Feeding the 5000 - Manchester Friends of the Earth
Group of the Year
• Eastbourne Friends of the Earth
• Havering Friends of the Earth
Friend of the Earth
• Gordon James - Pembrokeshire Friends of the Earth
• John Newsome - Birmingham Friends of the Earth
The judging panel included a previous winner, a Friends of the Earth board member, a campaigning expert and a senior Friends of the Earth staff member.
