Inspiring, moving, humbling and amazing - some of the words used to describe the stories of the projects and people who received awards at this year’s Cork Environmental Forum’s Awards ceremony at the Firkin Crane in Cork, which took place on Thursday last, December 4th.

The CEF Awards are given under the 4 pillars of the Forum – Individual, Community & Voluntary, Public and Private Sector categories, while there is also a Communtiy Garden Award and this year, a Young Sustainability Champion Award.

Helen Barrett, chairperson of Cork Environmental Forum, in her welcoming address thanked every person who had taken the time to put forward nominations for this year’s award. She thanked the selection panel, comprised of Michael Ewing, coordinator of the Environmental Pillar and CEF members, Denis O’Regan and Anna Aherne, who had the unenviable task of choosing the winners from nominations that were all very worthy.

COOLAGOWN REWARDED

Coolagown Development Group were the well deserving Community & Voluntary Sector winners for their long-standing work in creating a sustainable village environment, in particular addressing waste and energy issues with local solutions and implementing ‘Beat that Bill’ with 90 households in the village.

The award was introduced by Dr. Mary Stack, Environment Directorate, Cork County Council who outlined the on-going dedication of this small North Cork village to environmental care and action, they are an example to others what can be done by a dedicated team of volunteers. Deputy Mayor of the County, Cllr. Kevin O’Keeffe who presented the award, acknowledged the tremendous dedication of the group in implementing sustainability locally.

In his acceptance speech John Feeney outlined the collaborative manner in which the group worked and thanked especially Cork County Council and others such as the Avondhu Blackwater Partnership, for their support with the initiatives the group had undertaken.

Elsewhere on the night, Paul Whelan was announced as the Individual Winner 2014, recognised for his tireless work through Biology.ie in providing information and facilitating recording of wildlife, whilst working and engaging with schools, NGOs, individuals and state agencies. The Business and Commercial sector went to Organico’s shop and café in Bantry. The Architecture Factory project was winner under the Public Sector Award - a third level education and learning space where used shipping containers are repurposed as offices and spatial divisions to create an excity and active space.

The Community Garden Award Winners for 2014 were the Glen Community Garden. On the night, the Young Sustainability Champion Award was awarded to Sophie Healy-Thow, Emer Hickey and Ciara Judge, Kinsale Community College for their extraordinary scientific work on the role of diazotroph in germination and crop yields inspired to help improve food production in developing countries.

ENVIRONMENTAL CARE

Bernie Connolly, CEF Development coordinator, congratulated all of the winners and thanked all those who participated in the introductions and presentations, as well as all who attended what is a highlight event in the year of the Forum. She also thanked Musgraves for their sponsorship of the refreshments and the volunteers who helped prepare the reception. The night’s winners gave a cross sectoral flavour of the environmental care and concern in the communities across Cork and it is heartening to know that this is just a sample of all the work happening in this area.

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