High Life Highland has come out tops for its environmental credentials in the first ever Seriously Social Awards!
Organised by Community Leisure UK – a members’ association that specialises in charitable trusts delivering public leisure and culture services across the UK – the prestigious national awards ceremony took place in Manchester last night (13th November), with Sally Gunnell OBE as host.
High Life Highland’s dedication to Making Life Better across the region through a wide array of projects, exhibitions, and educational initiatives aims to ensure that everyone can access, protect, and enjoy the natural world – this being a primary reason that the organisation was shortlisted in the Environment category.
The charity’s range of services featured in the submission from the GROW gardeners project at the Inverness Botanic Gardens and the restoration of the Highland Folk Museum’s curling pond with the Cairngorms National Park Junior Rangers, the Learning for Life team have been supporting asylum seekers learning English to explore the local environment and the library service has seen many of its facilities become green hubs of environmental education and climate engagement.
In addition, the High Life Highland Countryside Rangers have been instrumental in the creation of the Highland Wildflower Meadow Mosiac project, which has resulted in over 60 vibrant meadows being created in communities supported by volunteers. The service also carries out an array of biodiversity monitoring, practical environment conservation activities and educational initiatives.
High Life Highland Chief Executive Steve Walsh was in Manchester to collect the award, he said: “We are all absolutely delighted to be a winner in the first ever Seriously Social Awards. I want to particularly thank our Ranger service for ensuring that we are continuing to do all we can to protect and enhance our environment while at the same time, doing what we can to support better health and wellbeing of people across the Highlands.”
Imogen Furlong High Life Highland’s Countryside Ranger Service Manager said: “In addition to supporting the wide variety of environmental work undertaken by the charity, this year High Life Highland also signed The Highland Charter for Climate, Nature and Health further demonstrating our dedication to environmental sustainability. This commitment recognises the essential connection between healthy environments and healthy communities, pledging to incorporate sustainable practices into all areas of our work. We are over the moon to be recognised nationally for all our efforts.”
You can read High Life Highland’s submission to the Seriously Social Awards here: High Life Highland: Seriously Social About the Environment
