The Greener Gateway Community Awards have returned bigger and better for 2024 and entries are now officially open.
About the Greener Gateway Community Awards
Following another successful year last year, the Awards have expanded to include a new school category to celebrate the projects being undertaken by children and young people across the Borders that focus on sustainability and biodiversity.
The Awards provide the opportunity to recognise and celebrate the civic pride, volunteering efforts and skills that help keep the towns and villages of the Scottish Borders looking so vibrant and cared for.
They also showcase the communities and community-led projects that take pride in their local environment whilst also acknowledging their efforts to make the region more sustainable and environmentally friendly.
Details of this year's awards
Returning for this year are the more familiar settlement award categories, including the Wee Village Award, Small Village Award, Large Village Award and Town Award, as well as the Border Biodiversity Award, Cultivating Communities Award and Sustainability Award.
Following feedback from local communities, 2024 will also see the return of in-person judging for all settlement categories with entrants encouraged to submit supporting evidence digitally in the form of photographs, videos or links.
Last year's winners
Last year, a total of twelve villages, towns and individual projects were recognised overall in a prize-giving ceremony held in September 2023.
Winners of the best submission in each category were:
- Wee Village Award (maximum population of 300) - Birgham
- Large Village Award (population between 1,001 and 2,500) - Chirnside
- Town Award (population over 2,500) – Eyemouth
- Border Biodiversity Award – Brighter Selkirk
- Cultivating Communities Award – Cockburnspath Allotment Association
- Sustainability Award – Cockburnspath Allotment Association
How to enter and further information
Entries can be submitted at any time either online or by paper copy up to the deadlines of 31 May for settlement awards, 24 June for school awards and 2 August for other individual awards.
Full details of the awards, the individual categories, entry guidelines and details on how to submit your entry are available to view on the SBC website.
Judging of the submissions will take place during August, with an awards ceremony held in September to celebrate all the schools, community groups and projects who participated in the new programme of awards.
Gold, silver and bronze certificates will be awarded across all categories, with a separate ‘Best in Category’ award for each.
A £250 voucher will be awarded to the primary and secondary schools that are adjudged to be ‘Best in Category’ through the judging process.
Councillor John Greenwell, Executive Member for Roads Development & Maintenance:
“Since their introduction in 2022, the Greener Gateway Community Awards have helped showcase amazing community-led projects and initiatives that are delivering great benefit to the Borders and those who stay here.
“The individuals and groups behind these projects dedicate countless hours of their time to making the region more prosperous and the Awards are one small way we can recognise their achievements and hard work.
“For 2024, I am delighted to see the Awards are expanding to include a school category which will rightly highlight the many sustainability projects being undertaken by children and young people as part of their education.
“I am extremely excited to see the awards go from strength to strength and encourage as many different individuals, projects and initiatives to seriously consider applying for this year’s awards.”