Sefton-based charity, Rimrose Valley Friends, has enjoyed success at this year’s prestigious Liverpool Echo Environment Awards [1], which recognises the best environmental businesses, schools, community projects and individuals who are making a difference in Merseyside.
The online awards ceremony took place on Wednesday 28th April and was hosted by Roger Johnson, regular presenter of BBC North West Tonight.
The charity won the Healthy Living Award, in recognition of the role it plays in promoting the urban country park in South Sefton, encouraging people to use it for their physical and mental health and to experience and preserve the nature it contains.
Other nominees included StedyChefs, an organisation which helps adults with disabilities and additional needs to gain independent living skills through the act of healthy cookery, and Wirral Unplugged, which supports families’ wellbeing at home by distributing environmentally friendly craft packs each month.
Speaking on behalf of Rimrose Valley Friends and its Save Rimrose Valley campaign [2], Stuart Bennett said:
“We are over the moon to win such a high-profile award. ‘Healthy living’ sums up Rimrose Valley perfectly. The park is an incredible, free resource which is essential for people’s health and wellbeing in what is otherwise a heavily urbanised part of the city.
“The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the various lockdowns really hampered our ability to deliver events and activities in 2020 which was true for many of the other finalists on the night. We are therefore looking forward to more positive times and have big plans for the future, so we hope this award will help us to raise our profile, to grow our work and to have a positive impact on the lives of as many people as possible.
“In truth, it is the people and communities that use and rely on Rimrose Valley that make it so special and we are delighted to accept this award on their behalf.”
The award was sponsored by Liverpool John Moores University and Professor Phil Vickerman, Pro-Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives at LJMU, said:
“I was delighted to announce Rimrose Valley Friends as the winners of the Healthy Living Award, sponsored by LJMU.
“We value the importance of our green spaces and environmental assets across the Liverpool City Region. Our collective experiences during the pandemic have reinforced how vital they are to our mental and physical health and wellbeing.
“The team at Rimrose Valley Friends do a fantastic job in promoting and preserving the park for the benefit of their local community. I know that local people will agree that this award is really well deserved. Congratulations to everyone involved and thank you for everything you are doing.”
Notes
[1] Link to Echo article, confirming award winners:
[2] Highways England has plans to build a road through Rimrose Valley Country Park as an upgrade to the current A5036 Liverpool Port Access Road. Highways England is proceeding with plans after a consultation where it offered only two options, both of which were unpalatable to the local community and in fact weren’t any choice at all. Option B (Rimrose Valley) was the least favoured. Summary of results here:
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