Biffa Award Ceremony 2016 by Biffa Award

U O R Y S G N T I O L RY L E T BIFFA AWARD CEREMONY 20 1 6

CONTENTS Welcome

Plan for the day

Our projects • The Biffa Award Map of the UK

6 7

Community Life • Overview • Wootton Wawen Village Hall • Coxhoe Village Hall • Bodymoor Heath Victory Hall • Chalfont St Giles Youth Club

8 10 10 11 11

Sport and Play • Overview • Old Playground Association • Whitley Bay Rockcliff Rugby Football Club • Egerton Park Improvement Committee • Durham Wildlife Trust

12 14 14 15 15

Nature Spaces • Overview • RSPB • Hirst Wood Regeneration Group • Wiltshire Wildlife Trust • The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust

16 18 18 19 19

Arts and Heritage • Overview • The Lowry Centre Limited • Sheppey Entertainment Association • Green’s Windmill Trust • Northern Print Studio Ltd

20 22 22 23 23

WELCOME Welcome to the Biffa Award Ceremony 2016 at the Dudley Canal and Tunnel Trust Portal Building.

a park to get children active, bring a new lease of life to a tired but well loved community centre, or help bring a native species back from the brink of extinction.

In these difficult economic times, we know how important funding can be. Grants to community projects inspire villages and support vulnerable groups.

This year we asked projects to tell their stories, to celebrate the incredible people who have worked to improve their communities or the environment. Competition was fierce this year with 170 projects eligible to apply. Projects were shortlisted across four categories: Arts and Heritage, Community Life, Sport and Play and Nature Spaces.

Nationally, the average amount of a Biffa Award grant is just ÂŁ32,829. In the grand scheme of national budgets this is negligible, but to community and environmental projects across the UK this is a life changing sum. The size of a grant is not an accurate measure of the scale of the project. ÂŁ32,829 can rebuild

We hope you enjoy the day.

PLAN FOR THE DAY 12.00 Arrival, refreshments 12.30 Boat departs 2.00 Afternoon tea is served 2.30 Ceremony begins • • • • •

4.30

Community Life Sport and Play Nature Spaces Arts and Heritage Overall Winner

Ceremony concludes

THANK YOU We’d like to say a massive thank you to Biffa Group Ltd for funding the Biffa Awards Cermony this year. Also thanks to Mavis, Tony, Nathan and Mark for once again touring the country to judge our fantastic projects. And finally to the team at Dudley Canal and Tunnel Trust for letting us use their fantastic venue.

BACKGROUND

OUR BOARD

The Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts has more than 20 years of experience in managing social and environmental grant programmes totalling over £250 million. Proven successes working with and empowering people to make significant environmental and societal impacts.

The Biffa Award board is comprised of the following members.

JOHN HUGHES (CHAIRMAN)

RSWT nominated representative

ANDREW MOFFATT

RSWT nominated representative

DR TONY WHITBREAD

Since 1997 RSWT has administered landfill tax credit grants under the fund name Biffa Award. Since its inception over £156 billion has been granted to community and environmental projects across the UK.

RSWT nominated representative

MICK DAVIS

Managing Director; Resource Rcovery & Treatment Division

JACQUELINE DOONE

Indirect Tax Manager, Biffa Group Ltd

ROB JONES

Group Envirionment & Sustainability Manager, Biffa Group Ltd.

OUR PROJECTS their focus may be different, Biffa Award projects are all united in one mission: to build communities and transform lives.

At Biffa Award, we are proud to be a significant part of the Landfill Communities Fund, supporting positive change across the UK.

A new boiler isn’t just an upgrade to a building’s plumbing; it means that a community centre is now usable in the winter months and can support a host of different user groups. All-weather cricket facilities mean longer practice hours, resulting in better cricketers, helping to encourage sport at a community level. Managing non-native species can mean rare butterflies returning to a site for the first time in years. Small changes can have BIG impacts, and we want our projects to shout it from the rooftops.

Biffa Award projects make up an eclectic community across the country; with projects ranging in size and scale from £500 to £1.6 million. This variety is one of the greatest strengths of our Biffa Award community, and something to be celebrated. In the past five years alone we have installed double glazing in scout huts and provided a state of the art home for ThrustSSC, the fastest car ever made. We have fixed sprinkler systems in a bowls club, installed practice nets in numerous cricket clubs, and brought beavers back to Britain for the first time in 400 years. You may think that these projects have little in common, but they all represent the best aspects of community spirit and ambition. Though

John Hughes Biffa Award Chairman

A FOND FAREWELL This autumn our Chairman, John Hughes will be stepping down after 12 years on the Biffa Award board.

as the Scottish Beaver project and The Barn Theatre. During his tenure 2,564 projects have recieved over £100 million in grant funding. This incredible legacy will live on in countless wildlife reserves, cricket clubs and community centres across the UK.

John has made a massive contribution to the programme, donating his time, expertise and guidance to projects such

D M A R A P W OF THE U A A F F I B K HE

COMMUNITY LIFE Community buildings play a vital role in people’s lives. Village halls are the backdrop for life’s big events, hosting christenings, weddings and funerals. Community centres offer people the chance to embrace their creativity, and learn new skills. Scout huts encourage children to meet new friends and learn independence. We ask a lot of these buildings, and the more heavily used they are, the more in need they are of a bit of TLC, so that they can go on supporting community life.

JUDGE: MAVIS WILKINS Mavis was the community buildings adviser for Warwickshire Rural Community Council for nearly 30 years. Since retirement she has been involved with establishing a charity on her doorstep which endeavours to renovate, refurbish and return old buildings to community use. Mavis has been a judge for Biffa Award for the past 10 years.

IN THE PAST YEAR £1.7 MILLION WAS GRANTED TO COMMUNITY LIFE PROJECTS. THIS FUNDING WAS USED TO... 8

SUPPORT 21 VILLAGE HALLS

DEREHAM WINDMILL 2014 OVERALL WINNER - CASE STUDY Dereham Windmill has overlooked the Fens for nearly 200 years, but sadly the building had fallen into disrepair. When in 2008 it was declared unsafe the Trustees of Dereham knew they had to act fast to save this beloved landmark.

exciting new space, the community again rallied together to build a cafĂŠ, to improve the facilities on site which is now in constant demand by local residents, schools and charities. Dereham windmill tells the story of the evolution of a heritage building that has had a second lease of life at the heart of the community.

The renovated windmill has since become a community exhibition centre, featuring artwork from Autism Anglia, and other local artists and craftsman. With the increasing success of this

RENNOVATE 17 COMMUNITY CENTRES

CREATE 4 COMMUNITY GARDENS 9

REFURBISH 7 CHURCH HALLS

WOOTTON WAWEN VILLAGE HALL ROOF REPLACEMENT WOOTTON WAWEN VILLAGE HALL £10,000 Mopping up after heavy rainfall was the normal routine at Wootton Wawen Village Hall and the small community was in desperate need of help. A grant from Biffa Award paid for a new roof which has kept the community warm and dry – whatever the weather.

Rural Cinema scheme, which has been “a runaway success”. In recognition of the new roof and insulation, the hall has frozen its hire fees this year and the community of Wootton Wawen are now enjoying exciting and inclusive events right on their doorsteps.

The the whole community has come together to help the refurbishment project and there is a tremendous amount of pride in the new facilities. Subsequently, a resident bought a drop-down screen, allowing the hall to be included in the Stratford-upon-Avon

COXHOE VILLAGE HALL 21ST CENTURY HEATING COXHOE VILLAGE HALL £31,760 Originally built as a permanent memorial to the First World War, Coxhoe Village Hall is working hard to provide a fantastic experience for its

community. A Biffa Award grant was used to install the first new heating system since the hall opened in 1932. Numbers of users and bookings have greatly increased since project completion and the hall now sometimes struggles for space. It has become a local attraction with over two hundred people attending special events. The Hop is one of the most popular events, and sees people travelling from miles around. The Village Hall Hop, a fortnightly social rock ‘n’ roll dance has attracted people aged 7-80!

RESTORATION OF BODYMOOR HEATH VICTORY HALL BODYMOOR HEATH VICTORY HALL £25,880 Bodymoor Heath Victory Hall is an essential meeting place for a small and tight-knit community in the West Midlands. Despite water being caught in buckets and wind whistling through the windows, the support for the hall from the villagers was unwavering. The refurbishment surpassed the original objectives and the village hall now holds a series of regular events. With no shop or public transport in the village, older members of the community that live just half a mile from each other are meeting for the first time, and many

now have the confidence to join in with events despite living alone. The hall has been transformed into a thriving community building the whole village can be proud of.

THE ZONE CHALFONT ST GILES YOUTH CLUB £50,000 When organisers at the Chalfont St Giles Youth Club told the children who use the facility that they had secured funding for renovation, they said they had never seen the kids so happy. It was a breakthrough moment for this ambitious project to extend its premises and help provide a facility where everyone from babies to the elderly would feel at home.

difficult childhoods. The youth club is now truly on the map and looks forward to a bright future. Chalfont St Giles is more than just a building – it is changing the lives of young people.

The whole community got involved during the build and many were impressed with the hard work and dedication of the young people who use the facility, many of whom have had

SPORT AND PLAY Recreational facilities contribute significantly towards our health and wellbeing. Through sport and play, children can learn teamwork and discipline, not only contributing to their physical well-being but also aiding their self-esteem. It has been a big year for sport, with Team GB victorious at the Olympics and England retaining the Ashes, and improved facilities at sports clubs will help inspire the next generation of champions.

JUDGE: NATHAN WILLIAMS Nathan founded the Innovative Foundation in 2009, a charity that provides support and opportunities for vulnerable people with the ethos ‘Inclusion, Progression and Recreation’. He has been judging for the Biffa Award Ceremony for the past seven years.

IN THE PAST YEAR £1.9 MILLION WAS GRANTED TO RECREATIONAL PROJECTS. THIS FUNDING WAS USED TO... 12

IMPROVE FACILITIES AT 16 CRICKET CLUBS

DUDLEY CANAL AND TUNNEL TRUST FLAGSHIP PROJECT - CASE STUDY The Dudley Canal and Tunnel Trust protects and preserves the historic tunnels that run through Dudley. Running regular guided boat trips, the Trust allows visitors to explore the hidden treasures of 428 million years of history! The boat trips have proved hugely popular, attracting over 80,000 visitors every year. The old centre was

RENNOVATE 2 RUGBY CLUBS AND 4 FOOTBALL CLUBS

not capable of servicing the expanding attraction so the Trust set about building an ambitious new Portal building. They were awarded £500,000 to create the exhibition gallery in the new Portal Building. This state of the art new centre has improved visitors’ experiences and increased the number of schools and community groups visiting the canal.

BUILD 18 PLAYGROUNDS 13

SUPPORT 70 COMMUNITIES

OLD PLAYGROUND OLD PLAYGROUND ASSOCIATION £10,000 The playground equipment in the village of Old was in need of replacement and a number of parents had raised safety concerns.

more families to socialise and get involved in the community.

Local families and children helped to dismantle the old playground and clean up in preparation for the new equipment. A fence around the playground has ensured that the children have a safe place to play without the worry of the busy main road. The project has created a new focal point in the village and encouraged

CLUBHOUSE UPGRADE TO IMPROVE COMMUNITY USE WHITLEY BAY ROCKCLIFF RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB £50,000 Over the last seven years Whitley Bay Rockcliff has transformed from a men’s only club with 50 members to become a thriving community with over 400 playing members including mini, junior, girls and touch rugby programmes.

The facilities had not kept up with the player development, so funding was used to refurbish the clubhouse, making it a facility worthy of its formidable players. A call out was made to the membership, to ensure the club utilised the skills they had available to them. This gave users a sense of ownership and a dedicated team of volunteers managed the project and now happily maintain the pitch and the buildings, taking great pride in the new facilities. The revamped clubhouse is now used extensively by the wider community for events, group meetings and training sessions.

ENHANCEMENT AND IMPROVEMENT OF EGERTON PARK EGERTON PARK IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE £50,000 popular. Following an open day the committee received a letter from a woman who had decided to move to the area as she was so impressed by the community spirit!

Egerton Park’s playground was coming to the end of its life and was in desperate need of replacement. The aim was to create a new modern play area for all the community and more than 200 letters of support from local children were reviewed to ensure that their views were heard. As a result of this transformation the council has invested further in the park, supplying outdoor gym equipment, so that adults can exercise while supervising their children. The new playground has proved highly

NATURAL PLAY AREA - RAINTON MEADOWS DURHAM WILDLIFE TRUST £50,000 Rainton Meadows is one of Durham Wildlife Trust’s flagship reserves. The Trust wanted to broaden their appeal and attract people who would not normally visit a nature reserve.

A playground was created out of natural materials and designed to complement the existing landscape, allowing children to spot butterflies and finches whilst they play. The new equipment is used as an entry point to the reserve so that children can continue their wild play exploring the wetlands and woods, feeding into the Trust’s education work. There has been a notable spike in new visitor numbers, mainly those who have discovered the reserve as a result of the playground.

NATURE SPACES Every species has its role to play in the health and sustainability of an ecosystem. Greater species diversity makes for a healthier ecosystem which in turn can better withstand natural disasters such as flooding. Human actions can have devastating effects on the natural world which is why it is so important to inspire people to love the world around them. This category looks to celebrate projects that not only protect wildlife, but also help connect communities with the natural world.

JUDGE: TONY RICHARDSON Tony worked for the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust for over 30 years. In 2003 he became the RSPB’s South West England Director, retiring from that role in June 2015. In his spare time, Tony enjoys walking, focusing on birds and butterflies, travel, music and trying to keep on top of an unruly garden! Tony has been a judge for Biffa Award for 14 years.

IN THE PAST YEAR £2.5 MILLION WAS GRANTED TO CONSERVATION PROJECTS. THIS FUNDING WAS USED TO... 16

CONSERVE 2,152 HECTARES

FRESHWATER BIOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION PARTNERSHIP PROJECT - CASE STUDY across four catchments in northern England and one in the south-west. Existing population sites are conserved and juvenile mussels will be safely released with a view to establishing and enhancing existing populations. Local communities have been involved with mass tree planting days, to help combat bank erosion and volunteers are also being used to monitor the populations and survey the river for water quality.

This exciting project aims to save one of the most long-lived animals from extinction: the freshwater pearl mussel. Freshwater pearl mussels, which can live for more than 100 years, are internationally protected and critically endangered with a 90% drop in populations across the UK. They are indicators of good water quality: if they are at risk, it is a warning that the health of the river is in decline. This England-wide project, running from 2015 to 2018, is working on eight rivers

IMPROVE ACCESS TO 18 NATURE RESERVES

PROTECT 412 SPECIES 17

FUND 3 NATIONAL CONSERVATION PROJECTS

LAPWING LIFELINE RSPB - KENT £50,000 The Northward Hill reserve provides an essential breeding habitat for wading birds. With the decline of this habitat across the country these populations are put under increasing pressure and the young chicks are threatened by foxes and other predators.

from three to 27! In addition, these charismatic little chicks have been a big draw for enthusiastic birdwatchers, attracting more people to explore this beautiful reserve.

This project saw a 2.9km anti-predator fence erected at the reserve to protect lapwing nests, which is sustainably powered by a wind turbine and solar panels. The fence has succeeded in its aim as the annual number of lapwing fledglings at the site has increased

HIRST WOOD NATURE IN THE COMMUNITY HIRST WOOD REGENERATION GROUP £25,500 The aim of this project was to turn an overgrown boggy field into a place of beauty and tranquillity and a haven for wildlife. Funding was used to create paths, pond dipping platforms and bird hides.

and pride in the nature area. “We are all misfits of society today, but we have been bound together forever by what we can achieve!”

Fruit trees have been donated and planted in memory of loved ones, and the wood is regularly used by school groups and an art class for the less able. Community volunteers from all walks of life have given thousands of hours of work to transform the site, giving them a real sense of ownership

KINGS FARM WOOD WILTSHIRE WILDLIFE TRUST ÂŁ47,000 Kings Farm Wood lies between two other Wiltshire Wildlife Trust reserves. New paths have helped to connect the

three sites, creating a 150-acre nature reserve for visitors to explore. This improved access has encouraged new groups and greater numbers of visitors to the wood, including wheelchair and pushchair users and older visitors who previously would not have felt safe or confident coming to the reserve. Feedback from the local community has been great. New friendships are being made and informal walking groups created, allowing a more diverse range of people to enjoy the woodland.

WWT WASHINGTON BREEDING BIRD HABITAT CREATION THE WILDFOWL AND WETLANDS TRUST ÂŁ21,000 difference in the number of birds at the site. The lapwing count has quadrupled compared to recent years and it has been a record year for avocets at Washington!

The staff at the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust Washington, along with a committed team of volunteers, set out to improve the quality and variety of habitats at Washington to attract more wildlife. Funding was used to create a shingle island and a spit to provide more breeding and roosting habitat for a variety of wading birds including avocet, curlew and lapwing. A nesting bank was also created for kingfishers and sand martins. Since project completion, the team has been thrilled to see a tremendous

ARTS AND HERITAGE Centres for arts and heritage educate both the mind and the soul. Whether a theatre, gallery, museum, lighthouse or a windmill; these buildings allow visitors to explore their cultural identity and promote learning, creativity and participation. This category is about celebrating the projects that allow local communities to have new experiences and explore new ideas.

JUDGE: MARK FISHPOOL Mark is the Director of Middlesbrough Environment City, a charity that promotes healthy and sustainable lifestyles. He is currently overseeing the exciting One Planet Pioneers project, as part of the Our Bright Future programme, which is aimed at educating and inspiring young people on a range of environmental and sustainable initiatives.

IN THE PAST YEAR ÂŁ1.7 MILLION WAS GRANTED TO CULTURAL PROJECTS. THIS FUNDING WAS USED TO... 20

DEVELOP 14 EXHIBITIONS

THE ASSOCIATION OF INDEPENDENT MUSEUMS PARTNERSHIP PROJECT - CASE STUDY History Makers is an exciting new project which will support independent museums to create new exhibitions. Visitors will be able to explore the personal stories behind some of the great figures of our past, from houshold names to key individuals forgotten by the history books. History Makers will bring these fascinating chapters of our social history to life.

RENNOVATE 3 ART GALLERIES

This project is continuing the successful collaboration between Biffa Award and the Association of Independent Museums from 2012-2014, which saw £1.5m invested in National Heritage Landmark Projects, saving some of the UK’s most important industrial heritage. Funding has supported amongst others: Cromford Mills, The SS Great Britain, Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust and the Postal Musem and Archive.

SUPPORT 4 THEATRES 21

CONSERVE 3 HISTORIC BUILDINGS

REPLACEMENT SOUND SYSTEM IN QUAYS THEATRE THE LOWRY CENTRE LIMITED £50,000 Quays Theatre is a busy performance centre that has been used to showcase community talent for almost 15 years. Biffa Award funding was used to upgrade the sound system and the theatre has subsequently hosted 78 successful and ambitious performances. Since the upgrade, 2,201 people from disadvantaged local areas have enjoyed drama, dance and operetta shows for free through the ‘Our Lowry’ scheme, and 2,506 young people have performed on the Quays Theatre stage. One of those

young people was Melissa, a teenage parent who is working on a year-long creative project. Previously nervous speaking on stage, Melissa’s journey with The Lowry has made her “grow in confidence and shine”.

ENERGY EFFICIENT BOILER SHEPPEY ENTERTAINMENT ASSOCIATION £6,196 Run by the community for the community, Sheppey Little Theatre opened in 1975 in an old Victorian church hall. Their forty-year-old boiler was in desperate need of an update

and Biffa Award funding was used to purchase a new energy efficient heating system. With the money saved from heating costs, the theatre has been able to put on films for local school children, some of whom have never had the unique and exciting effect of seeing a film in theatre conditions. The theatre also saved Christmas for one local primary school, by donating its space when they had nowhere to host their nativity play!

MILL GARDEN GREEN’S WINDMILL TRUST £46,000 Volunteers have built a Victorianstyle greenhouse, garden cottage and outdoor pizza oven. Week after week, despite anxiety issues or physical limitations, volunteers have been dedicated to completing the project.

Green’s Windmill and Science Centre is a small but popular visitor attraction in Nottingham. With the help of Biffa Award, a derelict allotment plot adjacent to the windmill has been transformed into a community garden.

Since applying for funding, the garden has been awarded a Green Flag Award recognising it as a ‘high-quality green space run by volunteers’. The future of the garden is to inspire more community usage and an increase in the amount of urban wildlife present at the site.

GALLERY AND STUDIO DEVELOPMENT NORTHERN PRINT STUDIO LTD £41,500 Northern Print Studio works hard to encourage more people to see, make and enjoy printmaking. This work has assisted in the regeneration of Ouseburn Valley, seen as Newcastle’s Cultural Quarter. With a grant from Biffa Award, Northern Print has expanded and improved its visitor experience, hosting more events and projects, such as the ‘Scrum Down Print Forward’ project, where the world’s longest linocut was made to celebrate the Rugby World Cup.

workshops for community groups such as BAM Sistahood! (Black, Asian and minority ethnic refugee women) and Crisis Skylight (working with people experiencing homelessness) who also exhibited their woodcut prints in the gallery.

Since its improvement work, the gallery has been able to run more

TRUCKS ON TOUR Our aim is to get a photo of one of our Biffa Award foam trucks on site at as many of our projects as possible, and we need your help! Take a photo of your truck on location and then share it with us @BiffaAward #TrucksOnTour.

www.biffa-award.org 01636 670 000 biffa-award@rswt.org @BiffaAward Biffa Award