What a night on Friday 8 December as we won the Environmental Growth category and Overall Winner at the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Sustainability Awards (CSA).
The Awards, now in their 21st year, are Cornwall’s leading initiative for rewarding and celebrating enterprises for their contribution to environmental growth and resource efficiency.
This recognition is a wonderful way for our charity to head into its 30th year in 2024.
A Win for All
Josie Purcell pictured at the Royal Cornwall Museum with both awards on the night
Collecting the Awards, Josie Purcell, communications manager at the trust, said: “It was a delight to represent Westcountry Rivers Trust and such an honour for our charity.
“But this recognition also honours our dedicated volunteers and the people and organisations who support us to keep bringing rivers to life in Cornwall, and beyond.”
Our charity received praise for our long-term work to restore and protect freshwater habitats and our vision to see the region’s freshwater environments flowing freely and teeming with life for all who depend on them.
We were singled out for using science, evidence and experience to underpin our restoration work as well as our commitment to the resilience of freshwater resources.
Our CEO Dr Laurence Couldrick said: “This is fantastic news and testament to all the hard work of the team, our volunteers and our partners who have worked together over almost 30 years to protect our rivers and the species that live in them.”
Judging Panel
Cllr Martyn Alvey, Cornwall Council cabinet member for environment and climate change and one of the competition judges, said: “The Cornwall Sustainability Awards highlights the breadth of innovative organisations we have here in our region and how dedicated they are to helping nature thrive, lowering our impact on the planet and boosting our green economy and skills.”
Along with Cllr Alvey, this year’s judges were Kim Conchie, Chief Executive of Cornwall Chamber of Commerce; Lord Robin Teverson, Chair of Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Nature Partnership; Clare Parnell of Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership; Gitty Ankers MBE of Cornwall Community Flood Forum; and Matt Hocking, owner of Leap, Design for Change.
The Trophies, Sponsors & Hosts
Our winning trophies
The trophies, called Ocean Stack, have been designed and handmade by artist, Emma Eberlein. They combine found beach plastic, fishing wire, and fallen elm from Cornwall and the IoS.
Cornwall Association of Tourist Attractions sponsored the Environmental Growth category.
Business Cornwall sponsored the Overall Winner award.
Josie (left) celebrating the Overall Winner accolade with Caroline Carter from award sponsor, Business Cornwall
The event, held at the Royal Cornwall Museum, was opened by the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Cornwall Sir Ferrers Vyvyan Bt DL and hosted by Daphne Skinnard from BBC Radio Cornwall.
Find out more
To discover more about the CSA and all the other winners on the night, visit cornwall.gov.uk/council-news
To learn more about some of the Cornwall-based project examples highlighted in our nomination, please visit:
Water for Growth
Westcountry CSI
Farm Net Zero