6 July 2010

Froglife scoops two Green Awards

Froglife is delighted to have scooped two awards at a showcase of environmental projects based in Cambridgeshire.

Judges of the Evening Telegraph Green Awards awarded Froglife with the ‘Green Youth Group Award’ and ‘Most Innovative Environmental Project’ award, facing stiff competition from a number of local and national environmental organisations.

Froglife won ‘Green Youth Group Award’ for Green Pathways, funded by BBC Children in Need. The scheme supports young people in developing their skills, both academically and socially, through wildlife conservation activities like amphibian and reptile surveying and pond-digging.

“It’s a great achievement for the scheme and all of the young people involved, I can’t wait to let them all know.” said Natalie Giles, Froglife’s Green Pathways Project Officer. “They each work so hard and have such passion for their projects that it is good for them to have others recognise what they have accomplished.”

‘Most Innovative Environmental Project’ went to Peterborough Environment Enrichment Project (PEEP). This established project works with young offenders carrying out practical conservation activities as part of their reparation order (similar to 'community service') – these activities have helped create numerous wildlife areas in the city, and have led to some young people gaining training and, later, employment.

“This is quite overwhelming, since this category was very competitive and there was a whole host of excellent innovative projects we were up against,” said Andy Mortimore, Froglife’s Reparation Manager. “The award is heartening recognition for PEEP, which has been going a number of years, and has made some fantastic improvements to wildlife habitats in Peterborough.”

“Both of these award-winning projects are replicable in other towns and cities, and we’re currently looking for partners to help us get these cutting edge projects off the ground elsewhere,” said Jules Howard, Froglife’s Education Coordinator.

For more details about both of these projects, visit: www.froglife.org/education